5 of the best wines to drink this summer

One of the most popular warm-weather wines is rosé. For many, it's the perfect white wine/red wine hybrid. Made from (at least some) red grapes, the fruit's juice and skins are kept in contact for a minimal amount of time, giving the wine a blush of colour.

Montalto rosé is made using the dominant red grape of the Mornington Peninsula, pinot noir, and is fermented to dryness. Refreshingly crisp, it exhibits the typical pinot rosé aroma and flavour profile of strawberries and cream, but with a subtle touch of spice and texture to make it a versatile match with food. Pennon Hill Rosé is a perfect match for a charcuterie platter of salami, prosciutto, hard cheese and olives.

SHOP PENNON HILL ROSE 2018

One of our other favourite warmer-weather drops is the Italian-style pinot grigio. Our Pennon Hill Pinot Grigio is made from the pinot gris grape but is harvested at lower levels of ripeness, with higher natural acidity. We gently press these grapes as whole bunches, resulting in exceptionally pure, high-quality juice that is a pale quartz-like colour. The juice is then fermented in stainless steel at low temperatures to retain maximum aromatics and fresh fruit qualities. The result? A lighter-bodied wine, with delicate aromas and flavours of white blossoms, green apple, nashi pear and a refreshing acidity. Try it with fresh spring asparagus on the barbecue.

SHOP PENNON HILL GRIGIO 2017

Sunshiny days bring a longing not just for lighter-style wines, but for lighter dishes, too. Seafood is a sure-fire winner and nothing goes with seafood quite like a dry riesling. Our home vineyard in Red Hill is home to one of Mornington Peninsula’s very few plantings of riesling, and the cool, south-facing site produces floral aromas, zesty citrus fruit flavours and subtle ginger-like spice on the finish. Whether it’s a plate of oysters on the deck or fish and chips on the beach, you can’t go wrong with Montalto Estate Riesling.

SHOP MONTALTO ESTATE RIESLING 2017

Although summer sees many of us reaching for refreshing white wines (and rose!), those extra daylight hours are the perfect excuse to get out and cook dinner on the barbie. Whether it's grilled lamb cutlets, snags from your local butcher, or a nice juicy steak, you're going to be reaching for something red. But you can’t drink a big, rich red when its warm out - or can you? Meet your perfect match: Pennon Hill Tempranillo  (pronounced “Tem-pra-NEE-yo”). It’s a medium-bodied red wine with juicy and generous red fruits (ripe strawberry, plum and red cherry) that are backed by pleasantly fine dusty tannins and savoury earthy and herbal notes.

SHOP PENNON HILL TEMPRANILLO 2017

Of course, if you really want to celebrate the welcome return of warmer weather, there's only one option: a chilled glass of sparkling Montalto Estate Cuvée. Luckily, we've got you covered there, too. Cheers to summer!

SHOP MONTALTO ESTATE CUVEE ONE 2014