Summer is upon us yet again and so is the quest for finding respite from the heat. While natural hydration with water can have no parallels, a myriad of drinks are available out there to stir up the bien vivre during this season. In this post, I am listing some of my recommended wines and Japanese sake to enjoy this summer. The collection draws from my personal experiences and their current availability in India.
But before we start, a gentle reminder:
Alcohol is a known diuretic, i.e. it draws water out from your body resulting in dehydration. Hence be sure to limit your intake of alcohol and space your drinks with servings of water especially during summer. It is important to remain adequately hydrated at all times. Enjoy safely!
(All prices ex Delhi unless stated otherwise).
Sparkling Wines
What the Fox Brut Sparkling
Country: France
Grapes: Unspecified (white blend)
Price: ₹ 2950
The scandalous name of this wine is sure to grab attention. The interesting label, however, alludes to the escapades of the producer’s mascot – Adam Rénard the fox. This sparkling wine is made using “modern” methods which essentially means it is not fermented in the bottle like the famed Champagne and Crémant wines of France.
Tasting notes: Refreshing and fruity with citrus and tropical fruit highlights. An approachable aperitif wine that you can enjoy unabashedly with your buddies .
Charles Roux Rosé Brut
Country: France
Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Price: ₹ 2270
This wine is fermented in steel tanks and hence doesn’t classify as a “Crémant de Bourgogne”- a nomenclature reserved for Burgundian sparkling wines made with the traditional method (secondary fermentation in bottle).
But being tank fermented gives it two distinct advantages- firstly the retention of its freshness and fruitiness, and secondly its affordability, given its Burgundian pedigree.
Tasting notes: Beautiful salmon-pink colour with aromas of red berries and a deliciously refreshing palate. The wine will be a great accompaniment to savoury starters and salads.
Piccini Prosecco Venetian Rosé DOC
Country: Italy
Grapes: Glera, Pinot Nero
Price: ₹ 3999 (Ex Mumbai)
Until 2020 before the Prosecco Rosé DOC (Denomination of Origin) came about, Prosecco could be made only as a white sparkling wine from the Glera grape variety. The coming of Prosecco Rosé DOC permits the addition of Pinot Noir grapes, which, apart from adding to the flavour profile lends the wine its beautiful pink colour.
Tasting notes: The standout bottle displays fine effervescence when poured into the glass. An expressive nose of ripe red berries, white flowers and a fresh-velvety palate make it a perfect summer delight.
Champagne Taittinger Brut Réserve
Country: France
Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Price: ₹ 9500
Champagne epitomises the genre of sparkling wines and hence commands respect like none else. Taittinger Brut Réserve is one of the best non-vintage Champagnes available in India that has been offering a consistent “house style” year over year, and hence has a loyal fan following (including yours truly).
Tasting notes: Brilliant light gold colour with a fruity & autolytic nose. Lively on the palate with its fresh fruit and toasted flavours. Chill it well before serving and you’ll forget the travails of the summer for a while.
White wines
Monte Pacifico Chardonnay
Country: Chile
Grapes: Chardonnay
Price: ₹ 1800
Monte Pacifico vineyards are situated in the Rapel Valley, a sub-region in the Central Valley of Chile.
The name Monte Pacifico is derived from Monte (mountains) and Pacifico (Pacífic Ocean). These vineyards are nestled in the valley between the Andes on one side and the coastal mountain range by the Pacific Ocean on the other, providing an ideal ground for quality grapes.
Tasting notes: Tropical and tree fruit aromas followed by a medium-bodied palate with a balanced acidity. Enjoy it on its own or with a crisp summery salad.
Gatao Vinho Verde DOC
Country: Portugal
Grapes: Azal, Pedernã, Trajadura, Avesso and
Loureiro.
Price: ₹ 1860
Vinho Verde (literally translated as “Green Wine”) is a wine region in northern Portugal that is particularly famous for its slightly sparkling and low-alcohol young white wines. Gatao Vinho Verde comes from Borges Vinhos, a firm established in 1884 by two brothers António and Francisco Borges.
Tasting notes: An off-dry wine with a gentle sparkle and a fruity palate. It works particularly well for wine beginners but seasoned vinos won’t hate it either. In the international market, this wine is largely available at 9% Alcohol by Volume (ABV) but for India, they have produced an 11% ABV version going with the market dynamics.
Rémy Ferbras AOP Châteauneuf-Du-Pape Blanc
Country: France
Grapes: Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Clairette
Price: ₹ 6000 approx (ex Gurugram)
Renowned as one of the top wine regions of the world, Châteauneuf du Pape (translated as “New Château of the Pope”) or CNDP is located in and around the town of the same name in the southern Rhône valley of France. The CNDP region has a rich diversity of grapes with as many as 18 of them permissible in their red blends. This one has three of their renowned white grapes.
