Wines of the week: Three lightly chilled reds

Many of us have reached for an iced rosé or chilled white during the recent hot spell, but never consider a cool red. Well, now is the time and the right weather to discover the joys of lightly chilling red wine

From Italy

Feudo di Santa Tresa Frappato 2015

A little chilling refreshes and firms up a lot of lighter red wines such as this lovely organic red from Sicily, made from the local frappato grape grown on volcanic soils near the coast and just bursting with vibrant, juicy strawberry and cherry notes. Drink this like the locals with pasta with sardines, swordfish or tuna with spiced crumbs and capers. A good hour or two in the fridge door will suffice.

£7.99 Ocado.com; £8.99 adnams.co.uk

From Spain

Atlantis Mencia Bierzo 2015

Over in north-west Spain, the Atlantic coastal breezes temper the mencia grapes to delicious, fresh effect, which can really be enhanced with just under an hour in the fridge on a hot day. The slight chilling will emphasise the supple flavours of chocolate, (also improved with chilling) dark cherries and blackberries. Ideal with chicken, salads or goat’s cheese.

£8.82 cambridgewine.com; £10.99 sheldonswines.com

From France

Château de la Pierre, Brouilly, 2015

Even relatively expensive wines such as this succulent, juicy beaujolais-villages, hailing from a small producer in Brouilly, one of the Beaujolais crus, and from the excellent vintage of 2015 can be improved with just a light chilling to what the wine trade calls “cellar temperature” of around 12C. The beguiling ripe fruit and earth flavours of the gamay grape just seem to resonant more when cool, making it a perfect match for charcuterie or lighter meats and cheeses.

£12.20 winedown.co.uk (minimum order 12 bottles);£13.69 georgehill.co.uk (2014 vintage)