The sun is finally beginning to make an appearance, and as the BBQ season gets underway, we’ve put together some great summer wine choices to suit every pocket.
Van Hunks Cap Classique Sparkling Wines
£20
The name of this South African wine, Van Hunks, might seem a little unusual, but it is steeped in legend. The story goes that Van Hunks beat the devil in a smoking competition — don’t try that at home — and the smoke they created formed the famous tablecloth cloud around Table Mountain.
Van Hunks produces a Brut sparkling wine and a Rosé sparkling wine, both of which are made using a traditional method known as Méthode Champenoise or Cap Classique, which is a very similar method to that used in champagne making.
Van Hunks Cap Classique Brut sparkling wine has a fabulous gold hue to match the bold flavours and tiny bubbles. It’s fermented in small batches and aged on the lees for around 30 months, which adds a little yeastiness to the flavour, giving a hint of malt biscuit on the nose, and a touch of zesty acidity on the palate. The finish is long with delicate fruit throughout.
Van Hunks Rosé Cap Classique sparkling wine is surprisingly full-bodied, thanks to the 35% pinot noir grapes used to make it. Equal parts chardonnay and classically South African pinotage grapes give the Rosé a fresh, reasonably dry flavour.
The bright pink hue is inviting, and the aromas of summer berries — sweet strawberries and ripe cherries — will draw you in. The balance of acidity, dryness and undertone of citrus all come together in the long finish and will take you surprisingly quickly to the end of the bottle.
Domaine du Météore Van Gogh Sunflowers Blanc 2022
£19
Domaine du Météore has created a range of wines in collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, to celebrate the connection between the South of France, art, nature and Vincent Van Gogh himself.
Sunflowers is an organic wine which is named after the famous Van Gogh painting, which the artist created not far from Domaine du Météore, in Languedoc. The vines grow in a 10,000-year-old meteorite crater, and the unique natural setting highlights the influence of nature on viticultural creations, just as Van Gogh highlights its influence on artistic creations.
Sunflowers is created using a blend of organic Roussanne & Viognier grapes, which are pressed before being racked, fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks.
Once poured, Sunflowers has a delicate, pale colour. On the nose, it has a delicate mineral aroma with a hint of spicy citrus coming through. On the palate, there are gentle fruit flavours with a touch of minerality that balance nicely, making it a thoroughly enjoyable glassful that is extremely drinkable on a warm summer evening.
AIX 2023 vintage
£20
Maison Saint AIX sits at 420 metres above sea level in Provence, making it the highest vineyard in the region. The family-owned brand was established in 2009 and is renowned for its Provence Rosé.
The influence of weather patterns and sustainable practices all add to the flavour profile of this pale salmon pink-coloured rosé. From frosts in January to hot sun in August, the grapes were high in both acidity and freshness in this latest vintage.
The nose’s aroma is fresh and enticing, with citrus and summer berries. On the palate, the juicy berries intensify, with hints of peach and a touch of acidity and crispness. The finish is long and fresh, with a touch of minerality to keep the mouth watering.
AIX Rosé is a perfect wine for a summer gathering — it’s bright and fresh, and a great choice to accompany a light lunch or just to quench your thirst as you drink in the sunshine.
Cambria, Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2019
£28
Cambria wine estate in Santa Barbara, California, was first planted in 1971, when it was known as Tepusquet Vineyard. In 1986, husband-and-wife team Jess Jackson and Barbara Banke acquired the vineyard, and Cambria was born.
The Santa Maria Valley, home to Cambria, benefits from the cool, coastal influences that Santa Barbara County offers. These tend to give the wines a crisp, bright edge alongside a creamy texture.
Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay is a single-vineyard expression made with 100% chardonnay grapes. The wine is fermented in stainless steel vats and traditional barrels, adding to its complexity.
On the nose, fresh fruits dominate, with apples, pears, and peaches mixing with a hint of citrus. On the palate, the fruits mingle with the oak of the barrels and vanilla sweetness before giving way to a long finish with well-balanced acidity throughout.
A very nice chardonnay to enjoy chilled on a summer evening.
Kilikanoon Mort’s Block Riesling 2022
£21
Kilikanoon Vineyard has been owned and run by Kevin Mitchell since 1997. Located in South Australia’s Clare Valley, Mitchell inherited his love of wine-making from his father, Mort Mitchell, who has been planting vines and tending vineyards in the same region for decades.
Mort’s Block Riesling is made using grapes from the riesling vines originally planted in 1973 in what is known as Mort’s Block Vineyard, by Mort Mitchell himself. The grapes are picked over the course of a week, before being gently pressed. Once naturally settled, the clarified juices are allowed to warm and begin fermentation. The fermentation is then controlled at a low temperature for 2–3 weeks in order to retain the gentle aroma and freshness of the fruit.
