BEAUJOLAIS AND OTHER GAMAYS

The king of summer red wines must be the wines made from the Gamay grape, and the top of the list for Gamay wines is Beaujolais. It may be that you think of Beaujolais Nouveau when you hear Beaujolais, but trust me when I say there are far better versions of Beaujolais you should be trying. What makes Beaujolais ideal for the summer? I like my summer reds to be light, bright, and effusive with a cheerfulness that brightens my mood. That defines Beaujolais! A lot of Beaujolais is vinified using a technique called carbonic maceration, where the whole cluster grapes are sealed in a tank with carbon dioxide, and the grapes sort of ferment from the inside-out. This produces fresh, fruit-forward wines with very low tannins that pop on the palate. A little chill on these wines (45-50°) does not diminish that high-powered fruit profile at all, and that’s what makes them perfect for the summer.

There is a distinction between Beaujolais Villages, where the grapes can be sourced from anywhere within the Beaujolais region, versus Cru Beaujolais where the grapes are from one of the ten defined appellations within Beaujolais: St-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly, and Côte de Brouilly. The Cru Beaujolais wines are typically of higher quality, and many can be aged for several years if you have the patience to wait for them. Most people don’t, though, and that’s okay! You can expect fresh flavors like strawberry, raspberry, cherry, with perhaps some pomegranate and blackberry overtures.

You can also find fantastic Gamay wines from other regions. I have discovered some enjoyable Gamay wines from the Loire Valley in France, like Domaine Sérol’s Eclat de granite from Côte Roannaise. Many regions in the United States are producing excellent Gamays too, with my favorites coming from the Willamette Valley in Oregon and Sonoma County in California (especially from Pax Wines). While US versions can be hard to find, many Beaujolais wines, especially the Louis Jadot (a great value) can easily be found on your supermarket shelf. Gamay wines are certainly worth seeking out when you need a crowd-pleasing red wine to serve on a hot summer day.

Lambrusco

Let me set the record straight up front with Lambrusco. I am not talking about the cheap Riunite style ultra-sweet Lambrusco you may remember from your youth! There are some excellent dry or semi-dry Lambrusco wines I greatly enjoy in the summer.

What makes them so good for the summer? First, the sparkling nature of Lambrusco tickles and refreshes the palate on a summer day. Secondly, these are best served chilled, and that cold sparkling red with its dark fruit flavors is perfect to pair with burgers and barbecue. The way the bubbles dance on the palate refreshes me in a way a still wine can’t quite muster. To find a good Lambrusco I recommend asking a knowledgeable wine merchant for a recommendation. Give it a try!

Texan Wine Trousseau

The Trousseau grape mainly originates from the Jura region in France. I would not be shocked if you have never tasted Jura wines since large quantities are not imported into the US. Some adventurous producers in California have been producing some tasty Trousseau wines, and a few years ago there was a bit of a fad amongst sommeliers with Trousseau wines. I discovered a fun producer in Sonoma County, Rootdown Wines, whose Trousseau has become my absolute favorite. I sat down with winery owner Mike Lucia in April and tasted his newest Trousseau, the 2021 Cole Ranch. Cole Ranch sits in a high altitude, cool climate location and Mike uses the carbonic maceration method to create an irresistible summer red.

ZWEIGELT (TSVYE-GELT)

The Zweigelt grape originated in Austria in 1921, the brainchild of Dr. Friedrich Zweigelt. He created a hybrid grape combining the Austrian Sankt Laurent and Blaufränkisch grapes. While the resulting wine can be an inky purple color, the flavor typically has an elevated dark red fruit profile that belies the concentrated color. The Zweigelt wines are also distinctive for their exotic spice and floral character, highlighted by aromas of cinnamon and violets. I became fond of this grape when I tasted the version from Schneider Winery located in the Austrian Thermenregion. Zweigelt is another solid choice for a summer barbecue, especially if you enjoy expanding your wine knowledge by trying new wines.