Summer has come and days are getting warmer and warmer, preparations for vacations are finally done and everyone is about to leave for those destinations that, hopefully, will give relaxing and tranquil moments. This is what is expected by the ones who decided to spend their summer somewhere else or can afford a vacation time. For all of us, wine lovers and lovers of nice wine, hopefully a little but good, no matter what was decided about how and where to spend summertime, whether at home in one's own city, or in sunny beaches or in the cool mountain breeze, we do not certainly forget, despite of the warm temperature, about that pleasure that a good wine can give.

 Summer days suggest and make people prefer cool beverages, those that can promise with their inviting temperature, a relief to the torments of hot, even foods, rightly, get adapted to the needs requested by the typical conditions of summertime. During this period in our tables are showing up foods made of vegetables, usually fresh salads, condiments get less and less heavy, the cooking of foods gets simpler and lighter and red wines, in particular the full bodied and “important” ones, usually matched with elaborated and rich foods, are being replaced by lighter wines. In this season there is an increasing consumption of white and sparkling wines, mainly because they are served at low temperatures and therefore they are more appealing.

 White and sparkling wines are practically associated to summertime, unfortunately they are served at too low temperatures, therefore losing, at these low temperatures, their best characteristics, in particular aromas, attenuated or annihilated by the rigid cold of refrigerators. Sparkling wines, with their joyous and vivid effervescence, seems to quench thirst and to give more satisfactions during the hot summer days and, in this season, are the fresher and younger sparkling wines, in particular the ones produced with the Charmat method, to be preferred best, generally as aperitifs. Besides these wines, there is also an increasing consumption of white wines and slightly sparkling wines, and this would confirm that in summertime effervescent beverages are the more successful ones.

 Even though in these periods red wines are usually “forgotten”, there is another style of wine which is forgotten as well and that could be very pleasing and fresh, certainly suited for summertime and not only in this season: rose wines. These type of wines have always been penalized because they are between the most common styles of wines usually referred as real wines, whites and reds, and for this reason they are probably never considered, indeed, they often are, unjustly, defined as low quality wines and for that worth of little interest. Rarely people remember about rose wines: it is true, they are not whites nor reds, they are rose, and they are however and indisputably wines. Nevertheless rose wines have unique and proper characteristics that make them perfectly suited for being between whites and reds, when a white wine is not enough and a red wine is simply too much, rose wine offers the right solution that can be adapted to many circumstances. Moreover they are wines usually consumed young, when they can express a pleasing crispness and fragrance of aromas, they can be served cool, sometimes at the usual temperatures of white wines. So, why not remembering about these wines and, hopefully, right in this summer? Rose wines are perfect with many dishes made of fish, in particular soups and roasts.

 If it is true that reds are temporarily “forgotten” during summertime, it is also true that not all reds are the same. Generally, when one thinks about red wines, the common idea is to think about full bodied wines, robust and thick, nevertheless there are so many red berried grapes that produce light wines, with little tannins and very pleasing to drink, particularly in summertime. Just like for rose wines, these wines can be served at low temperatures, certainly not like white wines, however at temperatures that will surely be pleasing in hot days, they perfectly match with the typical summer foods and have the fragrance and the crispness of fruit, flavors and aromas certainly welcome in summertime. Like rose wines, these type of wines are forgotten as well and they have little consideration, the personality of great red wines makes these wines appear as lesser wines, while usually forgetting that a full bodied red wine is not always suited for every circumstance. After all, the world of wine is amazing and interesting also thanks to the many and countless styles available.

 However, even in summertime, there also are occasions where a great red wine can be appreciated, most of the times during evening meals, when people usually spend more time in appreciating nice foods, there are many who do not renounce to the pleasure of a nice glass of full bodied red wine, even though it can result in a wrong food match, but, you know, the ones who like nice wine, when right occasions happen they always take advantage of them. What is important, no matter what wine you will choose for spending your summertime, is to always remember that moderation is the best way to appreciate the fascinating world of wine.

 We would like to wish our readers a happy summer, hopefully in company of a nice glass of wine, and we remind our readers we are going to take a break in august and the next issue of DiWineTaste will be published in September, in that period when the world of wine, at least the one of the northern hemisphere, will be greatly involved with new harvests. We also wish all wine producers that honored us with their trust, a very profitable harvest in the hope, and we do not have any doubt about that, they will be capable of giving us new emotions expressed in the magic of a glass. Happy summer vacations to you all and see you in September!

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