Wine with Leslie: Red, red wine for summertime sips

"We fuss too much about red wine temperatures in this country and while a fine Cru Classé Bordeaux is best at around 16 degrees or so, do not be afraid to serve regular red wines at around 10 degrees, or cooler if you wish."

Pic: iStock

I’ve not put a jacket on for the last few days, I’m writing this column outside and the cat is asleep in the flowerbed: it must be summertime. I’ve been recommending rosé and a lot of whites recently so it’s time to talk about reds for summer.

At this time of year I am looking for light fruity reds, ideally with lower alcohol levels. This means perhaps a Refosco or Teroldego from the north of Italy, a Mencía or Garnacha from Spain or maybe a Zweigelt or Blaufränkisch from Austria or a Beaujolais Villages or Dolcetta d’Alba.