(Winemag) - Power isn't everything. Central Coast winemakers are making refreshing, light reds perfect for enjoying year-round. Here are the labels to know.

The sun is shining, the barbecue is ablaze and you’re thinking this shoulder-season weather couldn’t be any sweeter. It’s time to hit that cooler and whip out…red wine?

Well, that’s what’s happening on California’s Central Coast, where some winemakers are making lighter reds that are prime for glugging on still-warm September days. Whether made from grapes like Cinsault and Valdiguié, fermented carbonically to retain fruitiness or aged in steel rather than oak, these so-called “sessionable reds” are a refreshing change of pace from pesky dogma that only whites should be served chilled.

Stolpman Vineyards in Santa Barbara County produces a carbonically fermented Sangiovese called Love You Bunches. Peter Stolpman, managing partner at the winery, says wines like these are as joyous as rosés, but with more depth and texture. Around the estate, its rendition has earned the nickname, “rosé con cojones.”

These wines are a nice transition from a white to a red, and, being typically lower in alcohol, are also perfect for midday sipping.