Summer is now officially here and with it the hope of sultry days and the need for a cooling drink. So now’s the time to choose chilled whites as these make a good choice for wine lovers looking for refreshment.
Cold meats and light vegetarian dishes are a good stand-by on a hot evening and the citrus and buttery smells and taste of white wine make a good match.
But sought after Burgundies or New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs can set you back as much as £25 a bottle, but not all whites are as expensive. Chile, Spain and southern Europe produce whites made with their indigenous grape varieties at a quarter of the price which are just as enjoyable.
And if you’re planning a barbecue then the lighter tasting flavours of white wines go well with fish, chicken or vegetable kebabs cooked over coals. These foods often pick up a smoke-laced tang and so need wines made with more fruity-flavoured white grape varieties for a better match. Gooseberry tasting Sauvignon Blanc and the honey tones of a Colombard go well.
Mind you keeping white wines cold while the sun shines and the barbecue radiates heat is tricky, but not insoluble. For a quick and cheap solution, wrap your whites in newspaper soaked in water. As the water evaporates it takes the heat away, so keeping your wine cool for about half an hour. For a longer lasting solution, stand your white wines in a mixture of water and ice cubes.
Top Ten white wines recommended by wineuncorked.co.uk
£10.95 Rick Stein shop
Available through the chef’s online shop, this Spanish white made with the Verdejo and Viura grape varieties is a vibrant yellow-green colour with oodles of aromas – lemon, apple, banana, pear, pineapple and flower petals just come out of the glass at a pace. The flavour is crisp and fruity with banana and passionfruit richness backing it up. A nice wine. Match to fish, obviously.
Davenport Vineyards English Horsmonden Dry White
£14.99 Davenport Vineyards, Vintage Roots
A lovely floral white that has a touch of the fizz about it like a Portuguese Vinho Verde. White rose, lychee and lemon aromas and flavours within a 11.5% alcohol wine that is reminiscent of a German Pinot Blanc.
The Wine Society's English White 2020
£8.50 The Wine Society
The pineapple, melon and apple fruitiness is a delight. But don't serve it too cold, even though it is a white wine, as the delicate flavours will disappear.
Aldi Portuguese White Douro Vinteiro 2019
£4.99 Aldi
This light green wine in the expensive-looking silver and white graduated tinted bottle is both fruity and structured, making for an extremely enjoyable quaff that matches many foods and moods.
£14.99 Virgin Wines
A German white made with the unfashionable Silvaner grape variety that tastes all the world like being at the beach. There’s a salty ozone tang with some herby lemon balm. Interesting.
SPAR The Letter Collection Pinot Grigio 2020
£6.49 SPAR
A revamped look to The Letter Collection range of wines that were originally launched in 2017 brings a fresh look and fresh flavours. Simple and refreshing with lemon zing and balancing sweet pear flavours.
£9.99 Virgin Wines
This light and fruity Sicilian white is made with the Catarratto grape variety which gives it a flavour of apple and almond cake with a hint of celery dryness. A good match to summer foods.
Co-op Irresistible Chilean Sauvignon Blanc 2018
£7.50 Co-op
Aromas of gooseberry fool greet you along with an appealing floral edge. Flavours are fresh and limey but not so citrusy as to be undrinkable. A nice Sauvignon Blanc.
Calvet Limited Release Sauvignon Blanc 2017
£6.99 Waitrose, Co-op
A fresh and zingy Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc. Fruity aromas mix together to give a fresh appeal with lemon, apple, gooseberry and pineapple all sedately asking for your attention. Zingy lime and apple pie are the main flavours along with a grassy edge. A class wine.
Morrisons The Best Gruner Veltliner 2019
£8.25 Morrisons
This unoaked white made with the fashionable Gruner Veltliner is all about quaffable fruity flavours of pear, apple and melon with a touch of creamy coconut. Nothing complex just a wine to drink whenever.