The best wines for summer depend on the occasion. Some of our warm weather favorites are perfect for sipping on the beach, while others are best when paired with dinner.
Summer is traditionally a time for chilled whites and rosé wines, but if you’re serving up hearty grilled fare, a robust red will bring out the best in your dinner. Try some of these bottles to keep your glass filled all summer long.
Sparkling wine
Blue Barrel brut sparkling wines are delicious on their own, with salty cheeses, or with delicate summer seafoods. Try enjoying these wines chilled with grilled shrimp or raw oysters for a delightful summery treat.
Pairing tip: For fresh flavor, try a high-acid wine
Wines with tart acidity can enhance the flavors of fresh vegetables. Try a bright white like a sauvignon blanc to enliven our Summer Bean & Goat Cheese Panzanella.
Big bold reds
Delicate whites can be a lovely summer treat, but when the grill is out, a red is your best bet. Complex, smoky wines like the el Rede malbec will enhance the flavor of the grill and pair well with beautifully charred steaks or burgers.
Pairing tip: Make it meaty
An oak-aged red wine will combine fruity flavors with notes of warming spice. These full flavors complement richer dishes, and the tannins will cleanse and prime your palate for another bite. Pair reds with burgers like our Ginger Pork Burger.
Pairing tip: Spice is nice
Dishes with plents of spices—not hot spice, per se—can play well with the spice aromas in oak-aged red wine. Try an oaky red with dishes like our Spiced Lamb & Beef Tagine.
Beautiful rosé wines
The thing to love about this wine is how delightfully deceptive it is. Its fruity aromas suggest the wine is sugary—yet it’s almost completely dry, with a bright zestiness that makes your mouth water for more. The powerful, alluring aromas and overall vibrancy of the wine are what help it pair so well with wildly different types of dishes.
Paring tip: Think light, summery fare
A light, crisp wine draws out the fresh flavors of vegetables, and makes something like a simple as a salad taste more exciting. These particular wine’s aromas will add an extra dimension to our Romaine, Potato & Snap Pea Salad.
Pairing tip: Opposites often do attract
In the same way that fruit matches spice or hot matches sour, a light, floral wine can often provide a delightful contrast to an earthy, savory dish. Sometimes it takes just one ingredient to bridge the gap, as black garlic does in our Shoyu Ramen.
