Summer brings with it a lightness of being — long, sunlit evenings, meals that drift gently into twilight, and a natural leaning toward wines that refresh and revive. It is the season when crisp whites and pale rosés take centre stage. Yet for the discerning palate, red wine remains an essential pleasure — one not to be cast aside simply because the mercury rises.
With a thoughtful approach to selection, temperature, and food pairing, red wines can reveal surprising poise and charm during the warmest months of the year. At Montemaggio, in the heart of Chianti Classico, we believe wine is not bound by seasons, but rather enhanced by them. Here are a few considered reflections on how to enjoy red wine, even as summer reaches its zenith.
1. Seek Youthful Reds with Energy and Finesse
Structure and longevity are admirable traits in a wine, but under the summer sun, delicacy and freshness are more welcome companions. Choose reds that are vibrant and agile rather than dense and brooding — wines whose charm lies in their immediacy rather than their complexity.
A youthful Chianti Classico or a Sangiovese in purezza, such as our Rosso di Montemaggio, offers precisely this kind of clarity. It is a wine marked by purity of fruit, moderate tannins, and a natural brightness — attributes that not only accommodate the heat but thrive in it.
2. Temper the Temperature — Serve Lightly Chilled
The notion of serving red wine at “room temperature” persists, though it seldom aligns with modern indoor climates. What once referred to a cool stone-walled room at 18°C now often implies a far warmer setting, ill-suited to the subtleties of fine red wine.
A light chill — bringing the wine to between 14°C and 16°C — enhances its freshness, lifts its aromatics, and lends greater elegance on the palate. Allow the wine twenty to thirty minutes in the refrigerator before serving. It is a modest adjustment, but one that can transform the experience entirely.
Do take care not to overchill. Below a certain point, even the most expressive wine will lose its voice.
3. Pair with the Honest Simplicity of Summer Cuisine
Red wine, when well chosen, can be a graceful companion to summer fare. The secret lies in balance — pairing the wine with dishes that respect its character rather than compete with it.
Consider the Tuscan table in its summer dress: grilled vegetables, lightly cured meats, pasta with ripe tomato and basil, or a simply prepared steak under olive trees. These are not elaborate pairings, but they are honest, and they allow a wine like Chianti Classico di Montemaggio to express its innate harmony.
Such wines do not demand centre stage, but rather contribute quietly and confidently to the ensemble.
4. Discover the Joy of Lively, Unfiltered Reds
There exists a growing appreciation for natural and unfiltered red wines — those with a slightly untamed spirit, often made with minimal intervention and sometimes possessing a gentle effervescence.
These wines, while less traditional in the Tuscan canon, offer something eminently suitable for summer: lightness, spontaneity, and a sense of the moment. They speak of vitality and movement — qualities that mirror the season itself.
While not everyone’s taste, they are worth exploring, particularly in casual or outdoor settings where wine need not be formal, but simply honest.
5. On Sangria and Red Wine Cocktails: A Note of Caution and Curiosity
The idea of mixing red wine with fruit, herbs, or soda water may cause the purist to raise an eyebrow — and rightly so, if the wine in question is fine or aged. Yet, when approached with restraint and care, such preparations can serve a role, particularly at informal gatherings.
A well-made sangria, using a young, expressive red and seasonal fruits, can be both refreshing and convivial. It is not meant to replace the experience of fine wine, but to reinterpret it for a particular occasion.
As with all things in wine, context is everything.
Final Reflections: Red Wine, in Season and in Spirit
To enjoy red wine in summer is to rediscover its versatility — to appreciate not only its weight and depth, but also its freshness, clarity, and grace. When selected thoughtfully, served at the appropriate temperature, and paired with seasonal fare, red wine reveals a dimension often overlooked in warmer weather.
At Montemaggio, we see wine not as a fixed ritual, but as a living expression of place, time, and intention. It adapts, as we do, to the changing rhythms of the year. And in doing so, it continues to surprise, to delight, and to connect.
Let summer be a time not of exclusion, but of rediscovery — and let the red wines you love accompany you through it with elegance and ease.
The Montemaggio Family
Tenuta Montemaggio, Radda in Chianti
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