It seems to be that our tastes buds change when the weather changes. Its hard work lying out in the sun, relaxing on a Sunday afternoon so the main style of wine we seem to head for are light, fresh and crisp whites and rosé as opposed to the earthy or red berry fruit driven reds. When it’s the colder months the best wines to have in front of a roaring fire watching a black and white movie is of the full bodied variety.
When I talk about lighter wines I don’t necessarily mean lighter in alcohol. It’s the style of wine, the flavours and mouthfeel which I tend to refer to more. White wines can still be relatively high in alcohol, 13/14% for example but they can still taste light and fresh, although you may notice the high alcohol effect the next day as opposed to at the time of drinking. Oak gives wine body and tannin but it also gives wine a sweeter, vanilla character which can sometimes hide the fullness. And don’t forget about chilling. This will strip flavour from the wine if you over chill however this can also benefit a wine if it lacks a bit on the flavour part.
When choosing your lighter whites, you need to decide on whether you prefer the crisp, acidic and citrusy grapes like Sauvignon or Chenin, or the more rounded, softer and tropical fruit style grapes like Viognier and Vermentino, or even the vanilla and creamy styles that Chardonnay produces.
The same applies to Rosé. There are a number of different styles that the wine world produces. From the sweeter Californian White Zinfandel style to the pale crisp, dry Provençal rosés. Each have their own identity and are perfect for everyday drinking.
Here are a few to try:
Aurele Viognier Pays D’Oc – Lovely peach characters and other tropical fruits bounce out of the glass. Its dry and fresh and has a long finish. £9.99
Vina Maripossa Northern Spain –
Soft rounded flavours and very light and refreshing. Dry yet fruity finish balanced acidity. £7.99
BOSCO Pinot Grigio -
Full of tropical fruits like pineapple with hints of apple fruit. Balanced acidity with a slight splash of citrus. £8.99.
Pacifico Sur Sauv Blanc Chile –
Crisp and fresh with a smoother and delicate citrus character. It has a more balanced acidity level so you don’t feel as though you are sucking a lemon. £8.99.