So you thought summer drinking was all white and rose?

Rather than a Sauvignon Blanc or a jug of Pimms, how about pulling out of the fridge a bottle of red wine? And if you thought serving a rose to your friends was avant guard, read on very carefully. What would you say to a glass or two of Burgundy - red Burgundy - well chilled to go with your summer barbecue or supper al fresco?

No need to grin and bear the white stuff in hot weather just because. If you prefer red wine, you can drink it. And you can cut a dash and create a point of conversation. Here's what you need to know about summer reds.

It's a case of picking fridge-friendly reds. The key is tannins - you want to chill those reds which are low on tannins. Tannins are known for giving red wines their flavour, structure and taste. And, because of their antioxidant properties, they contribute to long and graceful aging of wines.

Wines that are less tannic are therefore best drunk young. That's no problem because you want to buy them and drink them straight away. They may lack structure but their youthfulness contributes a noticeable quality - freshness. And a lack of tannins means no dry sensation on the tongue. You can relax and gurgle back these reds as easily as rose. Freshness and fruit, summer fruits.

There is a snag with Burgundy, however. Price. I'd save your twenty pounds for a good bottle of something else - or in fact all three of the wines I'm going to recommend. Summer quaffing means ten pounds a bottle tops, and that's splashing out. I've recommended a New Zealand Pinot Noir for a tenner - Oyster Bay - and I'll bet you can't find a French Pinot Noir that matches it - quality for price.

Actually, five pounds is all you need for an excellent summer red and I've found two different wines at this price.

1. Domaine Jacky Marteau, Touraine, Gamay, 2003.
(Marks & Spencer, £4.99)

Gamay - the type of grape, properly "Gamay Noir d'Jus Blanc" - is grown most extensively in the Beaujolais region of France. So if it tastes familiar and you drink a lot of Beaujolais - that's why. If you drink a lot of Beaujolais, you'll be wondering at the fact that this wine is only five pounds a bottle, Beaujolais prices being as extortionate as they are. This Gamay is not from Beajolais, it's from the Loire area - Touraine, and it's nice. Very nice. The colour verves exotically towards the purple of beetroots. I'm looking at in an ordinary glass but I'm wondering how appealing this wine would look in something crystal and fancy - probably a lot of fun.

As for taste. The mouthfeel is light - just as you would expect. This is an easy-drinking wine that slips down the tongue without resistance. But it's not lightweight at 13.5% ABV. The flavours are all fruit - especially red fruits such as redcurrants and cherries. And, characteristic of the grape - that ever so slight idea of banana. The simplicity of the wine itself is another thing that's appealing. I'm sure it will go well with salads, quiches and cold meats. Ideal for a summer picnic or along with a light supper.

2. Brown Brothers, Victoria, Tarrango 2003
(Waitrose, £5.99; Costco, £24.99 for a six bottle case)

Another wine that looks innocent yet packs a weighty 13% ABV. I staggered home with my case from Costco - well, this is research! No, seriously, I spend a very long time at the Brown Brothers stand at the BBC Good Food Show a couple of years ago and have been a loyal drinker since. They produce good wines for reasonable prices - something that can not be said for all Australian producers these days.

Tarrango - the grape - was actually specially developed in Australia to appeal to red and white wine drinkers alike. This is an ideal wine for barbecues. It's got the same light fruit flavours of the Loire Gamay - this time the predominant flavours being cherry and raspberry - but it feels a slightly more juicy, structured, almost spicy wine. The suggestion of cinnamon and allspice in this wine is enough to give the edge to go with cured meats, developed cheeses and the strong flavours of barbecued food.

3. Oyster Bay, Marborough, Pinot Noir 2002
(Majestic, £9.99)

I've accused the previous two wines of being light - and frankly, simple. Albeit delicious for what they are. If you want an easy-drinking red, that's not really light, with soft fruit and spice flavours that are complex. and yet still pull it out of the fridge, this is it. The Oyster Bay Pinot Noir benefits, structurally, from being subtly oaked. You can therefore taste the tannins (that dryness on the tongue). However, chilling dissipates it somewhat - so you taste velvet but it's not heavy. This is an ideal wine to impress with. Its fruit flavours are cherries and plums, and the fragrance is wonderful - plum pudding.

The Marlborough region built its reputation on making excellent Sauvignon Blancs and its now producing quite extraordinary Pinot Noirs. The cool climate, yet with dry sunny summers means that the Pinot Noir grapes ripen fully and this gives the wine intensity and depth. This is the wine to serve at your summer dinner party. It has the complexity to deal with rich foods from heavy roast meats through to salmon and pates. And will even go with chocolate mousse! With Marlborough winemakers rushing to plant Pinot Noir buy some quick and enjoy being a trendsetter while the prices are still pretty reasonable.

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(c) KatherineA, 2004
This article has appeared in print and is copyright of the author. Unauthorised reproduction is not allowed without permission of the author.

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In fact, I am looking to syndicate my wine columns further afield so if any ciaoers have any ideas, please let me know.

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NB I've asked for these three wines to be included on ciao with, so far, no joy.... so I thought I'd share them with you now while they are still topical. :)

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