Tasting notes: A light gold colour with a complex nose of
tree fruits and flowers. Opulent on the palate with a well-balanced acidity and a persistent finish. It qualifies well as a “gourmet” wine.
Gran Sello Macabeo-Verdejo
Country: Spain
Grapes: Macabeo, Verdejo
Price: ₹ 2410
Gran Sello is a casually drinking wine from Castilla La Mancha region in Central Spain particularly known for its affordable and unique blends. This wine includes Macabeo, one of the grapes used in Spain’s famous Cava sparkling wines, and Verdejo, a varietal otherwise strongly associated with the Rueda wine region of Spain.
Tasting notes: A pale lemon-coloured wine with citrus and tropical aromas. Light and refreshing on the palate with flavours of pear, apricot and fennel. With its ease of enjoyment, this could be a great picnic wine!
Casetta Gavi DOCG
Country: Italy
Grapes: Cortese
Price: ₹ 3000 approx (ex Gurugram)
This wine comes from the famed region of Piedmont in Northern Italy where the producer Fratelli Casetta (Casetta Brothers) family has been living since 1725.
Gavi or Cortese di Gavi DOCG is a region covering still and sparkling white wines produced from the indigenous Cortese grape grown in and around the town of Gavi in southern Piedmont.
Tasting notes: A pale lemon-coloured wine with greenish highlights. An elegant bouquet reminiscent of flowers, lemon and green apple. On the palate It is dry and refreshing with tree fruit flavours and a mineral touch. Enjoy this wine at leisure preferably with food. Sushi, sashimi and creamy pastas come to my mind.
Rosé Wines
Mateus Rosé
Country: Portugal
Grapes: Baga, Rufete, Tinta Barroca, Touriga
Franca
Price: ₹ 1720
Mateus Rosé is an all-time favourite wine at a great price point, guaranteed to delight your palate. It is made from a harmonious blend of Portugal’s native grapes.
Tasting notes: A light and fresh wine with expressive red berry aromas and flavours. It works well as an aperitif or with seafood, white meat, grilled dishes, and salads.
Mirabeau Classic Côtes De Provence Rosé
Country: France
Grapes: Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault
Price: ₹ 4120
If a wine lover were asked to name the top Rosé wine region of the world, most likely the answer would be “Provence”. Rosé wines from Provence typically have a refined floral and fruity disposition with herb and mineral complexities.
Domaine Mirabeau falls within the newly created sub-region within the Côtes de Provence AOC called Notre Dame des Anges.
Tasting notes: Living up to its Provencial lineage, this beautiful peach-pink coloured wine has aromas of red cherries and strawberries accented by floral notes. It is refreshing and delicious on the palate and would go very well with cold cuts and Mediterranean cuisine.
Broad considerations for summer-worthy drinks
- Good acidity– refreshes the palate.
- Light-medium body– for ease of drinking.
- Effervescence– jacks up the refreshment quotient.
- Flavour profile– citrus, fruity, floral, vegetal.
Red Wines
Riunite Lambrusco Emilia IGT Amabile
Country: Italy
Grapes: Lambrusco (different variants), Ancellotta
Price: ₹ 1440
Lambrusco wines are typically frizzante (slightly sparkling) and can be dry to sweet. Most of these wines are low in alcohol (this one is 8 % ABV) and can be a great red wine option for an afternoon refreshment. Riunite is a top producer from the Emilia Romagna region, the home to Lambrusco wines.
Tasting notes: Semi-sparkling wine with a bright ruby-red colour. A fresh and fruity nose of red cherries and blackberries leads to a lusciously sweet palate balanced well by an ample acidity. With its low alcohol and delicious palate, this wine is sure to be a hit with wine beginners as well as serious wine buffs wanting to let their hair down.
Moulin de Gassac Pinot Noir
Country: France
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Price: ₹ 3330
Moulin de Gassac wines come from the producer Mas de Daumas Gassac in Languedoc France, whose wines have often been considered as the “Grands Crus” of Southern France.
Their wines are renowned for an exceptional value for the quality they offer.
Tasting notes: Aromas of ripe red fruits and spice that continue on the palate. A light-medium body, mellow tannins and a satiating finish make it an excellent red wine to enjoy even in the thick of summer. Serve it slightly chilled (10-12°C) during summers.
Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha
Country: Spain
Grapes: Garnacha (Grenache)
Price: ₹ 3000 approx (ex Gurugram)
Bodega Borsao is situated in Borja, in the province of Zaragoza in north eastern Spain . They have been the origin and driving force of the D.O. “Campo de Borja” in the larger Aragón region- the birthplace of Garnacha grape.
Tasting notes: A medium-ruby coloured wine with an intensely fruity nose of ripe red cherries and spice. Juicy and medium bodied on the palate with rounded tannins and notes of blackberry, plum and vanilla. A great accompaniment with savoury pizzas and pies.
Piccini Pinocchio
Country: Italy
Grapes: Sangiovese, Negroamoro
Price: ₹ 2210
Tuscany headquartered wine producer Piccini has its footprint in several regions of Italy and Pinocchio is a great example of their versatility. Two different expressions of Sangiovese grapes for this wine come from Tuscany and Emilia Romagna respectively, whereas the Negroamaro grapes comes from Puglia. The traditional flask bottle makes it quite a standout on the shelves.
Tasting notes: The medium ruby red wine has an expressive nose of mixed berries, citrus, and spice. An off-dry and light-medium-bodied palate makes this a fun summer red wine that you can effortlessly enjoy around buffet meals and banter.
Japanese Sake
Hakutsuru Draft Sake (Nama Chozo shu)
Country: Japan
Grade: Junmai
Rice: Domestic Japanese
Price (ex Gurugram): ₹ 1325 (300 ml)
Most Sake is pasteurised twice, once before storing, and once just before shipping. Nama or Namazake is pasteurised only once, with an aim to retain better the sake’s freshness.
Hakutsuru Nama Chozo shu is stored unpasteurised at the brewery, to be pasteurised only once before shipping.
Tasting notes: A soft and expressive sake with aromas of rice grains, melon and coconut. It is clean and off-dry on the palate with a mellow Umami flavour. Even at 14% alcohol its smoothness may deceive you, hence be sure to enjoy it slowly with servings of water in between a.k.a. the yawaragi mizu way.
Hakushika Tokubetsu Honjozo
Country: Japan
Classification: Honjozo
Rice: Yamadanishiki
Price: ₹ 3800 (720 ml), ₹ 760 (200 ml)
Made with the “king” or premium sake rice Yamadanishiki locally produced in the Hyogo Prefecture, this sake is brewed by a special technique passed down through the generations of specially trained Toji (master brewers)from the Tanba Region.
Tasting notes: Light and fresh on the palate with fruity flavours and a hint of sweet spice. Apart from its naturally inclined pairing with Japanese food It works well with spicy Indian food.
Masumi Sanka
Country: Japan
Classification: Junmai Daiginjo
Rice: Yamadanishiki
Price: ₹ 9020 (720 ml), ₹ 3760 (300 ml)
Masumi Sake comes from the 1662 established Miyasaka Brewing Company Ltd. in the Nagano Prefecture. Their product line is classified into various collections catering to different market segments e.g. Superior, Flagships, Seasonal, Classics and so on.
Tasting notes:
Sanka (meaning Mountain Flowers) is a refined Sake from Masumi’s “Superior collection. It has aromas of white peach, banana, steamed rice,
with hints of sour cream. On the palate, it is delicate and soft, spreading easily towards a crisp finish.
Kizakura Hana Kizakura
Country: Japan
Classification: Junmai Giinjo
Rice: Kyo No Migaki
Price (ex Gurugram): ₹ 3600 (720 ml), ₹ 1850 (300 ml)
This sake comes from the Kyoto-based Kizakura Brewery which also produces beer, shochu, liqueur, mirin, water, and food products. Its bottle is aesthetically pleasing with a soft pink colour and understated graphics.
Hana Kizakura is made with the producer’s original yeast derived from actual yellow cherry blossoms in Kizakura. It also uses underground spring water “Fushimizu” from the Fushimi district, which is considered ideal for making sake.
Tasting notes: Expressively fruity “Ginjo” aromas accompanied by floral notes, and a light, off-dry palate. The alcohol in this sake is just 12% as compared to an average of 15% in most, hence serve it in a wine glass to fully appreciate its aromas.
HOMARE ALADDIN BOTTLE YUZU SAKE
Country: Japan
Classification: Yuzu Sake Liqueur
Rice: Hana Fubuki
Price (ex Gurugram): ₹ 3400 (300 ml)
Crafted by Homare Sake Breweries in the Fukushima Prefecture, this liqueur combines the zesty allure of yuzu with the rich heritage of sake-making.
Tasting notes: Intense aromas of Yuzu followed by a lusciously sweet palate that amalgamates the intensity of citrus with the umami savouriness of the Sake. Good to be enjoyed on its own or as an ingredient in a gourmet sauce.
