I am almost frightened to say it but it is looking very much as though summer is here. Warm, sunny days mean at least two things to us Brits: shorts and barbecues.

Regular readers will know that I am not always the most enthusiastic barbecue person. I cannot get too excited about meat that is crispy and chargrilled (burnt!) on the outside and frighteningly pink on the inside. However, I have made some rather clever discoveries recently which have made me more willing to get out the charcoal and give the al fresco grilling a go.

I have taken to wrapping my fish in newspaper that is thoroughly soaked through before putting it on to a fading BBQ. Sure, the paper gets a bit burnt but the fish is effectively steamed and there is a childish pleasure in unwrapping and eating it straight from its newspaper envelope.

The other thing I have become much more vociferous about is the need to wipe off excess marinade because it is the oil component that so often catches fire and causes that nasty burn.

Anyway, let’s get to the sharp end of things; the wine. Now that I am just about sold on the food potential of a well-managed barbecue, let us see if we can get the drinks right too.

There is nothing worse than a lukewarm glass of white in your hand. It is not often I go down the ice bucket route — mostly because the wines tend to get over-chilled — but, if you want the wine readily available and you are eating outside, then it is the only way to go.

If the sun is shining and the wine gets a bit too chilly, it will warm up in the glass in no time. The same thing goes for rosé.

When it comes to reds, I am a complete lightweight the moment the temperature gets above 21C. I want light to medium bodied reds, with no more than 13 per cent alcohol (preferably less!) and with the sort of freshness of fruit that gets more vibrant the cooler it is served. A red that is served too warm and where the alcohol is quite high never tastes good in the sun.

At the risk of sounding utterly boring, can I also point out that too much wine in the heat of the sun is not a good idea; it is common sense to have plenty of water to hand. I generally drink at least one glass of water for every glass of wine I have and this ratio can easily be more like three to one as temperatures rise.

Last night, it was still sufficiently warm to be eating outside at eight in the evening. Happily I had just taken delivery of a case of one of my all-time favourite summer reds, Te Mata Woodthorpe Gamay Noir 2008 from New Zealand (£11.99, Oxford Wine Company) which has got to be one of the best 12 per cent red wines I know. It is a crunchy, refreshing wine with lovely red berry fruits. Served just a degree or two below room temperature it was the perfect drink to greet the arrival of summer.

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