Strawberries, cherries and an angel's kiss in spring, my summer wine is really made from all these things. Okay, so the summer wine I'm talking about might not be as naughty or potent as Nancy Sinatra's, but it'll still make you feel a certain type of way. As we head into the warmest months of the year, I'm personally looking forward to crisp whites savored with oysters on the beach, Provence rosés sipped at backyard barbecues and chilled reds paired with summer stone fruits.
For those in need of some summer wine inspiration, in the form of new styles to try and specific bottle recommendations, I asked 24 sommeliers and beverage directors what they're excited to imbibe this season. Go ahead and drink your way through this list from now through Labor Day.
"I'm really excited about the forming world of Japanese wine right now. There's something so fresh and full of personality coming out of that region of the world that we aren't seeing elsewhere. One bottle I keep coming back to is the Aki Queen Macéré Sparkling from Domaine Tetta. Aki Queen is this beautiful native grape with soft pink fruit, bright acidity and a little floral note. When they give it the skin-contact pét-nat treatment, it turns into this vibrant, slightly wild sparkling wine that always makes me smile. I love the idea of opening it on a rooftop with friends on a warm night. It's also a great food wine, super fun with crudo, tomato salads or anything bright with a little umami. It really captures the energy and playfulness of summer." -- Dylan Capello, beverage director at Nami Nori
"The wine I'm most looking forward to drinking this summer is Champagne! And while that's probably my year-round response, specifically some lean, mean blanc de blancs [for summer]. So much acid and so much chalk for the dozen oysters awaiting me, I'm set. It's already been a long 2025, so I plan to get a little fancy this summer." -- Kristin Ma, co-founder and beverage and service director at Cecily
"I love bubbles and sunshine, so drinking my very own June's Rosé is my go-to because beating the heat is literally why we started making it -- I helped craft it to be everything I want in a summer sipper. It's an equal blend of Zweigelt and pinot noir grapes grown in limestone-rich soils, so it's vibrant, fresh and effortlessly elegant, exactly what I envisioned for a refreshing summer drink. Its juicy notes of strawberry, red cherry and a subtle hint of hibiscus tea make it incredibly uplifting on warm days. I love how versatile it is, perfect for anything from casual backyard gatherings to sunset dinners on the patio. It pairs beautifully with light, fresh dishes like grilled seafood, summer salads or even spicy Asian cuisine." -- June Rodil, CEO and partner of Goodnight Hospitality
"Bubbles are my go-to in the summer. They're versatile, refreshing and a perfect match for the Vegas heat. I especially enjoy Jansz from Tasmania and Graham Beck from South Africa. Champagne is always a reliable choice, too. I also like to encourage guests to try something new. Grapes like nerello mascalese, trousseau or white Rhône varieties such as grenache blanc, marsanne and clairette make great alternatives to the usual options and often become unexpected favorites." -- Drea Boulanger, executive wine director for Spiegelworld
"My go-to summer wine right now is Pyren Vineyard's Little Ra Ra Pétillant #1. It's made with shiraz, pinot gris and sauvignon blanc and is of perfect patio-pounder quality. It's great for a pontoon boat day or summer nights in the garden. Watermelon, grapefruit, orange oil, pretty effervescence and refreshing acidity. Pairs well with fresh berries, grilled chicken and veggies, or just to drink!" -- Sarah Salim, wine director of The Catbird Seat
"When summer hits, I immediately start buying txakoli for the house. We have a great outdoor area where we grill and eat, and Hondarrabi Zuri is such a great grape for crushable summer wines. The slightly effervescent txakolis are perfect for sipping and crushing in the sun." -- Jamie Bissonnette, chef and founder of BCB3
"This summer, I'm reaching for Gaintza Aitako. It is a fuller-bodied, more complex expression of txakolina, sourced from 100-plus-year-old vines and aged 12 months on the lees. Its name, 'Aitako' (meaning 'from the father' in Euskera), is a tribute to the first generation of Gaintza which laid the foundations of the vineyard in 1923. The addition of old vine chardonnay brings unexpected depth and structure to a style typically known for its bright acidity and easygoing nature. It's the perfect pairing for light seafood or anything off the grill." -- Stevan Miller, beverage director at Esmé
"We are obsessed with the Patistis Blanc de Noir Xinomavro right now! It is a dream paired with any seafood dish -- we especially love it with our grilled octopus." -- Sarah Schneider, co-founder of Gus and Marty's
