Summer changes everything. The evenings stretch out, the terrace calls, and suddenly all you want is something cold, clean, and in your hand by 6pm. The wines that carried you through winter are stepping aside. Summer belongs to the bright, the chilled, and the unexpected.
Here’s your guide to drinking well through the season, from terrace aperitifs to late-night barbecues.
What We Look for in Summer Wines
In summer, we reach for wines that are:
- High in acidity, low in alcohol: refreshing, not heavy
- Either chilled or happily chillable
- Food-flexible enough to move from antipasti to grilled fish without missing a beat
- Interesting enough to start a conversation in the garden
Summer Wines We Love
For the terrace aperitif
Try: Veuve Olivier & Fils Carte d’Or Brut. Fine bubbles, notes of brioche, green apple, and citrus. This is what a terrace was invented for. Pour it cold, pour it often.
For the rosé moment
Try: Lornano ‘Etel’ Rosato Toscana 2020. Dry, Tuscan, and a deep shade of blush. Strawberry, fresh herbs, and a saline mineral finish. The kind of bottle that disappears before dinner even starts.
For the orange wine curious
Try: Douloufakis Muscat Amphora 2022. Skin-contact Muscat from Crete, aged in terracotta amphora. Apricot, dried herbs, and a gentle grip. The wine of summer for anyone who finds regular whites a little too simple.
For crisp summer whites
Try: Serge Dagueneau & Filles Pouilly Fumé 2022. Flinty, focused Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire. Citrus and flint on the nose, clean and precise on the palate. Perfect with seafood, goat cheese, or simply on its own in the sun.
Also try: Domäne Wachau Grüner Veltliner Steinfeder 2021. Austria’s answer to summer. Light, dry, and peppery with a saline freshness that makes it impossible to stop at one glass.
For something adventurous
Try: Dzimbahwe Cuvee Betty Blanc 2021. A white wine from Zimbabwe. Yes, really. Aromatic, textured, and completely unlike anything else in your fridge. The summer conversation bottle.
For red wine lovers who won’t compromise
Try: Bott Frigyes Kékfrankos 2021. Serve it lightly chilled and it transforms: juicy red fruit, a touch of herb, and an easy elegance that works beautifully with barbecued meats, grilled vegetables, or a charcuterie spread in the garden.
Summer Pairing Inspiration
Not sure where to start? Here are some easy summer pairings:
- Barbecue and grilled meats? The Kékfrankos lightly chilled, or the Pouilly Fumé if you’re doing fish.
- Cheese board in the garden? Rosé with soft cheeses, Grüner Veltliner with something aged and hard.
- Mezze, dips, and spreads? The Amphora orange wine was made for this. It handles spice, herbs, and bold flavours with ease.
- A long, lazy terrace evening? Champagne to start. Always.
- Hosting a barbecue and don’t know what everyone’s drinking? Our Diverse Reds set has something for every guest around the table.
Drink Summer Properly
At Raravina, we believe summer is too short for boring wine. These are the bottles that match the light, the heat, and the ease of the season. Wines with personality, purpose, and enough character to hold their own in a garden chair or at a long table.
Until next time, stay nosey.
