Wines to quaff this summer

The heat is on and with it is soaring the demand for drinks that cool things down: soft drinks, green coconut, juices and cordials, beer and last (but not least) sparkling, white and rose wines.

All of the latter are wines that must be consumed well-chilled - even the rose wines that are almost red in colour.

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Actually, rose wines are the least understood wine category simply because they are something "in between" reds and whites - "neither fish nor fowl", as an oenophile friend once put it. Consequently, when choosing a wine, people generally opt for either a red or a white (or sparkling, if one is in a celebratory mood), entirely neglecting the rose, which is unfortunate because a good rose combines the best features of both reds (some tannins and complexity) and whites (crisp acidity, perfumed aroma), while having low alcohol (generally below 10 per cent versus 12.5 per cent to 14 per cent for the others).

All the major Indian winemakers produce a rose. There are also a host of imported rose wines on retail shelves. Although few retailers will have a wide selection of rose wines, it's worth searching for and trying different roses. I know someone in Bengaluru who buys The Wolftrap rose by the case! Indian roses are priced at Rs 600 to Rs 700, while imported ones would start at Rs 1,500.

Another very good thirst-quencher in the summer is the spritzer. According to Wikipedia, "The word comes from the German spritzen 'spatter, squirt, spray, sprinkle', that is adding water and thus diluting the wine so that it can be consumed in larger, thirst-quenching amounts." A spritzer can be made by either adding soda to white wine or splashing a sparkling wine over ice. The concoction is then flavoured with a variety of fruit and/or herbs, sliced apples or peaches or plums or oranges - even mangoes, and sprigs of parsley/sage/rosemary/thyme or even tulsi/pudhina. Recipe variations are restricted only by one's imagination and creativity.

At the Chandon winery inauguration I wrote about last fortnight, the company had rolled out eight variations of spritzers using its sparkling wines with evocative names like 'Chandon Elderflower Spritz' (Chandon Brut 150 ml, Elderflower cordial 15 ml, three orange slices, three cucumber slices, and three to four ice cubes) or 'The Classic Spritz' (150 ml sparkling wine, 15 ml Campari, a dash of soda, and three to four ice cubes, garnished with two half-slices of orange). Expect to see some of these on offer at selected fine-dine restaurants around the country as the summer progresses.

A wine cooler (the drink, not the refrigerator) is very similar to the spritzer. The name originated in California in the 1980s, and the concoction tends to have more fruit juice and rarely includes any sparkling wine. It is also generally made in bulk for parties, in contrast to a spritzer, which is a more customised preparation.

Lastly there is the sangria, originating in Spain and Portugal, which consists of red wine with chopped fruit, a sweetener and some alcohol (brandy is a favourite). It can be served either chilled or at room temperature (remember, the room temperature of Europe, not India!).

Wines I've been drinking: Naturally, The Wolftrap Rose (Rs 1,499 in Bengaluru) from the Boekenhoutskloof winery in South Africa. Pinkish orange in colour, the wine is made from a blend of Syrah, Cinsault and Grenache by the 'Saignee' method and has a pungent fruity aroma of red berries and spices and a soft balanced taste. It is easily the best-value imported rose available - try it if you can.

Alok Chandra is a Bengaluru-based wine consultant