"Summer is the season for fresh and aromatic wines, like fruity and floral rosés or light and pure red wines. From the Mediterranean islands, I suggest a rosé from Domaine La Courtade on the Île de Porquerolles with beautiful grilled gambas and zucchini. The flavors are so tender, fruity and soft. For white wine, I suggest an assyrtiko by the Gaia Estate in Santorini with a sea bass cooked en croute de sel. The salinity of the wine echoes the fish. If you prefer red wines, the fogoneu and callet grapes from Mallorca are so interesting. The winery 4Kilos does a cuvée called 12Volts, which is splendid. It should be served a little bit chilly (14°C) to appreciate the fruitiness of the wine, especially with pa amb oli, a specialty from the island similar to an Italian bruschetta." -- Enrico Bernardo, sommelier and author of Wine & Travel Mediterranean Islands (out July 24)
"I love drinking chenin blanc in the summer, especially out of magnum. It's the perfect match for grilled fare, lots of vegetables and fresh, vibrant summer flavors because the wine offers lift, freshness and a nice grip. I have a soft spot for saumur blanc, as well as certain examples of Anjou blanc, particularly from producers like Thibaud Boudignon and Guiberteau." -- Nader Asgari-Tari, director of wine at BCB3
"My summertime wine would be grüner veltliner, a vibrant white grape from Niederösterreich, Austria, known for its bright acidity, crisp minerality and subtle white pepper notes. It's incredibly versatile but really shines with seafood, from oysters to grilled branzino, and hard mountain cheeses such as Gruyère or Appenzeller. It's good for casual patio lunches or elegant dinners and always feels refreshing and refined without being overbearing. It's the kind of wine that keeps you coming back for another sip." -- Ehsan Mackani, director of beverage and fine dining at InterContinental Los Angeles
"This summer, my go-to wine is Rombauer Vineyards' 2023 Sauvignon Blanc. It's vibrant, fresh with a hint of citrus and the perfect match for my mahi-mahi larb with grapefruit chili crisp from Family Style. It's my ideal pour for an easygoing al fresco evening with friends, paired with the bold, vibrant flavors of the mahi-mahi, which I crave for warm-weather entertaining." -- Peter Som, fashion designer and author of Family Style: Elegant Everyday Recipes Inspired by Home and Heritage
"In the heat of a Bahamian summer, I often recommend a chilled vermentino, especially from coastal regions like Sardinia, Liguria and Sicily. The Vermentino Vito Oddo from the west coast of Sicily is crisp, citrusy and subtly saline, which makes it incredibly refreshing and ideal for warm-weather sipping. Vermentino shines at casual beachside lunches, elegant seafood dinners or sunset aperitivo. At Paranza, we love pairing it with our crudo dishes or simply with our local grouper. The wine's minerality and acidity complement the ocean flavors beautifully, elevating the whole experience." -- Luigi Coco, head sommelier at Paranza
"There are many delicious vermentino wines produced in western Italy, then there are the wines of Ottaviano Lambruschi Vermentino. Just smelling these wines transports you to the cliffsides of the Ligurian Sea. Aromas of crushed herbs, salty sea and sun-ripened lemons lead to a bright, mineral-driven finish that goes on and on. The perfect pairing for grilled fish, pickled anchovies and anything with pesto." -- Jason Alexander, wine director of Che Fico, Che Fico Pizzeria and Che Fico Parco Menlo
"In the summer, I like to drink wines that make me think of places I would like to be in the summer. One of my favorites is the Comte Abbatucci Cuvée Faustine, a vermentino from Corsica. It's full of flavor while still being light. Salty and fresh, it's everything you would want to have while eating a piece of fish that was just caught and grilled." -- Cedric Nicaise, co-owner and sommelier at The Noortwyck
"Arneis is my go-to summer wine for several reasons. First, it typically has a light to medium body, making it refreshing and easy to drink, especially in warmer weather. Its flavor profile often includes bright fruit notes like peach, pear and citrus, along with floral aromas, which can be quite appealing during the summer months. Additionally, arneis usually exhibits good acidity, which helps to balance its fruitiness and makes it a versatile pairing with a variety of dishes, particularly lighter fare such as seafood, salads and fresh pasta. Overall, its crisp and aromatic qualities make it an excellent summer wine." -- James Ruggiero, beverage director at Legami
