Summer 2018 Reds

A natural assumption is that, when it’s hot outside you should drink a well chilled Rosé or white wine like a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, but that couldn’t be further from the truth!

Aside from putting in a pitch for an Albarino I’ve fallen hard for: Brecon Estate’s 2017 True Acacia Head Albarino, I’m pretty much drinking lighter, spicier reds and not too sweet Rosés as summer starts heating up.

I don’t blame anyone for sticking with their summer standbys, but this year’s releases should give you plenty of fantastic reasons to explore lighter bodied, but bold flavored wines like: Grenache, Mourvèdre, GSM (a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre & Syrah), Barbera, and even Sangiovese.

Some of my favorites this year are:

• Clos Saint Michel 2015 G-S-M (Châteauneuf-du-Pape) – Rated 93 Points by Wine Enthusiast and a very reasonable $36 at Total Wine!
• Hahn 2016 G-S-M (Central Coast) – Rated a solid 88 by Wine Enthusiast, how can you go wrong with this $14 (Total Wine) Central California Coast red?
• Brecon Estate 2015 Syrah (Adelaida District) – Brecon has become my own secret guilty pleasure! Really they don’t make a wine I don’t like, but this 94 Point Rated Syrah is especially yummy!
• Brecon Estate 2016 Forty Two Red (Adelaida District) – Staying on topic the 2015 vintage of this blend of 47.32% Mourvèdre, 42.18% Syrah, 7.5% Petite Sirah and 3% Grenache got 93 points from Wine Enthusiast. The current release of 2016 scored: 99Pts, and received Double Gold, Best of Class, and Best of Varietal at the New World International Wine Competition in March 2018. There is a case of this beauty in my cellar. #GirlsGoneWine
• Cypher “Drop Dead Legs” Grenache 2012 – Available online directly from the winery and worth every penny! The reds from Cypher’s #MadGenius #ZinBitch Christian Tietje never, ever disappoint!
• Gianfranco Alessandria Barbera d’Alba – From Piedmont, Italy this is a crisp, fresh, aromatic, and versatile food wine. Total Wine carries it for $20.
• Naggiar Vineyards Sangiovese – Another #OffTheBeatenPath find I adore! Highly rated and an Editors Choice of Wine Enthusiast, this wine is available as a winery direct selection at total wine for $22.49!

I try every wine I can and learn something new every time I go tasting.  Remember that it isn’t your first or even second taste that should decide whether you like a wine or not.

Swirl, sniff and sip at least three times before you make your decision.  If you don’t like it immediately, let it sit in the glass for 10 or 15 minutes and come back to it.  It may be a wine that benefits from being a little closer to room temperature and getting a little time to open up.  Or, it could just really suck. LOL 😉