5 Overlooked But Totally Refreshing Summer Wines

It's 90+ degrees and so humid that it feels like you just went swimming after a short walk to the mailbox. On sweltering days, a heavy red wine is like a fur coat for your tongue when what you really need is a breezy tank top. Summer days call for something lighter and downright delicious with thirst-quenching acidity. Below you'll find some of our recommendations for overlooked summer wines that meet these necessary requirements.

Albariño

With its hummingbird lightness and beaming acidity, this light Spanish wine is like diving headfirst into the northern Atlantic. Expect an aromatic bouquet with crisp grapefruit and pineapple flavors framed by an underlying current of crushed seashells and granite dust minerality. Most Albarino is unoaked, low in alcohol, and meant to be enjoyed young. Simply divine with raw oysters, it also plays nicely with other seafood dishes. 

Zesty, light, and full of sunshine, Albariño is summer in a glass.

Gruner Veltliner

Known for bracing acidity that tap dances across the tongue, Gruner brings a lot of zippy flavors too with lemon, lime, and grapefruit taking center stage. You might even find a little ginger, clove, and nut butter hidden in the mix. Most Gruner Veltliner comes out of Austria, and it makes a versatile food pairing, even standing up to challenging vegetables like asparagus and artichoke.

Weingut Hiller Simone I Wine & Queen 2013. This diamond-studded white makes us feel like we're kicking back on the sands of St. Tropez.

Friulano

Italy seems best known for its powerful and age-worthy Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, and Super Tuscan red wines. But in the Northeastern corner you'll find the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, home to some of the country's best white wine. Fruilano is the most well known and widely enjoyed. It's made from the Sauvignon Vert grape, and most winemakers take a Burgundian approach when producing it, emphasizing freshness and rarely using any oak treatment. The result? Bright flavors of lemon, apricot, and ripe gooseberry with a subtle almond finish.

James Suckling awarded this Luisa Fruilano 94 points, praising its tropical fruit, slight saltiness, and focused structure.

Beaujolais

For many wine enthusiasts, Beaujolais ranks slightly above White Zinfandel and Cisco Red. While Beaujolais Nouveau is often dismissed as the least serious of all French wines, the Crus have become popular with sommeliers. Simply put, these low alcohol wines show a vein of pure, high-toned fruit, making them easy to drink. 

The Beaujolais region is just south of Burgundy. Here they focus on the Gamay Noir grape. If you like lighter Pinot Noir wines, you'll probably dig Cru Beaujolais. They're fun and flavorful without pretense or the wallet-crushing expense of Grand Crus to the north. The area is divided into three AOCs, including Beaujolais, Beaujolais Villages, and Cru Beaujolais. The basic Beaujolais designation includes the lower-end Beaujolais Nouveau wines, while the highest classification goes to the Cru Beaujolais and includes respected areas like Morgon, Fleurie, Brouilly, and Moulin-à-Vent.

The Beaujolais Villages designation offers some great deals, but for the best quality look for Cru Beaujolais. Photo credit

Chenin Blanc

Bone-dry Chenin Blanc will cool you down on a hot day. Most Chenin comes out of the Loire Valley in France or from South Africa (where it's called "Steen"). This fairly neutral variety lends itself to a pure expression of terroir and winemaking. If you enjoy Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc, then you'll probably love Chenin Blanc, which is produced in a variety of delicious styles from super dry to sweet and even sparkling. In Anjou in the Loire Valley, winemakers focus on producing very dry Chenin, while Vouvray winemakers lean more toward an off-dry style suitable for longer aging. In South Africa, winemakers often blend it with Marsanne, Roussanne, or Viognier, giving the wine more weight, similar to an oaked Chardonnay. With most Chenin wines, you can expect notes of apple, pineapple, white peach, and melon with underlying flavors of honey and hay.

Domaine La Croix des Vainqueurs Vouvray Le Bouchet Sec 2014. Like squeezing a fresh peach and a Meyer lemon together and putting it in a bottle.

Great bottles of the above style wines can be found for $10-15 which makes them an attractive choice for picnics, poolside lounging, or casual al fresco dinners in the evening!