10 Fantastic Light Wines For Summer Evenings

If you’re sitting outside on a nice summer evening, Sauvignon Blanc could be the perfect wine to fit the occasion. It has tremendous character with crisp flavor that will be sure to keep you interested. There are hints of green bell pepper, lime, and passion fruit, with a scent that is almost immediately recognizable. This wine is so distinctive that it is known worldwide and produced in numerous regions. It doesn’t matter where you are, Sauvignon Blanc can be a wonderful summer wine option. 

Another wine that’s perfect for summer evenings is Gamay. Gamay boasts an excellent flavor that features red berries along with tastes of raspberry and strawberry. To make this wine even better, it works to complement several different types of food, which is something that not every wine can brag about. Gamay also finds a way to partner up with charcuterie boards, which work exceptionally well during the summertime. This is certainly not a wine that you will want to forget about when the middle of the year comes around. 

Also Read: 10 Healthy Sugar-Free Drink Alternatives For Summer

White Zinfandel fits the summertime, though it is slightly different than Sauvignon Blanc and Gamay. For example, White Zinfandel has a low acidity, which can cause a far different sensation compared to what you would experience when sipping on a Sauvignon Blanc. However, do not let the difference trick you into thinking it isn’t quality. White Zinfandel wine is refreshing, it’s mostly dry with small hints of sweetness, and it’s light. If the previous options don’t suit your summer needs, then perhaps White Zinfandel can fill the void and improve your summer experience.  

Also Read: 10 Best Detox Drinks to Help You Reset, Recharge, and Feel Your Best

Pinot Grigio is often described as a wonderful summer wine, and it often doesn’t take much to understand why. Some refer to the wine as a “cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer’s day”. Pinot Grigio is simplistic and does not overstay its welcome. It has a crisp delivery and a classic history around it. It is one of those wines where you know exactly what to expect, and yet the final product is still delightful to your taste buds. Sitting outside on a hot summer day with a cool glass of Pinot Grigio is often one of life’s luxuries. 

Cinsault is the next wine to partner well with a casual summer evening. It is light, with a refreshing taste and aromatic quality. It is the type of wine that has you tasting hints of strawberry, cherry, and even some pepper in there. Cinsault wine goes exceptionally well with foods like lamb, rabbit, and even Greek moussaka. There is a certain sense of softness to this wine that goes well with the smell, and it just brings it all together to create a nice experience on the tastebuds. It’s hard to go wrong with Cinsault on a summer evening. 

Grenache is an interesting choice, though it does work in a summer setting. Not everybody prefers Grenache as a standalone wine, but luckily it can be blended with other wines to enhance the experience. Thinking of Grenache as simply a stand-alone wine, it has a taste of strawberries, cinnamon, and raspberries, alongside anise. The acidity is at a medium and it boasts relatively high sugar levels. While some may rather this be utilized during the fall, the fruity taste and bold flavor make it just as wonderful in the summer. This is especially true when considering that it partners well with a variety of different meals such as Spanish rosado or grilled chicken.

Also Read: 10 of the Healthiest Energy Drinks in 2024

Provence rosé is typically known as a wine that can best be enjoyed during the summer, and that is for a few separate reasons. The first is that it partners with many foods that are also favored in the summertime. It’s fruity and simple at the same time, making for a solid pairing for foods like tomatoes, avocados, and even spicy dishes such as Malay. It isn’t easy for a wine to work with salad, yet Provence can get the job done and does it well. This delicious wine could be precisely what your summer evenings are missing right now. 

Summer foods do not partner well with wine in every single scenario. This has helped land a few other wines on the list such as Provence, and now it adds Lambrusco for the same reason. Lambrusco pairs with some of the strongest summertime dishes, and it does so without sacrificing its ability to be enjoyed by the pool on a hot summer day. Its rich and fruity palette helps top other options that might have the same refreshing feeling but aren’t able to quite serve the same summertime atmosphere. If you serve it chilled, then bonus points will be awarded, as doing so will make the wine even better.

Pinot Noir is a wine that typically gets served at around 13 degrees Celsius, which makes it immediately apparent as to why it might be enjoyable on a nice summer evening. Aside from the already established cool climate of the wine, Pinot Noir has a fruity texture, high acidity, and a medium body to bring it all together into a lovely taste. If you were planning to have a nice meal straight off the grill, then Pinot Noir might just be the best wine for the occasion. Oh, and don’t forget that Pinot Noir can be served in a warmer climate as well. Warm Pinot Noir can make the wine fuller, giving it another way to fit into your summer evening. 

The final summertime wine that might pique your interest is Albariño. This wine finds a way to balance acidity with a rich, fruity profile and does so in an extremely refreshing way. Taking all of this into consideration, it works well with summer meals such as a fresh salad. Albariño is versatile for several different scenarios, and it works particularly well in the summertime. Even the aroma surrounding Albariño is enough to draw you in for another sip, bringing hints of apricot, peach, and floral. If you have been sitting outside on a beautiful summer evening, taking a refreshing sip of Albariño could turn your good day into a great one. 

Related: 11 of the Healthiest Alcoholic Drinks According to Nutritionists