4 Ways To Survive a Heatwave with Wine

Wondering how to survive a heatwave with wine?

A result of global warming, weather patterns are predicted to be more volatile, hotter summers and colder winters. So we better prepare ourselves and adapt to long stretches of this heatwave. BUT this means we will perhaps have to adjust our wine habits too.

Let’s look at some of the possible new habits you can take on to survive a heatwave (with wine).

#1 Drink more water in the heatwave, and then some more 

We should all drink at least two litres of water a day. Our bodies are made up of largely water (up to 60% of the human body is water), so you should top up your water levels during the day. Now, this doesn’t mean you have gone about like listless Love-Islanders, senselessly going about lurking on a water bottle. But it does mean you should have water at hand at any given situation, and certainly when drinking alcohol.

Alcohol dehydrates the body, therefore it needs more water.

#2 Lower the alcohol levels

This is a wise move! At Pull The Cork there are some wines that are low in alcohol. Low, by the way, is considered less than 11%.  Plus, you can also opt for low sugar wine. As a matter of fact, wines produced organically mean that there is less intervention during the winemaking process and no added sugar, only the one that is naturally occurred in wine. Therefore, if you count calories in a bottle of wine, we have you covered there as well. Red wine has the lowest percent of sugar in it which also makes it a perfect summer drink. Perfect for your summer body as well.

Lezer Fodari 2017 £21.90 is an Italian biodynamic wine from Trentino and by its name, it is a light wine. Lezer is derived from Leggero, Italian for light.

An exceptional wine and a true labour of love. A case of these will happily help you through any hot afternoon. The perfect picnic partner, if you’d ask me. 

Extra tip: If you find yourself outside on a picnic with a bottle of wine and no bottle opener, find out here how to open wine without a corkscrew. 

#3 Have your wine chilled 

Now obviously anything presented in an ice-bucket can only be welcome given the current conditions (just imagine that sparling taste of chilled Pat Nat). But make sure that the wine is not too cold, it simply will not release its flavours. So be careful not to stick a bottle in the freezer as a quick solution.

• Use a bucket with ice cubes or get some of those insulating sleeves to chill your bottle. Note a chilled wine is 9 – 11 degrees.

So, what bottle of wine chilled in a bucket can help you survive a heatwave? 

Prosecco. Arguably the most popular sparkling wine in the world. For obvious reasons, you can find Prosecco’s stacked up high next to the beer aisle in your local supermarket.

47 AD Prosecco is lovingly made using organic methods, care for the environment and biodiversity. It’s not only sustainable but also delicious with a balance between acidity, cooling freshness and orchard fruit aromas and flavours.

Aba De Trausmia Albarino Vina 2015 £12.00. This Albarino from Raix Baixas in the North West of Spain manages to combine frivolous Albarino-lightness with cooling refreshment and with outstanding flavours. It even offers a touch of saltiness to take you back to the beach! Super safe option to combat the afternoon heat.

• White wine is supposed to be drunk slightly chilled at 8-11 degrees.

Explore our best low alcohol wine for hot summer nights!

#4 Choose a wine like a local

The wine has been around for thousands of years and of course, people have been drinking it for almost just as long. You can only imagine local habits have evolved based on local conditions. So now that Mediterranean summer conditions have come to our shores, we should behave like the Mediterranean’s and follow their drink patterns……and above all reigns the King of the Provence – Rosé wine.

Rosé wines to help you survive a heatwave 

The first choice is the Les Quatre Tours Rosé, Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Magnum 2018, elegant Rosé, but with all the attributes we imagine from a Rosé born in the blistering heat. I close my eyes and I am back at a terras, shaded by the Platane trees in a town square accompanied by a symphony of crickets in the background. Now that is what I mean by drinking like a local!

At dinner time, it will still be quite warm-hot. But now food comes into play and we still want to stay with some refreshing Rosé. Then we recommend you try this Domaine de Charmasson Cuvee Sept Syllabes 2015 £17.50.

From the Tavel region, where only Rosé is allowed to be produced. This ‘Seven Syllables’ is also a biodynamic wine, without any sulphates and a vegan friendly wine. A champion of hands-off, minimal intervention wine-making. As far as we at Pull The Cork are concerned one of the best sustainable choices you can make.

We are confident that these suggestions are a perfect match for these summer conditions and suit your wine occasion. Also, don’t be shy and explore our exquisite list of summer wines! But in case you need extra help – our monthly wine subscription would be a perfect choice!

Have a browse at Pull The Cork for yourself and let us know what you discover. But please don’t tell us that you like an ice cube in your glass of wine! If you do, well that’s fine, we understand there is a heatwave on…

Enjoy everyone!