Summer means lighter and more colourful clothing, salads, and grilling. If that is the case, you can switch out older, tannin-laden wines for younger, lighter wines. You drink reds, rose, white, and sparkling wines, and now even natural sparkling wine!
As you would change your clothes between seasons, you should also switch out the wines you buy and drink.
Open a white or rose bottle with the following:
- Acidity high;
- Body type: Light to medium;
- Dry Taste
Avoid full-bodied wine that has been aged in wood for a long time.
The lighter a white or rose wine is, the cooler the temperature at which it should be served, but not below 6degC.
You will not be able to smell or taste anything if you don’t
Natural gas and sparkling wines are both less alcoholic. This makes them a great option on hot days. They are also easy to pair gastronomically.
If the sparkling wine is white and brut, the temperature should be set at 5 degrees Celsius.
Avoid “heavy” red wines that are full-bodied and have lots of tannins. These features can leave you feeling tired, dehydrated and thirsty after drinking a few glasses.
Choose red wine instead:
- The aroma/flavour is excellent at low temperatures;
- Few tannins;
- Strong Acidity
These characteristics of red wine will provide the refreshing sensation your body and brain need on a hot summer day.
Temperatures
In summer, you should have a bag of ice and a frape in your freezer so you can cool any wine, even red, in 15 minutes!
It is important to keep the wine at the correct temperature without freezing it. Soon, we’ll be there…
Sparkling wines
I use classic frape for this wine.
You can use any container that allows you to put the whole bottle in contact with ice, such as a Tupperware or a pot.
Be sure that the wine does not get too cold. You may need to take the bottle out of the ice now and then, but after a couple of minutes, put it right back.
Red wine and summer
In summer, the recommended temperature for red wine drops immediately from 18°c to 15°c (59°f to 60°f). Yes, depending on the weather or season, wine can be served at slightly different temperatures.
Some red wines will undoubtedly not be compatible with this service temperature. Wines that have a lot of structure and tannins can be unpleasant to drink. The tannins become more intense, and the aroma/flavour is closed, resulting in a lack of enjoyment.
You can use a ceramic cooler to keep red wine at a comfortable temperature. Pour in water and ice, pour out the water, and then place the bottle of wine inside. The clay will keep the wine at the same temperature.
I keep a bottle in the refrigerator to cool my clay cooler. This way, it is ready within minutes. You can also use it as a decoration on your table. It usually comes with a small plate.
Cooler sleeves are another option for maintaining the temperature of red wines at the table. Keep 2 or 3 ready in the freezer.
Wine in a glass
When drinking wine outside, be extra careful, as the temperature will rise even before the third sip.
You can use “ice cubes” or frozen grapes to cool down the wine at home. The stem of the glass can also help to keep the wine from getting too hot.
What Not to Do
Last but not least, you should never put the bottle of wine in the refrigerator. Wine does not appreciate drastic temperature changes.
Depending on its alcohol content, wine can freeze at -5°c to 6°c. This freezing causes the organic chemical compounds to crystallize, which can change the taste.
When I did this a few times, the wine lost all its aroma and taste. I regret it instantly and would not recommend it.
A bottle of wine is often forgotten in the fridge because there are other wines that you want to drink.
When the wine freezes, it will expand, and the cork may want to pop out. The bottle could burst in the worst-case scenario, especially if the wine is naturally sparkling.
If this occurs, do not remove the cork. Place the bottle at room temperature in a cool, safe area until it is thawed.
Use the wine for cooking or to make sangria. The wine may have oxidized quickly because air entered the bottle when the stopper was moved. Use it immediately.
It takes some planning to drink wine at the correct temperature in summer. Why not keep a bottle in the refrigerator so that you can enjoy one glass of wine while the other cools down?
