During the summer months, most of us don’t like rules of any kind. This likely dates to our earliest school days, when late June meant freedom from teachers, schedules, planned activities, obedience, and general supervision. So here at The New Wine Review, as we offer our very first roundup of summer wines, please know that we understand your impulse to entirely ignore the sort of hectoring advice you so often get. We feel you. In fact, as I was writing these paragraphs, on a lovely day at the Jersey Shore, I was enjoying a bottle of Corona with a lime wedge. The passive resistance of summer is strong.

But hear me out. Summer is also a great time to try new wines. Since everything is a lot more casual, the usual rules of pairing and wine drinking do not apply. For instance, if I would like to sip a sparkling wild blueberry wine in a can on a sweltering day, beside a large body of water, while listening to old reggae songs in praise of Jah and sinsemilia—well, dammit, that’s what I’m going to do. If, later on, as I nibble cheese on a balcony watching the sunset, I want to switch to dry Riesling, or something with a little skin contact, or a chillable red made from obscure grapes like Callet or País, I will do that too. And if, even later, when I finally get the grill going, I want to switch to a bolder fare—maybe even a Napa Cab with some age.

Our list of summer wines below is sort of like those choose-your-own-adventure books you read as a kid—the ones you likely read when you were avoiding the “classics” on the official summer reading list. We’ve got classic summer recommendations, such as Portuguese Vinho Verde, Lambrusco, and pét-nat. And we’ve gone further off the beaten path, with stuff like Timorasso and pear cider. 

The choice is all yours. It’s summer—there are no rules.

Bluet Wild Blueberry Sparkling Wine ($6 per can)

One of my surprising discoveries from last summer was this canned sparkling wine, made from Maine wild blueberries. I’m not embarrassed to say I ripped plenty of these during sunny afternoons on the beach. Bluet is low alcohol (7 percent) and is definitely not sweet. Rather it’s super dry, easy drinking, and even has what wine nerds might call (ahem) “tannic structure.” Jason Wilson

2023 Regueiro Alvarinho Trajadura ($18)

Cheap Vinho Verde from northern Portugal has become a hackneyed recommendation for hot months. This one, a blend of Alvarinho and Trajadura grapes, is a cut well above, with much more complexity than the typical $8 VV. Aromas of stone fruit, white blossoms, and lime zest, and in the mouth it’s zippy, bright, and full of energy. Perfect poolside and picnic sipper. JW

2021 Eve’s Cidery Sparkling Perry ($20)

Summer is a great time to open one’s mind and widen the view of what “wine” can actually be. To wit, cider is wine, both technically and philosophically. And cider is not only made from apples, but also pears, which is called perry. This one is 80 percent Bartlett and 20 percent foraged wild pears. Surprisingly complex, with notes of melon, lemon curd, lemon verbena, white grapefruit, celery, balanced by a subtle stoniness. And it’s half the alcohol of wine, at 7 percent ABV. Also: Yes, it’s dry. JW

2023 Josef Ehmoser Terrassen Grüner Veltliner ($21)

Of course, you’re a wine nerd and you love complicated umlaut wines from very specific vineyards. We love that for you!  But it’s summer, and we want something less complicated. And there’s the thing about Grüner Veltliner: it delivers at every price point. This one, from Wagram, aged in stainless steel, is a swirl of stone fruit and spice, with a kick of white pepper. It’s bright, and lively, but with just the right amount of sexiness for a sultry summer night. JW

2022 Laberinto Arcillas Maule Valley País ($23)

País—a local variety that’s been revived by a new generation of Chilean winemakers—makes for a fresh summer red that you’ll still crave in early fall. Low in alcohol, made with partial stem inclusion and aged for 8 months in amphora and concrete. Bright red cherry, rhubarb, baking spices, dried herbs, floral notes, and earth wrapped around ripe tannins. Best of all: It won’t be shy in the glass if you drink it chilled. Sarah Parker Jang

2022 Knewitz Appenheim Riesling Trocken ($24)

The whole Summer of Riesling thing has always veered a little too sweet for me, so I declare this year to be the Summer of Trocken. Rheinhessen has emerged as one of Germany’s great sources of great dry (trocken) Riesling, much of which is reasonably priced. This one, by Weingut Knewitz, is newly imported to the U.S. and is a perfect example of both. Pretty, complex aromas of nectarine, lime zest, white pepper, and flavors of apricot and tangerine, with lovely underlying notes of beeswax throughout, and a pithy, stony finish. When your friend breaks out the smoker, this is the wine that will mingle beautifully with the grilled pork. JW

NV Christoph Hoch Kalkspitz Pét-Nat ($25)