On the nose, this pale straw-coloured wine has delicate floral notes, with citrus developing. On the palate, the citrus intensifies, with lemon and grapefruit fading to leave a fresh mineral acidity. The finish is long and elegant, as well as refreshing. Mort’s Block Riesling makes a great glassful now, but will happily keep for a good few years, too.
The Crossings Sauvignon Blanc 2023
£12
The Crossings Vineyards are located in the Wairau and Awatere sub-regions of Marlborough, New Zealand. Positioned between the Pacific Ocean and the Awatere River, the vines benefit not only from the New Zealand sun but also the cool coastal breezes. The result is this vibrant and zesty award-winning Sauvignon Blanc.
The grapes are all grown on the Crossings Estate, with most from the Willow Flat and Brackenfield vineyards which sit on the northern banks of the river. The vineyards have a terrace system, so each is harvested and fermented separately, allowing winemakers to enhance varietal character using specially selected yeast strains. A long, cool fermentation helps to retain the purity of flavours, and the wine is blended, stabilised and filtered before bottling.
On the nose, there are lots of herbal notes, as well as tropical fruits and citrus. Once on the palate, the fruit brings a fresh acidity, which is crisp and clean. The finish is complex and has the distinct minerality which is typical of Awatere Valley wines,
This fresh, highly drinkable Sauvignon Blanc would complement your summer BBQ or even a fabulous fish and chips supper.
Geno Branco 2022
£11
The vineyards of Cartuxa have been producing wine since 1517, when the Jesuits came to the Portuguese region. Geno, a brand which has been exclusively developed for the UK market, is produced on the Quinta de Valbom site, using a blend of antão vaz, roupeiro, and arinto grapes; the roupeiro grape giving the fruit, arinto adding freshness and antão vaz bringing tropical notes.
Once the individual grape varieties are harvested and pressed, fermentation takes place at 16°C in stainless steel vats before the wine is filtered, blended, stabilised and bottled.
On the nose Geno is fresh and fragrant, with tropical fruits and citrus aromas greeting you. The flavours continue onto the palate, with richness mingling well with gentle acidity, leaving you refreshed. It isn’t an overly complex flavour, but it’s a very drinkable summer wine choice — perfect to relax with after a hot day, and excellent value, too.
Akitu Pinot Noir Blanc 2022
£33
Akitu is a 12-hectare pinot noir-dedicated vineyard at the heart of Central Otago’s Upper Clutha basin in New Zealand. The north facing slope on which the vineyard sits is 380 metres above sea level, which experiences hot summers and dry autumns, allowing the winemakers to produce stunning and complex wines.
The pinot noir grapes are handpicked and, while still cold from the early morning picking, taken to the winery to start the process of pressing and fermenting. Neutral yeast is added to allow the fruits to express their character fully, and the cool ferment retains the aromatics of the wine. After fermentation, the wine is left on the lees to build texture.
On the nose, Akitu Pinot Noir Blanc has hints of floral rose, herbs and the slight sweetness of brioche. On the palate the fruit breaks through, with peaches and red fruits and a hint of spiced apple. There is an acidity that cuts through the sweetness of the fruit, bringing in a hint of cinnamon, adding to the complexity. The finish is long and quite dry, making it crisp and refreshing to enjoy this summer.
Giant Steps Pinot Noir Yarra Valley
£32
Giant Steps was founded in 1997 by Phil Sexton who was looking for the best site to produce pinot noir and chardonnay wines in the Yarra Valley. He discovered that there wasn’t a single perfect site, but many. Under the direction of head winemaker Melanie Chester, Giant Steps produces wines using grapes sourced from vineyards across the Yarra Valley, 50% of which are from the upper Yarra ranges.
All of the grapes used in Giant Steps wines are hand-picked and then chilled overnight before the process of fermentation begins. A mixture of whole bunch and destemmed and whole berry treatments are used. In the former, processing starts with warm fermentation being left on the skins for up to 21 days before pressing. In the latter, grapes are held cold for four days before warming to start natural fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Batches are then matured in French oak barrels, 90% of which are aged for eight months, before being blended and a month later bottled by gravity without fining or filtration.
On the nose, Giant Steps Pinot Noir mixes herbs with juicy cherries and a touch of earthy mushroom. On the palate, cherries and red berries mingle with spiced oak and fine tannins, creating a complex flavour profile. It’s elegant and quite light, with a long, juicy finish, making it a good summer wine choice to enjoy in the sunshine.
