Summer is in full swing. It's hot. I crave a cold beer. But, chill these reds and it'll take the beer cravings away. Perfect summer wines for a hot day in the park, or a back yard bbq. 

Santini Collective - Coteaux Bourguignons 2018

Chris Santini is an American who relocated to France to pursue his love of wine. He did school in Beaune and ended up sticking around. He's worked with some great producers in Burgundy to hone his craft. His wines are unique and special expressions of Burgundy. He focuses on producing "vins de soif" - thirst quenchers. Vins de soif were popular in the 40s and 50s - finding great, environment-friendly vineyards off the beaten path. Native yeasts, minimal intervention, minimal sulfa at bottling. Pop and glug. 

DOMAINE DE LA GARRELIÈRE "LE P'TIT CH'IN"

Francois and Pascaline Plouzeau maintain an immaculate vineyard near the fascinating village of Richelieu which lies south of Tours quite close to the Chinon region. Here they implement strict biodynamic vineyard practices that are certified by Ecocert. If you remember waaaaay back to klub #2 - there was the "Gamay sans tra la la" this made by the same producer. 100% Chenin fermented naturally that is fresh, alive, full of punch and simply delish.

FORADORI - LEZER 2019

Crunchy, high in acid and rich in red berry notes with just a touch of black fruit - too "lezer" or "easy" to drink. 100% Teroldego.

Lezer is an easy drinking vin de soif version of Teroldego, the grape that Foradori put back on the wine map in the mid-1980s - a project which is the brain child of Elisabetta Foradori's son Theo. Created so that he and his brother Emilio would have "something to drink" in the Spring and the Summer - 100% Teroldego, It is a blend of 20 different expressions including barrel, amphora, stainless and cement fermentation.

*** BONUS *** CANARY ISLAND ENVINATE

One of the best wines I've enoyed this year has come from Envinate. You'll remember if from a few klubs back. They have 3 plots of vineyards all over Spain - distinguished by the colour of wax on the bottle. White - represents the Canary Islands. Envínate (“wine yourself”) is the brainchild of Laura Ramos, Jose Martínez, Roberto Santana and Alfonso Torrente, four friends who met while studying winegrowing at the University of Miguel Hernández in Alicante. Their work, both in the vineyard and winery, is focused on exploring the ancient, Atlantic-infused terruños of Ribeira Sacra and the Canary Islands, as well as exceptional vineyard plots across the Iberian Peninsula. The Envínate philosophy is simple: allow each parcel to fully express itself in the finished wine by utilizing old-fashioned farming and winemaking methods. The results are some of the most exciting wines being produced in Spain today. The Benje wines are from vineyards in and around Santiago del Teide, high on the northwestern volcanic slopes of the island of Tenerife. The viticulture is very oldfashioned: the vines grow untrained, the soil is worked by hand, and no chemicals are used. The island experiences a fairly temperate climate, enabling grapes to ripen at moderate alcohol levels while retaining bright acidity. 

No doubt these wines punch WAY over the $45 price point. Special no doubt - but amazing quality for the price.

TAGANAN CAMPANARIO 2018

Taganan is a village on the North‐Western side of the Teide, on the island of Tenerife. The old local name for the vineyard area located on the northeast side of Tenerife. In this area, the vineyards are planted “wild” on primary volcanic rock, on cliffs just above the Atlantic Ocean.  The vineyards are very old and are mix planted with many different native grape varieties. Due to the rugged and difficult terrain, all farming has to be done by hand, and harvest is usually performed with the help of animals in order to be able to transport the grapes. The wine is a blend of Gual, Listan blanco, malvasia, marmajuelo and albillo criollo. I dare you to remember that and repeat it. My Spanish isn't that good.

BENJE BLANCO 2018

Benje Blanco is made from 100% Listan Blanco grapes grown on small plots of untrained vines 1000 metres above sea level on the volcanic slopes of Tenerife. Benje Blanco is a high-toned white wine with volcanic smoky notes and an orchard fruit core. Brine and salt on the palate, paired with lively acidity. It is sourced from several old-vine, untrained pie franco parcels of Listan Blanco. Each parcel is hand-harvested and vinified separately in a mix of concrete tank and open tubs. Pair it with prawns, scallops, roasted pork or goat. 

BENJE TINTO 2018

Benje Tinto is made from 95% Lisan Prieto and 5% Tintilla. The grapes are grown on the vineyards in the Santiago del Teide, high up on the volcanic Atlantic slopes of Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands. The wine is made with organic viticultural methods. Grapes are grown in soils without any added chemicals on free-standing, untrained vines. Each parcel is vinified separately, in a mix of concrete tanks and open tubs. This is a pure and vertical expression of Canary Island terroir with notes of red fruits, peppercorns, flowers, and volcanic soil. Benje Tinto is a beautiful wine to pair with grilled meats.