With onset of the southern hemisphere summer the mood in this half of the world is swinging towards fresh, crisp whites and rose.

The surge in popularity of rose is underpinned by the increasing number of genuine wines made in a drier style moreover, from dedicated vineyards and undergoing brief skin contact to achieve their colour, as opposed to just adding a bit of red. There are also more single grape styles being made, expressive of their varietal characteristics and region.

A textbook example of this is from one of Chianti’s top producers, Riecine, wholly organic viticulture and made from 100 percent sangiovese and redolent of the varieties distinctive personality.

Riecine Rose 2008 tasting note

Bristling perfume of wild strawberry, raspberry, dried tamarind peel and blood orange-citrus with a background of Tuscan fields on a hot summer’s day; lavender, anise, dried pine needles and baked earth. Zingy palate entry with intensely tart strawberry and redcurrant with a surge of invigorating lemony acidity and fresh ginger, white pepper spiciness and despite its savoury-tartness has the discernible succulence and sweetness of nectarine on the mid-palate yet with a thread of Amaro – blanched almond skin, slightly herbal Campari-like pleasant bitterness with a lingering blood orange juiciness and bone dry, gently chalky finish.

Absolutely mouth-watering, refreshing drinking for a summer’s day; went superbly with our Thai food, versatile throughout the whole meal and handling the spice and accent of lime brilliantly in the salads – but also had me thinking of cold pasta salads, Italian antipasto and seafood platters.

Although a relatively small producer, you will find a trickle of Riecine available in many markets due to a well-travelled proprietor, New Yorker Gary Baumann. I purchased mine from Singapore importer Alpha International who retail regionally through their website www.ewineasia.com I can equally recommend their Chianti reds, always elegant and complex.

Visit their website www.riecine.it