Whether it is a family lunch, a business dinner, a barbecue or a garden party, there are plenty of perfect occasions to uncork a bottle, but a successful tasting depends on choosing the right wine.

Summer holidays, for example, are the ideal time to get to know new labels or reintroduce evergreens, but high temperatures narrow the field. The most suitable are those to be served fresh, to delight the palate.

So here is a simple guide to the best wines for the holidays, with some unfailing pairing advice!

Summer red wines: the basic criteria

When spring temperatures give way to muggy days, many red wines are temporarily retired, considered unsuitable to give that feeling of liveliness and freshness offered by summer whites and bubbles.

The reason for this perception lies mainly in the serving temperature required to maintain their organoleptic notes (usually around 18°-20°C).

There are, however, many reds that lend themselves to being chilled in the fridge without compromising aroma and structure and to be consumed at a summer lunch or dinner.

Ideal candidates are fresh, light, young wines with a low alcohol content (maximum 13%), preferably with a slightly acidic aftertaste.

Lambrusco DOC

A 'Concerto' Lambrusco Reggiano DOC 2023 offers the perfect example of a young, lively wine, first and foremost for the bubbles that make it famous both at home and abroad, but also for its fruity tones. With its ruby red colour, it looks great on the table, but the real surprise lies in its aromatic charge, offering a riot of red fruits on the nose, including raspberries, cherries and strawberries. Drunk below 16°C, it conquers the palate with a refreshing, slightly acidic and harmonious sip that goes perfectly with a variety of meat dishes, from pork, beef and chicken casseroles to roast beef, roasts, beef ribs and rich mixed grills.

Marzemino DOC

Another excellent red wine to be consumed chilled when temperatures rise is a 'Bottega Vinai' Marzemino Trentino Doc 2022. This product from Northern Italy knows how to charm diners, thanks to a beautiful ruby red colour, a bouquet of cherries and violets, enriched by special spicy hints, and a moderately tannic and acidic taste, which guarantees excellent tasting experiences when served below 16°C, together with mushroom dishes (omelettes, patè with crostini, rustici), with roast meat, but also with seafood flavours, from grilled fish to stewed recipes.

Best white wines for summer

With white wines the choice is definitely easier, but even here it is wrong to say that one is worth the other. There are in fact structured, full-bodied labels that do not lend themselves well to summer drinking, while others seem almost made to give diners a refreshing experience and the light-heartedness that characterises summer holidays.

The best whites for the season are those that are light, unstructured and characterised by a discrete acid note, which cleanses the palate and provides relief from the sultriness of hot afternoons.

Vermentino DOC

Of the innumerable white wines offered by the Italian winemaking tradition, Vermentino is one of the most famous and versatile. Beware, however, of accusing it of banality or pandering! This product - with its Ligurian, Tuscan and Sardinian declinations - is recognised by a fresh profile that makes it an excellent choice among wines to drink in summer.

Svinando proposes here a 'Ben' Vermentino Maremma Toscana DOC 2022, which from the very first taste reveals its strong point: the lively acidity and minerality that tickle the palate and - together with the citrus fragrances - give freshness to the taste, especially when paired with the right dishes. His favourites are fish dishes, from fried fish to meatballs, from fish and potato flans to grilled salmon or tuna fillets. And of course, also with the inevitable summer seafood grills.

Ideal serving temperature: 12°C or slightly less.

Gavi DOCG

From the panoramas of the Maremma we move on to Lake Garda, to enjoy the delicate notes of a Lugana DOC Bio 2022. An excellent choice for an aperitif with fried food and mystical rustics, but also with fish dishes such as salmon burgers, shrimp club sandwiches and tuna skewers, this lake wine knows how to make itself loved.

In the glass, it has a straw-yellow colour tending towards greenish, and displays citrus and exotic fragrances, with a slight bitter hint reminiscent of almond tones. However, it is only by taking a sip that one can experience its refreshing notes, thanks to its acidulous, savoury and pleasantly persistent aftertaste.

