The last thing you want when the weather warms up is a rich hearty wine. But that doesn’t mean you want a drink that tastes of nothing. Here are 5 Aussie wines perfect for summer that don’t compromise on flavour.
There’s nothing quite like a refreshing glass of wine on those hot evenings when nothing else seems to quench your thirst. But choosing the right wine makes all the difference.
With the mercury heading north, those big heavy reds and rich sticky ports tend to get pushed further to the back of the cupboard and we look for lighter, brighter wines to sip.
But at the same time, you don’t want a wine that tastes of nothing – especially when it’s been chilled.
In fact there’s a lot to over-chilling your wine and drinking wine at the wrong temperature makes a huge difference to its flavour. Check out our story on the right temperature for different wines here.
Sparkling wine
A glass of bubbles is just the thing on a hot day. Well-chilled and fizzy, there’s nothing more refreshing. And we’re really spoilt for choice here in Australia with some of the best sparkling wines in the world.
1. Grant Burge Prosecco Rosé
Grant Burge makes some fantastic sparkling wines and this new Prosecco Rosé with its light pink blush is no exception.
Made with the tradition Glera grape, this is a superb example of Italian style Prosecco. The touch of colour also adds a little body and tannin to the wine as well as a slightly richer nose and palate than regular white-wine Prosecco.
Perfect as a palate-cleanser or even added to a spritz Aperol, this is a beautiful drink for the summer.
This sparkling Rosé is one of two new Proseccos Grant Burge has added to their premium line.
You can find this and the Prosecco NV in bottle shops nationwide at $25.00 RRP
White wine
The most obvious go-to during the summer, white wine is also the most diverse type of wine in Australia. These two wines are just what you need as the heat of the evening presses down on you.
2. Whispering Brook Arinto
From the elegant sweeping vineyards and olive groves of this beautiful Hunter Valley winery comes a varietal new to many of us.
Check out our story and video on Whispering Brook’s divine Olive Long Table Luncheon here.
Arinto is a Portuguese grape from the Bucelas Region north of Lisbon and makes a light, citrusy wine perfect for hot days and seafood feasts. It’s been likened to Chardonnay or Chablis and it can take oak really well.
Whispering Brook’s version of this delicious fruit-forward wine is crisp, zesty and beautifully balanced against its light body.
3. Hardy’s HRB Chardonnay
Designed with their best grapes in mind, Hardys makes the Heritage Bin Range by blending together multiple regions of the same varietal.
The Hardys HRB Chardonnay has fruit from the Yarra Valley, Pemberton and Margaret River regions.
A fragrant and vibrant drop, this Chardonnay offers sweet peach, nectarine and citrus flavours on the palate with the richness and creaminess from barrel fermentation and plenty of time on lees.
This wine and the others in the HRB range are available at Dan Murphy’s – $35.00 RRP
Red wine
The trick to drinking reds in summer is getting the wine down to ‘room temperature’. That means between 16-18°C. So put the bottle in the fridge for an hour or two before you open it, especially if it’s a hot day.
4. Whispering Brook Touriga Nacional
Another Portuguese-origin grape from Hunter Valley winery Whispering Brook, the Touriga Nacional is considered by many to be the country’s finest.
This satisfyingly dark red wine is traditionally full of plum, sour cherry, blackberry and bittersweet dark chocolate notes alongside quite astringent tannins.
Whispering Brook has harnessed those fruit flavours of Touriga Nacional while balancing the tannins with a lighter medium body that still has plenty of structure.
Ideal for barbecues or even an after-dinner sip, this wine has amazing potential for keeping you company in our hot months.
Buy this beautiful single-vineyard wine direct from Whispering Brook
5. Hardys HRB Shiraz
The Hardys Heritage Reserve Bin range is home to some of Australia’s best wines. Bringing together the best grapes three different Hardys vineyards – McLaren Vale, the Pyrenees and Clare Valley – Hardys has delivered once again on a wine for the ages.
Each region brings its own nuance to this Shiraz: McLaren Vale with dark chocolate and sharp plum notes, vines in the Pyrenees offer aromatics, and Clare Valley fruit provide elegance and harmony to the wine.
Though this is a rich wine, the HRB Shiraz has so much depth and structure it won’t matter how hot it is outside.
This wine and the others in the HRB range are available at Dan Murphy’s – $35.00 RRP
