Stock up on the 5 best summer wines for your seasonal picnics, brunches, and seafood dinners!
Sunshine is finally poking through those grey winter clouds and it’s time to start stocking up on the best summer wines! There’s nothing more refreshing than sipping a crisp, cool glass of white wine by the beach. Or pairing a bottle of something just-slightly-fizzy with the perfect fresh oysters… But with hundreds of possible varietals, it’s difficult to pick which are best for your summer vacation.
And of course, don’t forget the red wines! There are quite a few lighter, softer reds that work well for lighter meals. And there are even a few that can be served chilled for those extra hot summer days.
Get ahead of your holiday shopping with this holiday wine list!
Wrong season? Try this guide to classic springtime wine pairings!
Take a look at the Best Summer Scotches for your next liquor-store splurge.
Not sure what type of wine you like? Learn how to find wines you actually like.
Want a summer cocktail instead? Try this Mixed Berry Mojito with Cardamom or this Strawberry and Basil Mojito with Balsamic!
How to Serve Summer Wines
Quick word of advice here. We tend to serve our white wines far too cold. While a light crisp glass of ice-cold wine sounds appealing in summer, try serving your wines after a few minutes of warming up. Just letting them sit, poured, for 10 minutes won’t lose all their chill, but it will open up new and exotic flavors that you might miss otherwise.
The best option? Choose a wine that tastes good both ways. It can start very cold but warm up well. That way you can keep enjoying your glass (or bottle) as the hot summer evening goes on.
If you’re trying to decide what to serve with your wine, why not check out this guide to the best classic summer wine and food pairings!
White: Albariño
Albariños in general are very bright, crisp wines. Most bottles come from Spain or Portugal, though we’re starting to see more examples from New York and California as well. Highly acidic, these bottles are full of citrusy notes, bone-dry taste, and just the occasional hint of brine.
Imagine all the crisp summery fruits in one glass: lemons, limes, honeydew, nectarines. That’s what drinking an Albariño is like. They pair perfectly with seafood, especially fresh shellfish. (What is more summer-season than fresh oysters?!) Even better, these wines are phenomenal both when they are cold and when they warm up! This means you can pour the chilled Albariño in your class, then leisurely sip it and explore the new flavors that open as it warms up in the sun.
Bodegas Chaves Castel de Fornos Albariño, Rias Baixas
Castel de Fornos is our absolute favorite Albariño. It can be pretty hard to find, since it comes from a small vineyard in Spain. But the wait (and price) is worth it. Unbelievably crisp and refreshing. Full of dry lemons, white pepper, green apples, luscious pineapple and bright sparkling honeydew, the care that went into this wine is obvious from the very first sip. As it warms up you note faint traces of apricots, tropical fruits, and a touch of almonds. Delicious and a prime example of a perfect summer wine!
White: Unoaked Chardonnay
Chardonnay, at least the version most of us know, tends to be a heavier, richer white wine. That’s because most Chardonnay is oaked and goes through malolactic fermentation. But there’s a whole other variety of Chardonnay out there that highlights the freshness of the fruit rather than the wood and butter flavors.
Try Unoaked Chardonnay! These are wines made from the noble Chardonnay grape that have been fermented in stainless steel, so the focus is on the flavor of the fruit. Which makes this perfect for summer!
They are lighter, crisper, and fruitier. It’s a chance to really see the natural beauty of the Chardonnay grape. Most Chardonnay from France is unoaked, stainless steel fermented. And the majority of unoaked Chardonnay will actually tell you on the bottle. (Something along the lines of “fermented in stainless steel casks.”) But you can always ask at the checkout to be sure.
Jamesport 2018 Estate Chardonnay
I am not a typical Chardonnay person. But this Chardonnay is on my list of top favorite wines I’ve tried here in NYC.
Jamesport is a small vineyard on the North Fork of Long Island that serves wood-fired pizzas, houses tastings in an old barn, and has adorable accommodations in a 1980s farm house. But aside from all of this, they create an excellent Chardonnay.
It is aged in stainless steel, which means I can avoid that heavily oaked character, and there’s no malolactic fermentation so it’s not too buttery or creamy. Instead the first sip of this Chardonnay bursts with coconut and almond notes, followed quickly by honeydew and honeysuckle. The nutty-sweet combination is delicious and we bought a bottle before we’d even finished our first glass!
White: Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blancs are classic summer white wines since they tend to be crisp and refreshing. But Sauvignon Blanc is a grape that adopts flavor from its terroir. Sauvignon grown in cooler climates like France will have a much more green, citrusy, crisp flavor. (This is why the wine has a “green” reputation.) Sauvignon grown in warmer climates like New Zealand develops a full tropical fruity flavor.