"Riesling is a grape that fits all seasons, moods and cuisines, but summer is a season that particularly resonates with the grape variety because of its thirst-quenching capabilities. One can find a myriad of styles from around the world, with different expressions, sweetness levels and the ability to find aged examples in the market that are in a prime drinking window. Dry styles often dominate in the heat of the summer, and rieslings like those made by Tatomer from Santa Barbara, Alzinger from the Wachau (Austria), Eva Fricke from the Rheingau (Germany), Alois Lageder from the Alto Adige (Italy) and Egon Müller's Kanta from Adelaide Hills (Australia) are always refreshing, complex and almost always searching for food to pair with. If you can imagine pouring an unlimited supply of Trimbach's Frédéric Emile out of magnum at an outdoor BBQ, that's what a little slice of heaven looks like to me." -- Jhonel Faelnar, beverage director at Atoboy
"We're excited about orange wine for summer. Typically a little more interesting than your average rosé, orange wines hold up really well with food. Vigna Rocca from Tre Monti in Bologna is the one we're pouring right now. The winemaking family lovingly calls this 'a red wine in a white dress,' and it's made with 100% Romagna Albana, a hyper-local indigenous grape produced in a dry style. We love this wine because it has so much versatility when it comes to pairing with food. It can be enjoyed with light seafood/raw bar items as much as it can hold up to a meaty pizza. A great bottle to enjoy from the beginning to the end of your meal." -- Lauren Schaefer, partner of Mother Pizzeria
"My wine at the beginning of the summer is always Clos Cibonne de Tibouren Rosé from Provence. It's the ultimate summer rosé with some body to it, making it a bit richer than a traditional light summer sipper! I like pairing it with spring pasta. At Heroes, we have a fresh sheep's milk ricotta pasta, similar to tortellini, with lemon butter, artichokes and asparagus." -- Ariel Arce, Heroes and Leonessa at Conrad New York Downtown
"The woefully underrated category of rosato from Abruzzo, Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo, a rounder, richer style of dry rosato that's an absolute knockout with sunsets, fresh fish and veggies off the grill, poolside, long lunches -- really anytime will do! For those looking for a little more oomph in their all-day rosé, this is it. My favorite producers are Tiberio and Amorotti." -- Josh Nadel, beverage director of Bar Primi Penn District
"I am more of a red wine person, even though I usually like to drink a fun white by the beach. In this case, I would prefer opening a bottle of Mikro Ktima Titos from Goumenissa, a blend of xinomavro and negoska from a beautiful estate hidden in the dense oak forest. I would make sure to serve it around 54 to 56 degrees to help all the layers of strawberries and raspberries express themselves while maintaining the lively acidity. Chilled red wines are ideal for a backyard grill with fine red meats in the middle of the summer when you want to enjoy a good wine that can stand up to the bold flavors without losing its own. They're also perfect when having dinner by the coast when the cool breeze drops the temperature significantly." -- Dimitris Zafeiropoulos, beverage director at Estiatorio Milos
"My wine of choice this summer is garnacha from the Sierra de Gredos, a region in the mountains outside Madrid. It was a region that was forgotten about for years, as the previous generation had abandoned their vineyards to move to major cities in the hopes of finding a better life. What was left behind was a treasure trove of old vineyards that produce excellent quality fruit. I love these wines because they show such a beautiful bouquet of light, spicy red fruit with a fresh floral component that is lifted and inviting. It's the perfect summer barbecue wine or to enjoy with a sunset on the beach!" -- Eitan Spivak, beverage manager at Kabawa
"Frappato is a great summer wine from the island of Sicily. It's a light red that's great with a bit of a chill. It is fruity without being sweet and pairs well with charcuterie for a picnic, summer pastas and even meat for BBQ season." -- Leizl Basilio, general manager of Lula Cafe
"Summer gives us the opportunity to appreciate the lighter side of the wine spectrum. Whether that's because of the heat or the diversity of produce available, the wine we reach for tends to be more aromatic, delicate and higher in acid. Although we tend to think of whites or rosés in this category, reds too fit the profile. One of my favorites is made in Sicily from the grape varietal frappato. It's floral with strawberry and raspberry aromatics and a slight smokey undertone, reminiscent of gamay. And like gamay, it's enjoyable as a simple aperitif and for lighter meals, whether that be fish or fowl. My favorite example is from the producer Arianna Occhipinti." -- Omar White, wine director for The Duck & The Peach, La Collina and The Wells