Between freshness and aromas: discovering rosé wines for summer

There are those who call them the meeting point between reds and whites, but rosé wines have struggled hard to step out of the shadow of their more famous siblings, and have managed to do so with results that confirm their independent character. Light and aromatic, characterised by moderate tannins, these summer wines are an excellent option when there is a need to bring a refreshing and versatile product to the table.

Etna Rosato DOC

It is generally thought that Sicily is home to warm, full-bodied wines, but the volcanic nature of its soils is also responsible for the birth of products with an excellent mineral texture, perfect for summer consumption. These include excellent rosés, an example of which is 'Sul Vulcano' Etna Rosato DOC 2023.

And it is precisely minerality that is the central feature of this product, fresh and drinkable, characterised by a bouquet reminiscent of wisteria flowers, plum and pink grapefruit, which contributes a touch of liveliness to the tasting. The freshness of this wine is confirmed on the palate, thanks to an excellent acidic background note.

Excellent served at around 12°C with mixed fresh cheese boards, fish crudités - such as sushi, sashimi or tuna tartare - or with salads and vegetarian rustics.

Bardolino Chiaretto DOC

With a glass of Bardolino Chiaretto DOC Classico 2022, one returns to the shores of Lake Garda, for a summer of carefree enjoyment and good food. This rosé is an excellent companion for refined fish menus, but it also goes well - served at about 12°C - with more popular meals, such as pizzas, pizzette, savoury muffins and vegetable plumcakes. It is therefore a perfect match for aperitifs and appetisers.

The merit of its versatility and pleasantness can easily be guessed as soon as you pour it into the glass: if at first its coral pink colour enchants the eye, as the tasting continues the surprises continue, thanks to unmistakable aromas of herbs, including marjoram and oregano. There is no lack of fruity suggestions, which soften the experience. The nose is won over by a bouquet of black cherry, raspberry and pomegranate, while the palate obtains the desired freshness thanks to the mineral texture.

Bubbles with an edge

After a long winter of hot stews and casseroles, spring and summer involve the palate in decidedly cooler and livelier tastings, which deserve an appropriate wine proposal. Who better than a bubbly to cope with the high temperatures and the desire to relax? Here too, intense and structured wines are preferred to fresh, young and light summer wines.

Prosecco DOC Rosé

Saying Prosecco usually also means saying aperitif, but this is not always the case. With this proposal - "Il Fresco" Prosecco Doc Rosé Millesimato - Svinando wants to focus not only on taste and freshness, but also on versatility, to offer an excellent product for both aperitifs and first courses, but also for the end of a meal.

A plate of mini savoury tarts, a platter of cold meats and cheeses, a shrimp cocktail or tasty sausage rolls go well with the subtle perlage of this Prosecco, which accompanies the palate bite after bite thanks to a smooth and balanced sip. It is also excellent with cakes and small pastry products, with which it pairs excellently thanks to its bewitching aromas of rose and pomegranate. Always served at an ideal temperature of 10°C.

Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico DOCG

The subtle art of sparkling wine can be found in the Italian winemaking tradition within its extraordinary Metodo Classico labels, of which Oltrepò Metodo Classico DOCG 'Oltrenero' Brut is a worthy representative.

This bubbly wine from Lombardy, made from the vinification of Pinot Noir grapes, is a true pampering for the senses, especially in summer, when the desire for vivacity and light-heartedness calls for lively pairings, without, however, renouncing elegance. Its aromas of wisteria and elderflower, raspberry and currant are impossible not to love, accompanied by hints of minerals and typical bread crust notes. On the palate it is savoury and equally mineral, with a pleasantly refreshing texture: try it with shellfish recipes and with mixed cold cuts.

Have you chosen which wines to drink on holiday? You'll be spoilt for choice in the Svinando catalogue!