With the warmer weather of springtime here, it’s tempting to focus mainly on the whites and rosés that most of us tend to associate with the season. But there are reasons to consider red wines, as many of them are not only refreshing on their own, but also fantastic with food of the spring and summer.
Brighter reds are finding their way onto wine lists and into the hearts of restaurant guests, and this is the perfect time of year to take advantage of that shift.
For a long time, the go-to refreshing red on most lists was a Beaujolais of some sort, usually a straightforward, easily enjoyable Villages bottling. And, to be sure, its typically round fruit and light body fit the bill perfectly. The only problem was that an entire world of tastier—and often more interesting—reds would have succeeded to an even greater extent.
WINE OF THE WEEK Sattler St. Laurent 2006, Burgenland There’s an almost Burgundian sense of mushroom and earth on the nose of this wine, with just the slightest hint of dark cherries and cranberries hovering in the background. The fruit-rich palate, however, is where this elegant, fun red really sings: Its well balanced acidity and silky soft texture make it awfully difficult to drink just one or two glasses.
In Beaujolais itself, the crus offer an excellent range of expressions of the much-maligned Gamay grape variety, without sacrificing what makes the wines from the region so charming in the first place. Chiroubles, Juliénas, Moulin-à-Vent and Morgon are perennial standouts.
Then there’s Austria, which is one of the single most exciting countries in the world right now for refreshing reds. There’s St. Laurent, for example. Think of it as Gamay’s more complex, often funkier cousin.
After tasting the Heinrich Blaufränkisch 2004 from Burgenland, I was struck by its juxtaposition of an almost Northern Rhône-like nose of game, bacon and white peppercorns with a Beaujolais-style sweetness to the red-berry fruit on the palate. It was practically custom-made for this time of year, offering both richer earth and spice, yet still possessing a fruitiness and sense of lift that’s irresistible in warmer weather.
The wines of Spain’s Priorat region are also worth pouring right now. They typically possess a striking sense of minerality that keeps them refreshing regardless of the overall weight of the wine or the blend. Cariñena, Garnacha, Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon are permitted. And while they will likely seem a bit plodding if served too warm, they really sing at cellar temperature.
Less heralded yet perhaps even more appropriate for the warmer weather are the Mencías of Bierzo in northwestern Spain. Aside from its ample charms when enjoyed unaccompanied by food, Mencía is also surprisingly versatile. It even makes a stellar pairing partner for heartier sushi, such as tuna and salmon, and was recently used to brilliant effect at a spice dinner at Philadelphia’s Zahav restaurant.
Italy, too, is home to some unexpectedly warm-weather-friendly reds. A young, cool Barbera or a Dolcetto, for example, has all the acid and fresh fruit you’d want right now. Of course, manipulating the temperature is not the only way to skew a wine’s flavor profile. The food you pair it with can also have a significant impact on the aspect of a wine’s personality that is highlighted.
Wherever the wines are from and whatever their defining flavor and texture characteristics are, refreshing reds tend to have two very important qualities in common: A sense of brightness and, most importantly for restaurateurs, the ability to pair well with the foods of the season.