Imagine opening a bottle of red wine on a summer’s day in the mountains and enjoying a glass or two, then driving down to the ocean and finishing the bottle on the beach. A wine that tastes refreshing and well balanced in the cooler air of the mountains could well taste overly alcoholic and tannic in the higher humidity and temperature (and lower altitude) by the sea. Thus, hot, humid weather screams out for lighter, refreshing wines with lots of flavor but not the weight of full-bodied wines. Unoaked Chardonnays (Chablis), a good Austrian Gruener Veltliner or a Northern Italian Pinot Grigio are all ideal for this time of year, as are wines from cool-climate vineyards in Australia and New Zealand, such as the Mount Langi Riesling (￥273 from The Wine Republic) from the Grampians region, or a Yarra Valley Pinot Noir. Rosé is also ideally suited to warm weather. Try the Guigal Tavel Rosé from the southern Rhone, France (￥350 from ASC Fine Wines), the Hewitson Rosé (￥195 from The Wine Republic) or the Domaine de la Camarette Rosé (￥151, from Bacchus Wines).

Campbell Thompson
Managing Director of The Wine Republic