11 Wines To Serve, Drink and Enjoy This Summer

A new Sauvignon Blanc varietal has been launched this summer by actress and dancer Julianne Hough and her best friend Nina Dobrev. This premium wine is part of their Napa Valley Fresh Vine Wine line.

This Fresh Vine Wine’s Sauvignon Blanc offers a light, golden straw color and aromas of key lime, fresh melon, and California citrus blossoms. It has a juicy palette of white peach, ripe Meyer lemon, and pomelo, as well as a luscious, refreshing finish of ruby red grapefruit. It’s lower in sugar, carbs and calories, with just 98 calories, 0.1 gram of sugar, 2.8 carbs and an ABV of 12.5% on average per five-ounce glass. All Fresh Vine Wines, including the new Sauvignon Blanc wine is available at Fresh Vine Wine to purchase, and at retailers nationwide for $18.95. Serve with a vegan salad and grilled kabobs.

Sonoma Cutrer Coast Chardonnay

2. The award-winning winery Sonoma-Cutrer has added two new white wines to their Chardonnay collection. Chardonnay Winemaker Cara Morrison excitedly released her 2020 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay offering an elegantly classic structured Chardonnay aged in French oak barrels. It’s a beautiful pale straw color. On the nose, stone fruit aromas of white peach and apricot along with vanilla. Subtle notes of cinnamon, clove, with an underlying light floral note. It’s an elegantly structured Chardonnay that offers finesse and a vibrant acidity and lingering finish of barrel spice. This wine retails at $23 and is great to pair with a lovely crudité platter.

Now Sonoma Cutrer in a can

3. The 2019 Les Pierres Chardonnay exemplifies Sonoma-Cutrer’s Grand Cru approach to winemaking. This pale yellow wine is barrel-fermented in one-year-old oak for five months. Bottled in February 2021, the wine was bottle-aged for an additional six months before releasing. One detects rich aromatic notes of lime zest, wet stone, lemon meringue pie, and citrus blossom.  A bright, lemon curd awkens your senses as you swirl to open up the aromas. A beautifully balanced mouthfeel combines with Sonoma-Cutrer’s signature citrus-laced acidity. Flavors of melon, lime, mineral, roasted nuts, and spice linger while sipping this light creamy wine. Retails for $46. Serve with fresh grilled fish or turkey burgers.

4. The winery also added premium canned Simply Cutrer Chardonnay wine to their portfolio. Chilled, not only does this ready to drink wine offer a creamy mouthfeel, but also a fruity burst of ripe pear and summer peach. Drink at a pool party, beach picnic, or summer concert with a cheese plate, garden salad and French baguette. A pack of 4 These Sonoma Cutrer sustainable certified wines are now available at retail locations nationwide and direct from the winery.

Banfi Wines

5. Pinot Grigio was first brought to Montalcino by the Mariani Family, the founders of Banfi Wines,  in 1978. While Pinot Grigio was banned in Montalcino at the time, The Mariani family proved that Pinot Grigio deserved a home and recognition in the region. After years of research and trial, the Mariani Family was successful in achieving a change in designation to allow Pinot Grigio labeling on wines from Tuscany. Tuscan Pinot Grigio offers a greater complexity with ripe fruit character when the grapes grow in the warm Montalcino sun. 2020 Centine Pinot Grigio,Tuscany offers an aroma of honey, peach, pear and anise. This fruity and crisp refreshing wine pairs well with grilled and poached fresh fish dishes, poultry or light pastas. 13% ABV. Retails for $12.

6. 2020 San Angelo Pinot Grigio, Montalcino is an elegant white wine offering lush tropical fruit aromas and flavors, balanced with crisp citrus notes. This refreshing and fruity wine pairs nicely with grilled vegetables and pasta primavera, as well as a range of shellfish and seafood. 12.5% ABV. The winery is recognized for exceptional environmental, social and ethical responsibilities and leadership in customer satisfaction. Retails for $17.

7. For nearly 50 years in Napa Valley, Cakebread Cellars has earned its reputation as a top destination for Wine Country regulars and first-time visitors. When the winery opened it’s Visitors Center in 2019, they offered guests an intimate tour in the vineyard and tastings of their Cakebread family’s award-winning wines. Now on August 26, 2022, for those traveling and visiting Napa Valley, Cakebread Cellars in Rutherford will open their doors for an afternoon of wine country hospitality. From 4 to 6 p.m., guests will enjoy an assortment of summer bites with ingredients straight from the on-site garden prepared by Cakebread Cellars chefs. There will be outdoor music, outdoor lawn games, and pours of their summer wines including Cakebread Cellars’ Sauvignon Blanc 2021 offering a zesty citrus aroma and flavor and Cabernet Franc 2019 providing a refreshing acidity and balanced ripe fruit notes with robust tannins.

Whispering Angel

The Beach by Whispering Angel

8. For the quintessential summer rosé wine, Whispering Angel is on the top of the list. This pretty pink wine created by Sacha Lichine, inited the “Rosé Renaissance”.  Following his acquisition of Château d’Esclans in 2006, Sacha’s vision was to create the greatest rosés in the world. Known as a dry rosé wine, it’m made from Grenache, Cinsault, and Vermentino grapes. It’s pleasing pale pink is appealing to the eye. Pour a glass to enjoy with a dozen oysters. It retails for $25.

9. Earlier this year, Sacha launched the ‘little sister’ to his popular rose’, The Beach by Whispering Angel 2021. It’s a delightful rosé wine that offers subtle fruity notes and aromas of red berries with hints of lime and melon. Chateau d’Esclans is commitment to sustainability by focusing on preserving the world’s oceans and coast. When this new lighter glass bottle wine was launched, there was a coastline-cleanup initiative aimed in preserving the world’s beaches and helping to protect our planet and pink sand beaches. Enjoy with piece of grilled fish or lobster. It retails for $17.99.

Stag’s Leap

10. When you are invited to a summer soiree, don’t show up empty handed. Give the host a chilled bottle of Stags’ Leap Winery 2020 Napa Valley Chardonnay offering an elegant, bright and fragrant wine. Your host will appreciate its lively aromas of delicate Meyer lemon, orange blossom, fresh white peach, and delicate honeysuckle. If they open the bottle at the party, everyone who pours a glass will enjoy notes of apple, guava, and warm Asian pear. The luscious liquid is rich and balanced, with well-integrated spice notes and a lengthy finish. Retails for $30.

11. For a vibrant sweeter wine, the Stags’ Leap Winery 2020 Napa Valley Viognier boasts classic stone fruit characters alongside a fragrant floral bouquet. The nose and palate detect a touch of orange blossom, nectarine, peach and Asian pear, along with delicate hints of toasted almond, allspice, and honeysuckle. A slight minerality on the finish gives this wine depth and complexity. Retails for $40.