‘For more unusual grape varieties, you can also look at Frappato from Sicily, which is very Pinot Noir-esque, but it’s more delicate and a lot lighter. The Fleurie and the Brouilly region make wines that work really well chilled down. Again, I’d go for a more aromatic Beaujolais – you have to be careful with the more modern styles of Beaujolais, because they can have a bit more body and be a bit more savoury in style. ‘More traditionally, you’ve got Beaujolais, which is always really good when served chilled. Traditionally, you serve it with dessert but it can work well as an aperitif too. But on a hot day, it works really nicely when it’s chilled down. Chilling the Recioto della Valpolicella by Allegrini is a slightly different take on the idea – it’s got residual sugar so it is sweeter, and it’s full bodied. ‘One of the specialities of the region is Recioto where they dry the grapes and make it into a sweet wine. There’s the Valpolicella Classico, led by the Corvina grape variety – that’s a very pretty, dry-style wine and chilling it down really accentuates its cherry and vibrant fruit character. They’ve got a couple of different wines that work really well. ‘I always favour wines from Valpolicella in northern Italy, particularly from a producer called Allegrini. Pinot Noir is a good place to start, but you want to look for those more floral and slightly sweeter styles, so try Pinot Noirs from California and South Australia, which have those prettier aromatics. ‘Looking at when the weather is warmer in the summer, it’s going to be the lighter reds that benefit from chilling. As red wine warms up, you get these slightly richer notes coming through, but when you chill wine you’re going to accentuate the bitter notes, which is why red wines generally do want to be warmer than whites. It’s about learning how wines work: when they’re a bit cooler, it’s easier to see the more delicate, aromatic side of the wine. As you chill a wine down it focuses the acidity more your palate perceives it better while it’s cool – that’s what makes it feel more refreshing. ‘When the weather is warmer and you’re drinking those lighter-style wines where the acidity and the aromatics are the most important parts of the wine, chilling it can really help improve the flavour.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |