Why not a white?

White wines in hot years often carry a lot of weight; the grapes have perhaps had a bit of a harder go in the press, releasing more tannins.

This, combined with the nature of Burgundy’s southern appellations (Macon and even Rully) can produce some rather imposing and quite tannic wines, as opposed to vivid, lively whites.

These can be matched with the usual white wine cuisine, but they perhaps work better with an expressive red wine course – for example, Bavette with Tartare Sauce.

The example here, a lovely Rully 2018 from Faiveley, was more than a match for this feisty dish.

The grilled notes in the meat were quite powerful, but the white was up to it. And on a hot day, a white can be perfect, saving you the time of finding a chilled red!