DRINK DIFFERENT: DON’T BLUSH – GO GREEN!

As the summer approaches, our thoughts turn to ‘patio wines’ – bottles to enjoy in the sunshine on a summer’s afternoon.  Fruity, easy-drinking and not necessarily bone-dry are what is called for, and that territory has been increasingly dominated by so-called ‘blush’ wines over recent years. 

One such is fashionable Pinot Grigio rosé, which unlike most rosés is not made from red grapes, but white Pinot Grigio grapes which achieve a wonderful copper colour in the late summer - reflected in the colour of the wine.  Similar to ‘blush’ Zinfandels, these are fun wines with a sweetness which makes them easy to drink.

Still fruity but rather more interesting is Vinho Verde (literally ‘green wine’) from the coastal region of Portugal.  These used to be sharp and fizzy, but the region is enjoying a renaissance with fresh and concentrated wines, relatively low in alcohol, and ideal for that patio tipple.