The foray into summer can feel, at times, like a frantic rejection of seasons past. Every effort—from what we wear to what we eat and drink—is an attempt to erase the drear and drudgery of winter from our collective memories. Leaving bold reds and creamy white wines behind like the sweaters we store under beds, summer is the season of orange wines, rosés and sparkling cuvées. (And yes, whites — but never mind those for now. It’s early in the season, friends.)  

Here are nine intriguing and delightful wines that are summer at its most idyllic. Bright, juicy, and playful, they each have their own complexity and tension, capturing at once summer’s nostalgia and ephemera. 

 Orange

2021 Jean-Yves Peron ‘I Vicini’ Moscato ($50)

While Jean-Yves Peron is known for wines that capture the spirit of Savoie, this Moscato—made from grapes sourced in Piedmont’s Asti—is a standout from his small négociant project. Moscato often gets a bad rap due to cheap wines that mishandle the grape’s natural sweetness, but Peron treats it with immense respect and patience, letting it ferment on the skins for at least three weeks before pressing. The result is an aromatic wine that highlights fragrant stone fruit, complemented by a sharp mineral note. A wonderfully tannic wine that is at once refreshing and refined, it’s a perfect emblem of its trans-Alpine roots—weighty, floral, saline, and riddled with tension.

NV Orsi Podere San Vito ‘Posca Bianca’ ($28)

Grown in the hills above Bologna, this multi-vintage cuvée aims to capture the subtle changes that occur year to year. Winemaker Federico is no stranger to change. Having grown up in Brazil, he moved to his family’s native Bologna to study business and developed an interest in wine on the side. In 2005, after years in the corporate world, Federico learned that the San Vito vineyard was for sale—and bought it, more or less on a whim. Since then, he has reignited his passion for biodynamic wine, revitalized San Vito, and recreated the wines the estate was once known for using new-school techniques. This blend pays homage to the land and its history. A mix of four regional grapes, Pignoletto and Alionza offer notes of orchard fruit, white flowers, and citrus—honeysuckle, apple, and lemon peel—while Albana and Malvasia add layers of apricot and salted almond, giving the wine real depth. It’s the perfect bottle for anyone seeking a skin-contact wine with structure and sophistication. It pairs as well with grilled white fish and vegetables as it does with creamy risotto or marinated pork.

Rosé

2023 Les Clos des Grillons Calcaires Rosé VDF ($38)

The first indication of this wine’s character is its striking color—a deep, vivid pink, like your grandmother’s lipstick. On the palate, it’s stony and smooth, with hints of salt and clay—an emblem of the regional terroir. Winemaker Nicolas Renaud’s dedication to soil transcends that of most winemakers. Once a geology professor, Renaud selects his parcels largely based on soil composition. He now owns a mosaic of limestone-rich parcels scattered around Rochefort-du-Gard, bringing long-forgotten old vines back to life with organic farming. This blend of Cinsault and Grenache is half carbonically macerated and half directly pressed, resulting in a wine that’s structured and effervescent, fruit-forward and earthy, with notes of red and black fruits. Best served with a simple dinner of meats and cheeses.

2021 Gut Oggau Cecilia ($95)

Gut Oggau’s Cecilia is a fan favorite within the Austrian cult producer’s stunning portfolio. Named for the wine’s singular character, Cecilia is meant to “inspire you. She doesn't care much for conventions and refuses to be pigeonholed. She shows you that it's good to be a little different.” This wine does just that. On the nose, a medley of tropical fruits like pineapple and lime; on the palate, watermelon, red raspberry and strawberry. It’s a unique field blend of red and white grapes and the resulting cuvée beautifully showcases a particular time and place. Old vines are grown on slate and limestone soils which capture the terroir’s intense minerality, while aging a year in barrel mellows the wine and gives it a richness that will make you forget you’re drinking rosé at all. 

NV Martha Stoumen Post Flirtations Rosé  ($29)

Martha Stoumen has built a reputation on patience, reverence for tradition, and a youthful spark that infuses every wine she makes. A first-generation winemaker, she learned biodynamic farming through years of apprenticeship before striking out on her own. Her latest rosé is a perfect encapsulation of her spirit and dedication. Radiant and energetic (think Hawaiian Punch for adults), it bursts with pineapple, watermelon, and cherry, making it irresistibly playful yet grounded in craft. Made from whole-cluster Zinfandel and Valdiguié, direct-pressed for clarity and brightness, and blended with Nero d’Avola that’s foot-crushed and macerated overnight, this wine has both texture and depth. A rosé that bridges old-world technique with new-world spirit.

2022 Maloof Wines 'Where ya PJs at?' ($30)

Made from 80% macerated Pinot Gris and 20% Riesling, this wine has a pinkish hue like the color of a sunset and a flavor profile that tastes like sunshine. Notes of cranberry and sour cherry with hints of melon and lemon make it playful, but it’s also balanced and mineral-driven, giving it a sophistication not to be overlooked. Husband-and-wife duo Ross and Bee Maloof approach winemaking with deep thoughtfulness and a spirited sense of fun. This is very much a “slumber party wine”—one that doesn’t take itself too seriously and is best enjoyed with thin-crust pizza and good friends.

Sparkling

2021 Domaine de Bichery La Source Extra Brut ($68)

As loyalists to the organic grower movement in Champagne, Domaine de Bichery is best known for clean, precise Extra Brut cuvées. The winery is run by Raphaël Piconnet and his wife Hannah, who met working on the land they now cultivate, inherited from Raphaël’s grandfather. After taking over, they converted the domaine to organic farming and released their first vintage in 2015. Their reverence for tradition is matched by forward-thinking ideals. This bottling captures that ethos: honest, expressive, and made with zero additives. A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay harvested from three plots, it features bright citrus and green apple, rounded with hints of pepper and almond. Creamy and ripe, it’s layered and complex. Fermentation in a mix of old oak and stainless steel adds texture without weight, while two years on the lees brings depth. Effervescent and smooth in equal measure, it’s proof of how wonderful new-wave Champagne can be.

NV Insula Vinus 'Chão de Sal' ($38)

Uncorking a bottle of Chão de Sal feels like being let in on a secret. Thumbing its nose at the strictures of EU appellation regulations, Insula Vinus is the project of Paulo Machado, a Pico Island native dedicated to preserving the historic culture of winemaking in the Azores. That includes harvesting old vines of Isabella, a Portuguese island red grape restricted during the 19th-century phylloxera outbreak. This co-ferment of red and white grapes—including Isabella—grows in the volcanic, basalt-rich soils of the Azores. The wine radiates acidity and sharp minerality. The result is unmistakably summery; refreshing, textural, and nostalgic, with notes of ripe Concord grape and wet stone. It has the vibe of childhood evenings spent around a fire, licking fruit-flavored popsicles.

2023 Suoli Cataldi Lambrusco Emilia Rosso ($20)

Podere Giardino, the producer behind Suoli Cataldi, comes from a family of farmers preserving and sharing Italian tradition in all its forms. Their vineyard in Reggio Emilia spans 50 hectares, most of which are dedicated to grazing cows whose milk is used to make Parmigiano Reggiano. Only five hectares are devoted to grape cultivation. Their ethos throughout is focused on nurturing the land and making joyful, unfussy wine. This bottling—a co-ferment of four local Lambrusco varietals—is as joyful as its origin. With soft bubbles and notes of cherry and wildflowers, it’s the perfect introduction to warmer weather.