A sparkling white that provides the tense profile of Champagne, but without the leesy character that can feel weighty on the warmest days. Hoch spent time at Laherte Frères and Tarlant, and grows his grapes on chalky Kremstal soils reminiscent of the Côtes des Blancs. 70 percent Grüner Veltliner blended with Zweigelt vinified as a white wine. The scintillating acidity is refreshing, but there’s real complexity here: lime, almonds, white flowers, and lemon verbena, with a line of minerality running through it. Pairs well with grilled veggies. SPJ

2021 Forge Cellars Wagner Caywood East Seneca Lake Riesling ($28)

New York’s Finger Lakes region is a lovely place to spend summer vacation, but it also might just be America’s best white-wine region. (I said it.) Where else in the U.S. are you going to find a terrific bone-dry, single-vineyard Riesling like this one? Precise, electric, with notes of pear, thyme, and flint. Pair with watching a sunset on a balcony overlooking a body of water. JW

NV Agnès et René Mosse Moussamoussettes Pét-Nat Rosé ($28)

Your friends want something fizzy and pink. You want something nerdy. Or maybe vice versa. Doesn’t matter—this has been, and remains, the answer. Still one of the world’s benchmark pét-nats, from an estimable estate in the Loire. The barest hint of funk on the nose. Tart cherries and grapefruit on the palate, vibrant and bracing acidity, a serious minerality—and, at 10.5 percent ABV, something you can drink by the bathtubful. Jon Fine

2022 Domaine de Vernus Fleurie ($28)

Why, in this heat, turn on your oven to make yourself a berry pie when you could have a mouthful of the season with a glass of this Gamay? The young estate makes this from 50-year-old vines planted on granite-rich soil at some of the highest elevation in Beaujolais. A wine that bursts with juiciness, it is rich in notes of berries, and balanced with the subtle chalkiness and delicate tannins that Fleurie is famous for. Delightful when chilled, and exactly what you crave this time of year. Sara Keene

2019 Prior Lucas Espumante Bruto Rosé ($30)

In summer, sparkling rosé needs no special occasion or food. This one, from the Bairrada region of Portugal—made mostly from the native Baga grape—is like sunshine in a glass. Notes of pink grapefruit along with something tropical—let’s call it guava—balanced by crisp, razor-sharp acidity. Now, this doesn’t need food, per se, but I should mention: In Bairrada, sparkling Baga is the classic pairing with suckling pig slow-cooked on a spit. So I’m sure it will work just fine with your backyard barbecue. JW

2022 COS Frappato ($30)

Lunchtime. Burgers and salad, by the pool. This is what you want to drink. Beloved Sicilian producer’s distinctive squat bottle is sometimes known as “the little guy”—to some friends of mine, at least. A hint of tomato on the nose, then cherry and cranberry flavors intermingling with crushed rocks. Tons of lift and energy. Pro tip: Stash a bottle or two for your Thanksgiving table, where it also reliably shines. JF 

2021 Monlia "Derthona" Timorasso ($38)

The conventional wisdom is that a summer white needs to be zingy and light-bodied. But what about when you’ve got something meaty and smoky on the grill? I want a white wine that’s got some curves. Timorasso is a native Piedmont grape—this one is made by the famed Oddero family in Barolo. The nose is gorgeous and perfumed, floral and waxy, and the palate is full of ripe fruit and honeyed notes, but with a cool saline finish that keeps things lively. JW

NV Terrevive “Stiolo Rosso” Rosso dell’Emilia IGT ($33)

When you want a joyful glass (or three) of bubbles that hits different than standard summer fizz, grab this absolutely banging, bone-dry Lambrusco from this biodynamic producer. Salty and savory notes float atop a bed of dark berries, with just enough tannic grip amid the bubbles to add textural interest. Gleeful, and almost anarchic in its exuberance. Plenty of refreshment and zing for summer drinking, but save some for fall (and winter, and spring). JF

2021 Domaine de l’Horizon "Esprit de l’Horizon" Côtes Catalanes Blanc ($33)

A classic of the “white wine for summer that provides more interest than your standard summer whites” subgenre. From a producer in Roussillon who’s working old vines in Calce. Lime zest, serious minerality, and hints of herbs on the nose, then lime fruit battling a rocky framing for dominance in a way that lingers through the long finish. Better for dinner on a hot summer night than it is for mid-afternoon by the pool. 80 percent Macabeu, 20 percent Muscat. JF

2021 Julien Rousselot, Des Jus et du Lien "Azelie" Chenin Blanc ($34)

This is a wine that’s meant to be enjoyed outside, and there is a very real possibility that this is the only wine I will drink this summer. It’s inviting and versatile—as much of a winner at a beachside picnic as it is at a backyard barbecue. Notes of citrus and stone fruit give it a seasonality and a brightness that’s restrained with gentle minerality, making it the perfect accompaniment for pretty much anything you’ll cook this summer. SK

