Choosing Your Wine According to the Season: The Best Advice

Choosing Your Wine According to the Season: The Best Advice

Just like there are clothes for every season, so are their wines for specific weather. Seasonal wines are determined mainly by their weight and texture, with heavier reds and whites dominating the cooler months and lighter, crisper reds and whites dominating the warmer seasons.

Which wines complete the seasons better?

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Summer Wines to Quench Your Thirst

Summer months are all about barbecuing and picnicking, and nothing beats a refreshing, crisp, vibrant white or a luscious, youthful red wine. Given the season's high temperatures, slightly chilled reds and crisp whites would be great for soothing your thirst.

Opt for crisp white wines with low alcohol content compared to reds if you want to get revitalized without getting dehydrated. Picpoul de Pinet, Pinot Grigio, Albarino, and Sauvignon Blanc are some of the white grape wines you might consider in the warm summer. These crisp, delicate whites are best paired with light cuisine.

While red wines are traditionally associated with the winter season, you may find acidic reds with low alcohol content and tannins quite refreshing for BBQs and picnics. Wines to consider for such occasions include Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, and Grenache, which pair well with seafood like fish.

Click here for wine pairing suggestions for your summer wine.

Winter Is for Acidic Wines

Warm your spirits against the harsh chills of winter with full-bodied reds high in alcohol and tannins.

Since winter calls for heavy, fatty, and meat-laden foods or complex sauces with intense savory flavors, you can't go wrong with bolder reds with a robust fruity flavor. Wines to add to your shopping list during such cold months include:

• Malbec: A rich and robust wine that pairs well with meat.
• Syrah: Popular for its rich blackberry notes, savory undertones, and high alcohol content.
• Sangiovese: Rustic and earthy, it complements most winter recipes.

You will love full-bodied, oaked white wines such as Chardonnay if you enjoy white wines. Its flavor profile is dominated by butter, caramel, and vanilla, making it an ideal complement to creamy sauces and roast chicken.

What if you prefer wines with a lighter body or that are unoaked? It's critical to recognize that the focus of winter whites is mostly on acidity, which helps cut through the richness of the winter dishes. With that in mind, an unoaked or light-bodied white wine with sharp acidity fits the bill.

Springs Are for Versatile Wines

Spring is defined by its unpredictability in terms of weather. One minute, the sun is shining, and you're wearing your vest; the next, it's chilly, and your sweater is calling. So, what should you do during these transitional months?

Wines that mimic the changing nature of seasons should be your first pick; versatile wines with brightness and texture are neither too light nor too heavy. Choose a medium-bodied wine that will provide warmth against the cold while being bold enough to give a burst of freshness to remind you of summer's promises.

As the weather continues to warm up in the evenings, fragrant wines will help bring in the warmer temps and pair nicely with lighter cuisine such as fresh pasta, seafood, and salads. Grüner Veltliner, Dry Riesling, Chablis, Pinot Grigio, Verdicchio, and Dry Riesling, to mention a few, will pair perfectly with your springtime meals.

On the red corner of the spring wines stand the Beaujolais, popularly known as low-tannin friendly wine, and a young Pinot Noir with a dominant fruity flavor.

Complexity Tannic Wines Complement Autumn

As the last hints of summer fade, it's time for medium-bodied reds and full-bodied whites. While rosé wines are most popular in the summer, drier varieties with higher tannins are ideal for a cozy night spent indoors wrapped in blankets. Grenache Rosé, for example, has clove and herb flavors and goes well with vegetables and roasted chicken.

Dolcetto wines have a lathery texture with hints of cherry and licorice, while Merlot wines give warm flavors of fall spices and cherry.

Wine It Up!

Rather than sipping the same wines year after year, try seasonal wine selections to explore new varietals and combinations.