Yes, you can enjoy red wine in the summer heat

Photograph by Tropico Photo

Rosé gets all the love this time of year, as our city is baking like a pan of lasagna, but you don’t have to give up red wine when it’s hot out. Just steer clear of the big, oaky bottles, and opt for bright, low-alcohol, easy-drinking “summer reds.” (They go great with burgers and cold fried chicken.) Here are five to try (counterclockwise from top):

1. Broc Cellars Coucou, Cabernet Franc (Santa Barbara, California)
2. Division Winemaking Company Les Petits Fers, Gamay (Willamette Valley, Oregon)
3. 2014 Partida Creus, Sumoll (Catalonia, Spain)
4. Gerben Tonkens La Boutanche, Cinsault (Rhône Valley, France)
5. Jean-François Mérieau Cent Visages, Côt (Loire Valley, France)

About the author
Jordan Smelt is the sommelier at Cakes & Ale in Decatur and Bread & Butterfly in Inman Park.

This article originally appeared in our August 2017 issue.