1x Chaminé Tinto, Cortes de Cima, Alentejo, Portugal, 2020 
1x Plume, Bruno Dubois, Saumur Champigny, Loire Valley, France, 2021
1x Kalterersee Classico Superiore, Kaltern, Südtirol, Alto Adige, Italy, 2021

The July wine pack contains three lighter styles of red from France’s Loire Valley, the lakeside vineyards of northern Italy’s Alto Adige and Southern Portugal’s Alentejo.

All three are light enough in style to drink on warmer days, and work particularly well straight out of the fridge.

About the wines: 

Chaminé Tinto, Cortes de Cima, Alentejo, Portugal, 2020

We’re excited to share with you another bottle that came our way via Helix Wines, and the newest addition to their portfolio - Cortes de Cima.

Not just a vineyard but also a working farm planted with hundred year old olive trees and populated by roaming sheep, chickens, cows and donkeys.

Cortes de Cima have scaled back their winemaking production in recent years, making the switch to regenerative organic farming and minimal intervention in the cellar.
They want their wines to stand in contrast to the powerful and rich style usually associated with warm climate Alentejo.
Instead, they’ve chosen to prioritise making wines that express freshness and elegance.

The Chaminé Tinto is a blend of Syrah, Touriga Franca, Trincadeira and Alicante Bouschet.
All the grapes were harvested at night, pressed gently then aged in old French oak for 12 months followed by at least another 12 months in stainless steel.

This is a lighter interpretation of these grapes than you may have tried before. Full of bright red fruit, some savoury spice and a finish laden with herbs.

Plume, Bruno Dubois, Saumur Champigny, Loire Valley, France, 2021

This Cabernet Franc is what winemaker Bruno Dubois believes to be “the truest expression of Saumur Champigny”.  
Bruno’s biodynamic vineyards are co-planted with native species of brush and trees, wild birdhouses, bee hives and bat shelters, who in their own way all work to benefit and preserve the ecosystem of the vineyard.

With a completely hands off approach in the cellar, this is a pure and expressive Cabernet Franc full of raspberry & wild cherry, coming in at just 12% ABV.
The lower ABV, lighter tannins and refreshing acidity in this wine make it the perfect candidate for a chilled red.

Kalterersee Classico Superiore, Kaltern, Südtirol, Alto Adige, Italy, 2021

The lakeside vineyards in the Alpine region of Südtirol are divided up in to such small plots that one winemaker alone could not produce enough for the market. So they banded together in 1906 to create Kaltern, a co-operative with approximately 440 members today, nearly all of whom work the steep and small vineyards entirely by hand.

The grape here is Schiava. Not commonly found on wine lists here in the UK, but definitely worth seeking out.

A very floral variety, this bottle shows the typical notes of perfumed roses, violets, strawberry and some bitter almond on the finish.
The ideal aperitif wine!