Worried wines may be too heaty for the Indian summer? Fret not. Pooja Bhula gets wine master Sonal Holland to pick the coolest ones to suit the season.
Sparkling wines have an effervescence that makes them truly refreshing and hence great for summers. You could choose from a classic champagne, Italian sparklers like the light and fruity Prosecco that's low in alcohol (11%), making it a great day-time companion, and the zesty Spanish Cava, which has a racy acidity enabling it to energise.
White wines make your mouth water, literally, as they are known to have a hydrating effect. The best in this zingy category would be the light-bodied, aromatic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that's hugely popular among ladies; racy French Chablis that's full of minerals; lemony Spanish Viuras and thirst-quenching, off dry German Rieslings that have a delicious peachy tang and considered food friendly.
Rose wines are absolutely the way to go during summers. They also pair well with all kinds of food. Spain makes some really lovely ones in its Navarra region – crisp, floral and fruity, they are laced with mineral notes. Equally succulent are the salmon-pink ones coming from Provence in France, despite being subtle and light.
Red wines also offer good options during summer, though you should very heavy ones that have a lot of tanins that tend to make the wine chewy and leave you parched. Among the lighter reds, Pinot Noir are perfumed and have a delicate fruitiness; just as great when paired with food as they are on their own. The perfect ones would be from Burgandy (France), Soloman (USA) and New Zealand. You may also want try a nice, Rioja that's young (may or may not have spent any time in oak and only few months ageing in the bottle). The youthfulness of this juicy variety will be denoted by terms like 'Joven', 'semi-crianza' or 'Roble'. Then there's the light-medium bodied Italian Barbera that's just as refreshing and juicy with velvetty tanins and stunning French Beaujolais Superieur that's light-bodied, juicy, fruit driven and low on tannins.
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