Cool wines for summer

Summer, with its long evenings and beautiful sunshine, is finally here! We're firing up the first barbecues and enjoying aperitifs on the patio, in the garden, by the pool, and especially under the sun. Any excuse is a good one to spend a pleasant moment relaxing with a nice glass of wine in hand.

In this article, we will reveal chilled wines to enjoy during the summer, a few food and wine pairingsas well as Quick tips for storing your wines at a good serving temperature.

The fresh wines of the Loire

When we talk about chilled wines, we immediately think of the Loire Valley.

Indeed, the terroir of the Loire Valley has the particularity of having predominantly schistose and sandstone which confer a lot of freshness to wines. The Loire Valley benefits from predominantly marine sedimentary terroirs, composed of rocks: gravelly-pebbly sands, clayey sands, marls, clays, and chalk (tuffeau). These soil types are conducive to the production of Fresh, elegant wines with a beautiful minerality. The region's flagship white grape varieties are the Sauvignon and the CheninThey allow the production of dry white wines, appreciated for their great freshness and finesse.

In summer, when it is hot, opt for wines that are rather dry and light; those from the Loire Valley will be ideal. 

For the aperitif, choose a pretty Pouilly-Fumé, A Saumur or a Sancerre whiteFood and wine pairings, especially for white wines from the Loire Valley:

• Starter: Nothing beats a beautiful seafood platter in summer. Pair it with a white wine that combines minerality and large freshness, THE Muscadet will be perfect.
• Main Course: Continue your tasting with a succulent salmon ceviche with avocado and lime. The citrus notes blend perfectly with a Sancerre or to a Pouilly-Fumé.
• Cheese: Let yourself be surprised by the pairing of cheese and white wine: try it and you'll love it! Goat cheese and Sauvignon Blanc from Touraine They make a perfect duo.
• Dessert: To end this meal on a high note, opt for a delicious raspberry cake or a beautiful apricot tart. These desserts pair wonderfully with a white demi-sec like a Vouvray. Her opulence and its generosity will soften the acidity of the fruit.

Service tips

Take your bottle out of the refrigerator at the last minute so it doesn't warm up before you enjoy it. The ideal serving temperature is between 10 and 12°CIdeally, keep it in a bucket filled with ice. The wine will then be very cold but will quickly return to temperature once in your glass. Our favorite Loire Valley estates

Clos Roussely

Domaine Alphonse Mellot

Domaine François Chidaine

Domaine of the Coulée de Serrant

Domaine Vincent Delaporte and Sons

Rosé wine, the star of summer

Rosé wines are inevitably the quintessential summer wine! After a beautiful day in the sun, nothing beats a chilled glass of rosé with friends. To ensure your rosé is refreshing, avoid overly sweet wines, which tend to lack crispness. Opt instead for a Dry rosé, light and fruity. There Provence remains the preferred region for rosé, but several other regions make delicious rosés such as the Corsica or the Languedoc-Roussillon.

When we talk about rosé, we often imagine sipping it with a beautiful grilled pork chop. Yes, the classic barbecue/rosé combination is excellent, a sure thing! But rosé can be enjoyed with many other dishes. Rosé food and wine pairings:

• Starter: Opt for a beautiful tomato tart or for the inevitable summer aperitif: melon with Parma ham.
• Main course: Continue the meal with a rosé de saignéeIt will be more aromatic since the wine is made with the grape skins. Red mullet fillets, turkey curry, or even prawns sautéed with pesto perfectly complement the rosés from Domaine de la Bégude For example.
• Dessert: Finish with a lovely red fruit crumble; it will be delicious accompanied by a glass of rosé from the Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence.

Service tips 

It's no secret, rosé is best enjoyed very chilled! Take it out of the refrigerator at the last minute and place it in an ice bucket to keep it at the perfect temperature. The ideal serving temperature for rosé is between 9 and 12°C.

And be careful not to drown your rosé with ice cubes, which would dilute the aromas. If you've forgotten to chill your bottle, here's a quick and easy tip that should come in handy: dampen a paper towel, wrap it around the bottle, and place it in the freezer for a few minutes. That's it, your bottle will be chilled in no time! Here's our lovely selection of rosé

SELECTION ROSÉ WINES

Red wine can also be enjoyed in the summer.

Don't shy away from red wines in the summer. There are some excellent red wines that can be refreshing and enjoyed chilled during the heatwave.

We avoid tannic, full-bodied red wines and favor the light and fruity red winesThose from the Loire Valley are, among other things, excellent fresh wines for summer. More specifically, the Loire cabernet franc which is found on the appellations of Chinon, Bourgueil, Saumur-Champigny or Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil. THE Gamays from Beaujolais, THE Alsatian Pinot Noir or even the red wines from Savoy They are also very enjoyable during this summer period.

The profile of these wines is characterized by finesse and fruitiness, with no pronounced tannins or alcohol. These wines are generally served quite chilled to fully appreciate their character. Food pairings with chilled red wines:

• Starter: Summer is the ideal season for eating fish, a tuna tataki accompanied by a light red wine such as a Beaujolais will be delicious.
• Dish: The quintessential summer barbecue, grilled meats pair perfectly with a Loire cabernet francchoose a Chinon For example.
• Dessert: A touch of indulgence at the end of the meal with a lovely cheese platter. Opt for a Alsatian red wine to accompany your platter, the Pinot Noir from Alsace It pairs wonderfully with all types of cheese.

Service tips 

Chill your red wine in the refrigerator for a few minutes before serving. The ideal serving temperature is around 12-13°C.

Don't hesitate to chill your glass with an ice cube. Simply place an ice cube in the glass, swirl it around the sides, and remove it before pouring the wine. This will cool the glass so your wine warms up less quickly and you can enjoy it at the perfect temperature.