Refreshing white wines deliver in the summer
Print Edition
THE days are longer and the mercury is rising. The Shanghai summer is once again upon us with a vengeance, and we’re collectively struggling to find ways to best cope with the searing heat. My solution is a cool glass of wine.
Ideal summer white wines tend to be light to medium-bodied, crisp, dry and refreshing. They also pair beautifully with the lighter dishes we enjoy during the summer. We can’t change Mother Nature but we can survive in style.
Two wine styles that beautifully express these attributes are Italian Ovieto and Australian Riesling whites.
Ovieto wines are reasonably priced, delicate and suitable for daily drinking while Aussie Rieslings are relatively new stars on the international wine scene that deliver a stimulating mouth puckering clean and fresh wine experience.
Named after an ancient hilltop town in Umbria, Ovieto white wines are blends of the Italian varieties Trebbiano, Malvasia, Verdello, Grechetto and sometimes Drupeggio.
Tebbiano is the most important component of this blend. Despite a history that dates back to Roman times, wine experts have long maligned the Trebbiano variety as having poor pedigree.
Traditionally, this high yield grape was used to make indifferent white quaffers that were quite mean and lean with neutral or insipid flavors. They were consumed with little respect.
But the general trend of higher-quality winemaking in Italy has been kind to this grape and style of wine and recently I’ve tasted some very pleasing Ovieto wines that have all the pristine and fresh qualities that make them perfect summer quenchers.
Recognizing the competitiveness of the global wine market, Orvieto’s producers have made significant new investments in technology and related expertise to refine their methods and produce wines with greater intensity and character.
In tune with this commitment to quality are trends toward reduced yields, greater selectiveness and increased skin contact prior to fermentation.
In other words, Orvieto wines have evolved in line with changing international consumer tastes resulting in a bevy of higher quality dry wines featuring pungent peach and citrus aromas with a clean, crisp profile and balanced acidity.
The best Ovietos also tend to have a higher percentage of Grechetto as this variety adds fruitiness and weight to the wine. Another clue to picking a good Ovieto is to look for the words classico and superiore on the label.
Classico means the grapes come from the more coveted traditional growing zone near the town while superiore designates wines that meet more stringent appellation alcohol and aging requirements. Even the best classic and superior Ovieto wines should be enjoyed young, within 2-3 years, and served well-chilled at about 6 to 8 degrees Celsius.
Highly recommended Ovietos that are easy to find in Shanghai include Antinori, Santa Cristina Campogrande Orvieto Classico, Ruffino Orvieto Classico, Bigi Ovietto Classico and Rocca della Macie Orvieto Classico Superiore.
Australian Rieslings
When we think of the Riesling variety, German wines naturally come to mind. But there are some bracingly dry and fresh Rieslings been made half a world away in Australia that are some of my favorite summer wines.
If you could pick ideal climates to cultivate Riesling they would be a lot like the climates that the Clare and Eden Valleys enjoy. Clare Valley has vineyards at 400 to 500 meters while Eden Valley vineyards are 400 to 600 meters high.
The diurnal temperature ranges, in other words warm to hot days and cool to cold evenings, are key. The heat of the day provides the necessary ripeness while the cool evenings offset the heat of the day and allow the fruit to ripen slowly and more evenly.
The dry summers mitigate the presence of fungal diseases and pests while caringly maturing the grapes.
The result is a collection of world-class Rieslings with all the fresh and expressive fruitiness desired in high quality summer wines.
The typical Clare Valley Riesling offers intense citrus flavors with good minerality and high natural acidity making these whites some of the most stylish and clean white wines in Australia.
It’s also interesting to note that Clare Valley producers were among the first to switch from the traditional cork closure to the Stelvin screw cap, rightfully believing the new screw cap better preserved the fresh flavors of their wines.
From cork to screw cap they were able to trap the freshness longed for on hot summer eves.
Recommended Clare Valley producers with excellent Rieslings include Pikes, a relatively large producer with consistently delicious and distinctive wines, Knappstein, small producer making exciting wines with good typicity, and Petaluma, a highly esteemed producer that makes wines in many regions of Australia, including Clare Valley.
The Rieslings of Eden Valley commonly offer generous lime and mineral aromas and flavors and high natural acidity.
Many wines also exhibit an intriguing zesty or spicy nature that tickles and stimulates the palate.
Unlike most Aussie white wines, these Rieslings age remarkably well and when cellared they develop more ripe lime and marmalade like flavors.
Recommended producers with wines available in Shanghai include the aforementioned Henschke, Grosset and a new Eden Valley label owned by Grosset that’s called Mesh.
All these impressive wines are sure to please the palate and deliciously mitigate the summer heat. Serve them at about 10 degrees in a sufficiently generous Sauvignon Blanc or like white wine glass that will allow them to express their personality. Summer heat never felt so comfortable and delectable.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
