National Red Wine Day is this Friday, August 28th. While you probably don’t associate red wines with summer or the heat, Chelsea Wine Vault put together 5 summery reds to convince you otherwise. See their top picks for reds below to enjoy while the summer is still going strong. Stop by the store in Chelsea Market or order online to grab a bottle for the park, the beach, or even your stoop. Enjoy!
When we think about wines that are great for hot summer days, we want something that is light, elegant, and well balanced. Big Table Farms Willamette Valley Pinot Noir checks all of these boxes. As a producer, Big Table Fame has always focused on quality over quantity. The 2018 Vintage of this Pinot Noir has a supple nose of Black Cherry & Cranberry, on the palate you get a nice ripe berry expression leading to an opulent finish of both fruit and cola notes. There is also a bright acidity that is classic with this style of Pinot Noir.
Another renowned producer Domaine de Beaurenard has been making beautiful expressions of Grenache, Syrah & Mouvedre in the Rhone valley for seven generations. This particular bottle offers exceptional value and is perfect for a late August evening. The wine is Grenache driven as it makes up 70% of this Rhone blend while Syrah rounds out the remaining 30%. 2019 is showing as one of the best vintages of the decade in this portion of the Rhone. This wine can be thought of as refreshing, the deep and delicate fruit notes are juxtaposed perfectly with hints of Provencal herbs and a light minerality.
Schiava a lesser know varietal is characteristically elegant, feminine and light. The voluptuous nose that has notes of strawberry, bubblegum, and yes even cotton candy jumps out of the glass. On the palate, the fruit is mild but lengthy. Due to the high altitude and cooler climate, where the wine is grown the alcohol content hovers around 12% (This vintage is actually 13% ABV). There is a nice acidity and a pleasantly bitter almond note on the finish of this wine that leads to a wonderfully balanced product.
Beaujolais has always been known for its production of the Gamay grape varietal. For many years this was pigeonholed into the “thanksgiving wine” a relatively inexpensive option that could pair with almost anything. The fact is, its soft approachable nature with deep full cherry notes also makes it great for enjoying all by itself in the park on a hot afternoon. Remaining true to the theme this wine has a lively but light on the palate. The almost mixed berry flavor profile coupled with good acidity leaves you begging for the second glass.
Umathum, Zweigelt, Burgenland, AU, 2015 – $21.99
Zweigelt has seen a rise in its popularity stateside recently. That being said if you were to ask a native of Austria what red they prefer to drink on a hot day the answer would almost certainly be Zweigelt. This wine has a beautiful purple hue, and a very aromatic nose that features notes of red plum, raspberry, and violet blossom. This bone dry red in terms of body will be bigger than the other wines on this list, but the spectacularly bright acidity that it offers creates a harmonious balance. The tart fruit flavors that come across on the palate and the velvety texture with ever so slightly grippy tannins make this an excellent summer selection.
