Best Chilled Wines for Summer 2025
Choosing the best red wine, white wine and sparkling wine for summer is easy if you follow a few simple principles. In this article our Bottle Barn experts will share how to pick the perfect bottles for hot weather.
Highlights:
- Choose lighter-bodied wines with lower alcohol content and plenty of mouthwatering acidity.
- Red wines that can be lightly chilled are a more refreshing option than full-bodied, powerful reds.
- Pick reds like Pinot Noir, Sangiovese or Gamay and pop them in the fridge for an hour before serving.
- Rosé wines are great to pair with summer dishes since they offer great gastronomic versatility.
How to Choose Summer Wines
Stick to lighter wines with lower alcohol content (typically below 13%) in summer. Drinks high in alcohol can make you feel sluggish and dehydrated when it's hot out. Sparkling wines are a great choice because they’re naturally crisp and bubbly. That makes them really inviting and easy to drink even when temperatures climb.
If you prefer drinking reds, why not try lighter red wines that can be served slightly chilled at about 55°F. Great options include grapes like Pinot Noir, Sangiovese or Gamay. Pop them in the fridge for an hour or so before serving to make them fruitier and more thirst-quenching.
Top White Wines Under $20 for Summer
The best summery white wines from the USA are unoaked light-bodied whites like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Riesling. Heavier whites like Chardonnay are best saved for the cooler months.
Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Gris as it's also known, is a great summer pick because its light-bodied and packed with mouthwatering freshness.
This 2023 King Estate Willamette Valley Pinot Gris from Oregon boasts crisp notes of ripe pear, lime zest, peach, honeysuckle and lemon blossom.
2023 King Estate Willamette Valley Pinot Gris
Buy Now - $1749
2024 Dry Creek Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc
Buy Now- $1899
Sauvignon Blancs like this light and fruity 2024 Dry Creek Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc are a summer staple. Expect refreshing aromas of passionfruit, guava, pineapple, lemongrass and cucumber over a backbone of bright acidity.
Recommended Rosé Wine Pairings for Summer Meals
Rosé wines are a great choice for summer because they are truly gastronomic wines that pair beautifully with everything from charcuterie to crisp salads. Here’s some of our top picks if you’re looking to buy rosé wine online.
Lighter rosé wines like this Miraval Cotes de Provence Rose match well with salads, seafood, lobster, grilled fish or chicken, and goat cheese. Their light body and fresh acidity help elevate lighter dishes and allow more subtle flavors to shine through.
Heavier rosés like the Cline Dry Rosé of Mourvedre work well with richer or more complex dishes. Try pairing them with chorizo, cured meats, hard aged cheeses like Manchego or Pecorino, grilled pork, or tomato-based pasta dishes.
Best Sparkling Wines for Summer Parties
Nothing says celebration like a fridge full of sparkling wines. Bubbly comes in a range of styles to suit every budget and palate. Champagne and Cava tends to be heavier and richer, while Prosecco is lighter and more refreshing.
- 2020 Korbel Natural Methode Champenoise is a delicate California champagne that won a Double Gold Medal at the 2024 Sonoma County Harvest Fair. It’s crafted from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes grown in the cool climate of the Russian River Valley.
- La Marca Prosecco Veneto is a lively Italian sparkling wine that’s light and refreshing with a tantalizing hint of sweetness. The lower alcohol content makes it a great choice for hot weather, as well as the enticing notes of green apple, juicy peach and ripe lemon.
Best Chilled Red Wines for Hot Weather
The best red wine from the USA for summer drinking tends to be lighter-bodied bottles like Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, or Gamay. Look for younger, unoaked wines that have plenty of natural acidity and fruitiness. Here’s some of our favorites:
- Balletto Vineyards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is a superb cool climate red that won Best of Class at the 2025 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Expect plenty of seductive dark fruit, smooth tannins, and a refreshing light finish.
- Jolie-Laide Gamay Noir is a charming light-bodied, aromatic red from Sonoma County that’s bursting with hints of wild strawberry, summer herbs, and savory wet earth.
If you’re looking to order wine online, why not check out Bottle Barn’s dedicated online shop. We’ve been delighting customers with our high-quality selection, low prices and passionate, knowledgeable staff ever since opening in 1990.
