Cool drinks for warm days

Of course, we don’t actually have climate. We have weather. The only reliable difference between summer and winter here is the length of the day. So, whereas in many parts of the world, a summer drink refers to what you drink when the weather is warm and dry and you’re able to plan a barbecue with something like certainty, here it’s as likely to be a hot whiskey as an ice-cold pilsner. But let’s pretend…

Warm weather demands refreshment. Amongst beers, this means pilsners for me. Personal favourites include Dublin Number 1, Becks and Budvar. But a cold Heineken, Stella or Carlsberg fills the bill too. I’d drink stout after food and not before. But aficionados beg to differ.

Beer is especially apt if you are at a party or barbecue where spicy food is being served. Those peppered steaks, burgers with chilli sauce or tandoori chicken all challenge the taste buds. Actually, sometimes icy sparkling water is the best bet until you’ve done with grazing.

Matching barbie food with wine can be taxing. Gewurtztraminers tend to be spicy and floral, and those from Alsace in particular work well with spicy food, as do sparkling whites. But be careful here – quaffing bubbly to quench a thirst can leave you jugged in jig time.

I wouldn’t go breaking the bank for a barbecue wine. What you’re looking for is something that can stand up to the food. In general, wines from sunny places, like the south of France, Spain or the Barossa Valley, all render good service.

Among whites, personal favourites include Marques de Riscal Rueda – a Spanish wine made from the Verdejo grape, that’s light and refreshing. And despite what you hear from snobs, Chardonnays from Chile (try Carmen, widely available and good value) or Australia (you won’t go far wrong with Rosemount’s basic Chardonnay) will do very nicely thank you. Or for something different from down under check out the Tahbilk Marsanne (widely available).

Southern French white wines are very hip these days, and rightly so. Wines made from Viognier (a staple in the south of France, but increasingly widely grown elsewhere as well) are ideal aperitifs, while those made from the Riesling grape are great with food. The greatest of these are probably from Germany and Alsace (look for the chracteristic tall, slim bottle), but they can be pricey. However, they are also low in alcohol, which can be a boon on a long night. Ozzie Rieslings are going to be a major force over the next couple of years: check St. Hallett Eden Valley Riesling (O’Briens, €11.99) for size.

For many people, the archetypal summer wine is a rosé. Once dismissed as sickly sweet chick wines, they’ve been reinvented in recent years. Personal favourites include Chateau de Sours and, from Spain, the lovely Chivite Gran Feudo (widely available). There’s a couple of Ozzie crackers as well. And for a little extra, there’s Chateau la Canorgue, a summery salmony pink biodynamic wine from the Cotes de Luberon (Terroirs, €15.99).

Turning to reds, wines based on the Syrah (Shiraz) and Grenache grape go really well with barbie food. Favoured regions include the Northern Rhone, Languedoc and the Minervois in France, and of course Australia. The Peter Lehman Shiraz (widely available) is a real beauty at an affordable price. Wines from the Chapoutier family from the Northern Rhone area are particularly recommended – try their Belleruche Cotes du Rhone – not only a great mouthful, but biodynamic as well (O’Briens, Superquinn from €10.64).

With a char-grilled steak, it’s hard to beat a good California Zinfandel. Malbecs from Argentina will match any beef. Spanish reds do the job too, like Torres Gran Sangre de Toro – all muscle and sinew (widely available, from €10). And Vina Albali Bataneros barrel-aged Tempranillo (Superquinn, €6.49) is astonishing value.

But the coming region in Spain is Jumilla, of which Casa de la Ermita is a fantastic example (Oddbins, €10.35). Beautifully balanced, and it’s organic too. Finally, one wine that has cropped up in a lot of recommendations here and in the UK is Archidamo Primitivo (O’Briens, €11.42) from Sicily. It’s a big powerful tannic and heroic wine that’s perfect for barbeques.

Despite the exorbitant excise duty on wine, we still have one of the widest selections available. So, how do you choose? Just walk into the store and pick something you recognise?

Nah. The best fun is to be had from talking it over with those working in the store itself, trying to match the food, your personal likes and dislikes, not to mention your budget, with what’s on offer. Honestly, it never fails. And it’s real craic as well. You may even get to sample!

Two other thoughts occur. The first concerns punches, cocktails and ready-to-drinks. Mostly they’re too sweet, and too high in alcohol. Sloshed onto a thirsty tongue they deaden the taste buds so that neither food nor wine tastes of anything much. And gulped into an empty stomach, they mean that you’re often in no great condition to enjoy either. They manage to be both cold and uncool.

The second concerns bubbly. At whatever level you can afford, either champagne or dry sparkling wine epitomises summer. And if in doubt, go for either a good Cava like Codornieu (always cool) or an Ozzie sparkler (more brazen, but always well made). You can be sure they won’t let you down.

Which is more than you can say for our Irish summer. Party on!