Spring has sprung, which means summer is well and truly on its way and, for many wine-lovers, this also means switching over to white varieties. However, the notion that red wine is only for the cold, winter months isn't necessarily correct.
There are many red wines that would be the perfect addition to your summer festivities, from barbecues and picnics, to end-of-year celebrations. Specifically, lighter pinot noir, grenache and red blends create wonderful wines for drinking chilled, or pairing with fresh food. And even better if they hail from iconic Australian wine regions such as the Mornington Peninsula, Tasmania, the Adelaide Hills and the Granite Belt.
The 10 bottles below offer a great selection of summer reds to try. You can click through to read the full Halliday tasting note, or if you see one that you want to add to cart, click the buy now link to shop directly from the producer.
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Summer red wines to try
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Yabby Lake Vineyard
Single Vineyard Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2025
Mornington PeninsulaTasted soon after bottling, although it’s headed to market quickly, but more time in bottle will help to build depth. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very good. I like it a lot, thanks to its wave of richness – an amalgam of dark cherries, charcuterie, woodsy spices, some blood orange and a whiff of autumn. It's fuller bodied, with more sweet fruit caressing across the palate and meeting up with plush, supple tannins. Refreshing acidity to close. -
Dawson James
Pinot Noir 2022
TasmaniaMV6 clone pinot noir from the Meadowbank vineyard, planted 1989. Bright ruby with lifted aromas of red/dark cherry, raspberry and red plum fruits cut with hints of exotic spice and amaro herbs, charcuterie, leaf litter, oak spice and citrus blossom. Harmonious and graceful with an enchanting, sleek palate shape, superfine silty tannins and a saline twang to the acidity as it slowly fades. Fantastic stuff. -
Marco Lubiana
Derwent Valley Pinot Noir 2024
TasmaniaA spicy, exotically perfumed pinot noir from Marco Lubiana, sourced from a couple of blocks on the Derwent Valley estate; 50% whole bunch this year. This manifests as a cascade of exotic spice and light amaro tones that suffuse down through the lovely dark cherry, redcurrant and raspberry fruits. There's hints of sandalwood, crushed rocks, pomegranate, leaf litter, cinnamon, crushed herbs and some light dried meats in the background. There's a brilliant tension to this wine; it's long and supple, with a mineral tang to the back end. -
Hurley Vineyard
Lodestone Balnarring Pinot Noir 2024
Mornington PeninsulaLodestone could be called Ironstone, as there’s a distinct ferrous character to it. Of all the pinots from the ’24 vintage, this needs more time to gel and then unfurl. The usual varietal flavours, but also raspberries and their leaves and a little rooibos tea. Sweet fruit works across the barely mid-weighted palate, tannins a tad sinewy yet led by fresh acidity. -
Vinteloper
Pinot Noir 2024
Adelaide HillsWow, this is ready to go. Pinosity is at the fore – a sublime expression of the Adelaide Hills. Silken and articulated in fine skeins of red fruit – raspberry, cranberry, pomegranate, red apple skin – with a flitter of florals bringing a litheness and elegance into frame. The tannins are fine, muslin-like, draped over the fruit, containing, with fluid structure, the seamless flow of fruit. Savoury fronds, a touch of earth, a little game, the scents of warm terracotta enrapture the senses. This is as good as it gets for the price. -
Hurley Vineyard
Estate Balnarring Pinot Noir 2024
Mornington PeninsulaA rather pretty estate offering with a pale ruby hue. Light, delicate aromas of florals, cherries and pips, mint and a hint of warm earth. Flavours are equally mild. Feathery fine tannins and acidity make this a drink-now option. -
Michael Hall Wines
Sang de Pigeon Pinot Noir 2025
Adelaide HillsMaximum pleasure here. Fragrant with red berries, pickled cherries, autumn leaves, smoked paprika and white pepper. Similar to taste but with silky texture and some feathery, silty tannin, a little touch of blood orange on the red berries, a dash of Italianate herbs. It has quiet complexity, an elegance, a seamless flow, a prettiness. And high charm. Absolute banger for the bucks. -
Yabby Lake Vineyard
Red Claw Pinot Noir 2025
Mornington PeninsulaAn appealing, juicy offering this vintage, with a core of cherry-accented fruit, pippy and spicy. Quite tangy, too, thanks to the acidity and chinotto/blood orange flavours, with the palate unfurling to medium bodied, layered with plush tannins and some grip to the finish. Overall, very satisfying. -
Dear Vincent
Pink Cowboy 2025
Granite BeltThis is a blend of nebbiolo, cabernet sauvignon, pinot gris, viognier and chardonnay. It sits in that nether region between rosé of a dark kind and a lighter, chillable red. Go both! It's super fun, and drinks with charm and interest. Squished raspberry, a touch of cherry cola, rosehip tea, florals, peppery spice all going on. Kinda chaotic in the best sense, wickedly drinkable. It moves to the beat of its own drum. Guzzle with impunity through summer. -
Spring Vale Vineyards
Melrose Pinot Noir 2025
TasmaniaA brightly fragrant pinot noir sourced from Tasmania’s East Coast. Fruit tones of raspberry, redcurrant and red plum with glimpses of cranberry, mixed spice, red berry cream, Ribena, wildflowers, watermelon and leaf litter. Medium bodied, with snappy red fruits, bright acidity and a sapidness to its form at the back end.
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