What to drink in the summer to make the table pleasant and relax the soul? David Williams, the expert oenologist of the Guardian, the authoritative British newspaper which celebrates its two hundred years of life this year, has investigated far and wide among the world's wineries to the point of putting together a group of twenty wines that should not be missing from the tables of gourmets for this summer 2021. And, surprise, among these international champions an Italian sparkling wine stands out: Contero Moscato d'Asti di Strevi 2020, a delicately sparkling wine, not a sparkling wine, but a wine that offers fine and delicate sensations, ideal to accompany refined desserts with a soft, not strong flavour.
William devotes enthusiastic words to him: “Is there a more cheerful wine in the world than Moscato d'Asti? I have yet to find anything that matches so closely the feeling of waking up to a sunny summer morning that one gets in wines like this, a lively and delightfully delicately bubbling mix of sweet peaches, muscatel grapes and summer meadows.”
The English critic also dwells on his choices on white, red and rosé wines. France is the master with 10 wines followed by Spain with 4 followed by Portugal, Argentina and South Africa with 2. The ranking of nations is closed by Italy, Romania, Greece, New Zealand, England with a wine.
Below is the list of wines chosen and recommended by the English winemaker for the summer of 2021.
For whites
Dealuri Feteasca Regala Romanian 2020, Romania.
Mosel Steep Slopes Riesling 2018, Germany;
Lavradores de Feitoria White Estrada, Portugal;
Marks & Spencer Found Moschofilero & Roditis 2020, Greece;
Equipo Navazos I Think Manzanilla en Rama, Spain;
Isabel Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2019, New Zealand;
Rafael Palacios Louro Godello, Spain;
Le Domaine d'Henri Chablis St-Pierre, France.
Tesco Beaujolais 2020, France;
Santa Julia Malbec 2020, Argentina.
Waterkloof Seriously Cool Cinsault 2019, South Africa;
Domaine Cordaillat Reuilly Rouge 2019, France;
Domaine Clusel Roch Traboules 2019, France;
Celler del Roure Safra 2019, Spain.
For the reds
Tesco Beaujolais 2020, France;
Santa Julia Malbec 2020, Argentina.
Waterkloof Seriously Cool Cinsault 2019, South Africa;
Domaine Cordaillat Reuilly Rouge 2019, France;
Domaine Clusel Roch Traboules 2019, France;
Celler del Roure Safra 2019, Spain.
For rosés
M&S Found Vinho Verde Rosé 2020, Portugal;
Château Minuty M de Minuty 2020, France.
For the bubbles
Morrisons The Best English Sparkling Wine Grand Vintage Brut 2010, England;
Pierre Paillard Les Parcelles Bouzy Grand Cru XV Champagne, France;
Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé Champagne, France.
Breaking old traditional schemes, and in line with the new drinking trends, Dawid Williams finally recommends drinking red wines cold and not at room temperature. In no uncertain terms he states: “a glass of chilled red is the perfect summer drink”. And he adds: ”after a long day at work, there's nothing I like more than relaxing with a cold glass of red. It's not a typo. Nor am I willfully perverted. A glass of Gamay (autochthonous black grape variety of Burgundy, used in the production of Beaujolais, and also widespread in Italy mainly in Valle d'Aosta, Friuli, Piedmont and Umbria) slightly tannic, sapid, lively and with berries, to a bottle straight from the fridge with its photogenic beads of condensation, is as thirst-quenching and enlivening as any glass of cold fizz or G&T. It is the very essence of a summer drink”.
Williams also provides a historical explanation. “Room temperature is the routine setting, but it's room temperature in a modern house, fully insulated and centrally heated: a stifling 20C+ that turns all red wines to something like mush. Never mind that this remarkably hardy service tip comes from a time when the only people drinking wine in Britain were the upper classes, their draughty country rooms rarely much hotter than 15°C. That temperature is more or less ideal for most reds, most of the time. It is not so cold that the wine becomes aromatically muted.
But it's cold enough for the wine to hold its 'definition' – a typically nebulous term that I can really only explain by analogy. Think of a warm can of Coke or, for that matter, white wine. There is much more to the nose, but the palate feels a little fuzzy, flat, lacking sharpness. This is how I feel about red wine that has been served too hot. Whenever I do tasting events, while no one ever complains that their red wine is too hot, many people are still surprised, even offended, if they are served a red wine at the temperature they would expect for a white. The reaction is instinctive, like the first time a Northern European tries gazpacho or ajo blanco: can you take it back to the kitchen to warm it up, please?
I'm not saying that every red wine benefits from being served nearly ice cold. Works best on low to delicate tannin, high acid and crisp fruity styles. Examples include Beaujolais and other gamays; cabernet franc, especially from the Loire; the pale, modern style of grenache/garnacha; and candy. Richer, woodier, heavier white and sparkling styles of wine also show more of their complexity when not completely chilled to the touch (12°C or so). And a few ice cubes in a glass of the strongest and darkest rosés is one of the simple pleasures of summer”.