I always use my favorite Sauvignon Blanc in this Summery Sweet Peach Sangria!
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
Kim Crawford is a perfect example of a warm-weather New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. The normally high acidity is nicely balanced here with a wash of delicate white flowers and strong hints of mango, coconut, and papaya. But there is a hint of something green, grassy, and herbaceous to ground the flavors. Perfect for seafood or sipping alone!
Cheaper Option: The Beach House Sauvignon Blanc
Hailing from South Africa, this warm-weather Sauvignon quite literally explodes with fresh tropical fruits! The main flavor is a rich passionfruit that feels just a bit exotic. But if you drink it icy cold and crisp out of the fridge, you’ll still note some of those green flavors like bell pepper, limes, grass, green apples. As it warms up you get full bursts of mango, pineapple, and pear. The Beach House Sauvignon Blanc tastes like a summer cocktail…just without the effort.
Red: Grenache (Garnacha)
Don’t forget about the summer reds! Sure, summer wines are usually white. But there are a number of summery red wines that are light, fruity, and elegant. And some, like Grenache, can be served chilled.
Typically very fruity with just a hint of spice, Grenache gets comments like “fruit roll-up” or “candied fruit.” Thin skinned and light colored, these grapes are low in tannins. So you won’t get that heavily structured wine that leaves a bitter fuzz all over your mouth.
What you will get is a lovely fruity wine with strawberry, raspberry, and cherry flavors. Because it’s one of the most important wines grown in the Rhône Valley in France, you might notice some earthier, savory notes like oregano, tobacco, or mushroom in French varieties. (Some people even say it reminds them of a Côtes du Rhone.) The Spanish version, Garnacha, will be a bit spicier.
Serving it chilled? Place it in the fridge for just 10 to 30 minutes before serving. If you’re keeping it in the fridge, let it sit out 30 minutes before drinking to let it warm up a bit.
Chateau de Saint Cosme Little James’ Basket Press “Jenna Solera”
A blend of young and old Grenache, this elegantly light and refreshing wine is surprisingly rich and layered. You’ll note obviously young notes like bright raspberries and sour cherries. But there’s a darker, deeper quality like dried prunes and raisins with a hint of savory oregano or mint. Great to serve just slightly chilled!
Red: Red Zinfandel
Zinfandel is another one of those beautiful light red wines that can be served slightly chilled. It’s lighter-bodied (not as light as Grenache), light colored, light in alcohol, but heavy in sugar. If you’re beginning your wine adventure this season, or you feel like treating yourself to something sweeter, a Red Zinfandel is the place to start!
You’ll notice flavors like jam and berries at the first sip. But there’s a bit more savory spice in the back and most of them actually have a slightly smoky, savory finish too. Zinfandel is a fairly bold wine, so don’t be afraid to drink it with some food, especially spicy foods!
Rancho Zabaco Sonoma Heritage Zinfandel
A slightly different take on Zinfandel, this one is a bit “rustic.” It has a strong savory, herbaceous component with heavy notes of tobacco, anise seed, and leather. But the tell-tale fruity strawberry and raspberry jam notes are there too! A little more tannic than the Grenache, so you’ll find more structure and body.
Bonus: Vinho Verde
Looking for a bright, crisp wine? Vinho Verde is that wine! It literally means green, or young, wine. So it’s meant to be consumed while it’s still fresh and vibrant. Made in Portugal (they seem to make alot of summer wines, don’t they?), these wines are typically low in alcohol but very high in acidity. And most have just a touch of fizz.
Aphros Loureiro Vinho Verde
Aphros Loureiro is my favorite Vinho Verde, not the least of all because it’s usually pretty inexpensive! Imagine sitting on a sunny beach-front porch in a rocking chair. That’s what this wine is: full of sea breezes, warm sun, and a bit of fizz. There’s a bit of apple, a bit of honeysuckle or jasmine, and a bit of pineapple. But this wine was also allowed to rest on the lees, so it has a slightly thicker flavor and texture…a bit like lemon custard!
Bonus: Grüner Veltliner
Possibly one of the best and most common summer wines, Austrian-born Grüner Veltliner is a crisp and uncomplicated white wine. Dry, zesty, and fairly inexpensive, pair Grüner with any number of summer salads and light seafood dishes. The most common notes you’ll find are golden or green apples, lemon or lime citrus, and the tell-tale white pepper spice that keeps Grüner fresh and bright!
Loimer Lois Grüner Veltliner
A biodynamic wine, Loimer Lois Grüner has quite a bit of green zest in the nose and palate: limes, dandelions, and bartlett pear. Perfectly dry with medium acidity, this wine pairs perfectly with seafood and citrus salads. It tastes like summer in a glass.
Leave a Comment