2023 Brij Wines Grenache Rosé ($34)

Sometimes you want to be outside taking full advantage of all summer has to offer. Sometimes you just want to stay inside in the air conditioning in front of your favorite streaming service. This wine fits both moods. From one of Raj Parr’s projects showcasing single-vineyard fruit from California. 100 percent Grenache from San Luis Obispo, this exists on a plane somewhere between rosé and orange wine, as it sees some skin contact. But it’s still light pink in the glass with just the slightest hint of copper. Textured, but eminently thirst-quenching, with white peach, rose petals, watermelon rind, and a very subtle bread dough note. SPJ

2021 David and Nadia Swartland Grenache ($35)

You’ll be drinking a lot of light reds this summer. Mix things up by choosing some made from varieties not often associated with the term. This one, from a top-tier South African producer, starts with an airy and lovely nose of raspberries and finely crushed rocks/ocean sand. Lifted, grippy, high-toned; refreshing, floral, and crunchy with minerality on the palate. Chill it, grill anything that’s not shellfish, and you’re in for a damn good night. JF

2021 Cati Ribot "Son Llebre" Tinto ($36)

There is no reason to go for a standard-issue chillable red wine when you can have this characterful, low-alcohol (11.5 percent ABV) natural red blend from the island of Mallorca. Hillside herbs interlace with cherries and red fruits; fresh, juicy, and appealing. Made without sulfites from native Mallorcan grapes: Escursac, Callet, Callet Negrella, Esperó de Gall, and Giró Negre. Ticks the box you want it to, while offering much more of interest along the way. JF

2022 Insula Vinus Pico Chao de Lava aa Branco ($39)

A wine that can carry you through a day that starts at poolside and ends over a boisterous seafood dinner with friends—especially since the first sip is like your first dive into cool water on a hot day. Lemons, rocks, and salt. Simply delicious, seriously refreshing, and also deep enough to reward reflection and contemplation. A year in, year out favorite for the season. JF

2023 Kelley Fox Grüner Veltliner Willamette Valley ($40)

Sometimes the summertime heat will not relent, and you so desperately want to be anywhere-that’s-not-here. The obvious thing to say about this is something like “scents of honey and wildflower lead to a compact (in a good way), herby, and refreshing palate.” Which is true. But what you really need to know is that drinking this transports you to an alpine meadow, with a stunning mountain backdrop, while cooling breezes tousle your hair. Roll around in this and escape the heat with yet another excellent wine from lowkey Oregon superstar Kelley Fox.  JF

2023 Alma Fria Sparkling Rosé of Pinot Noir ($40)

All the fruit you expect from the Golden State, but with cool-climate acidity to beat the heat. A vin gris made with the traditional method in West Sonoma Coast, one of California’s newest AVAs, by winemaker Carroll Kemp (formerly of Red Car). Dry, with juicy aromas of orange creamsicle and blossom, and Rainier cherries and ruby red grapefruit on the palate. A delight on its own, or alongside bright summer salads and white meats. SPJ

2022 Michel Gahier “Le Clousot” Arbois Trousseau ($45)

The lighter red that—aside from the obvious nerd-bait status afforded to much of Jura, and this producer in particular—surprises as well as delights. Savory darker cherry flavors, within a juicy and refreshing framework. This rightly beloved natural producer’s youngest-vine Trousseau, which boasts a deceptive complexity. Don’t worry if you sense a prickle of bubbles upon opening—it blows off quickly, and won’t affect how it tastes. JF

2021 Frédéric Cossard La Chassornade Aligoté Pét-Nat ($65)

Aligoté is known for being Burgundy's refreshing, gulpable white. But it's still hard to find a 100 percent Aligoté pét-nat, and even harder to find one as refined as this. (Frédéric Cossard, who is creating some of the region’s most exciting wines right now, strikes again.) Fermented in bottles for 10 months with residual sugars, the result is wonderfully effervescent, with notes of lemon and white flower, and a crisp minerality that will keep you refreshed all summer long. SK

1990 Forman Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($150)

Some automatically shun Napa Cabernet, and I can already hear them rolling their eyes at this. But the alcohol levels for this Cabernet-from-another-era clock in at all of 12.7 percent. Decant and serve at cellar temperature when you’re grilling dry aged steaks—or any beef or pork—for one of the most pleasurable summertime pairings. Reasonably generous on the palate, tannins fully resolved, with classic old-school Cali cab currant flavors, all framed with remarkable acidity and verve—its fruit stays within a sound framework. Other classically styled California Cabernet producers with bottlings from the ‘60s through the ’80s that provide a similar vibe: Dunn, Heitz Cellar, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Diamond Creek, Robert Mondavi (Reserve Cabernet), Beringer (Private Reserve Cabernet), Chateau Montelena, Spottswoode, and Jordan. There’s a reason why hippies in the ‘70s tasted wines like this and burst into foolish grins. Gaze at the lingering sunset and do so yourself. JF