This Citrusy Wine Is the Varietal of the Summer, According to Sommeliers

To help you have the most spirited and spectacular summer ever, each April, we set out to predict the drink of the summer. (In case you missed it, 52 mixologists helped us select the Spa Spritz for 2025.) But why should cocktails get all the glory? If wine is more your style, we have exciting news: For the first time ever, we’ve teamed up with sommeliers and beverage pros from across the country to name the varietal of the season.

Noted for being “a great value,” “bright, zesty, and a little under the radar,” and “ridiculously food-friendly,” find out why sommeliers think you should fill your wine glass with Albariño this season. Then stick around for five more bottles fitting for the season. Consider this your capsule wardrobe of patio-perfect wines.

Best Summer Wine Qualities

Before we spill on our deserving Wine of Summer, we couldn’t resist asking the somms to serve up their criteria—in other words, the characteristics they look for in the best summer wines. When the mercury rises, our panel of pros recommends reaching for wines that are:

• Low-ABV. Aim for a wine that has less than 12.5% alcohol by volume (ABV). “You want something you can sip and enjoy without fatigue, whether it’s for an al fresco lunch, a picnic, or a slow sunset dinner,” says Stefan Milic, senior food and beverage manager for Yolan at The Joseph Nashville.
• High in acid. In addition to contributing to the food-friendly factor of a wine, bright acidity keeps the palate awake and cuts through the heat, Milic adds. “Acidity is your best friend in summer wines,” as it offers a crisp sensation that makes your mouth water.
• Showcase youthful fruit and/or minerality. “Another thing to look out for is ‘youthfulness,’ or bright fruit flavors,” says Amanda McLaurin, owner of Solely Wine. (Fruit in wine can range from underripe to overripe and jammy.) Not to be confused with sweetness, wines can be fruit-forward and high in acid without being high in sugar. Consider lemons, limes, stone fruit, green apple, white peach, or tart cherries—these flavors feel light, lively, and energizing, not cloying, explains Madeline Gordon, general manager at Wine & Rind. Bonus points for a little minerality, along the lines of salinity or earthiness, says Reuben Lirio, general manager at the Vestry in The Dominick Hotel.

Taking into account these summer wine qualities—and the old style adage of wearing white between Memorial Day and Labor Day—you might assume that the best summer wines are always white wines. Experts say you can keep the full cast of colors. Just keep in mind that “whether it’s a white, a rosé, or a chilled red, you want something refreshing that won’t overpower the food—or the weather,” says Phillip Dunn, a wine and spirits buyer for Wally’s Wine & Spirits.

Still, if you ask Nicole Quick, assistant general manager at CBD Provisions in The Joule Hotel, there’s a clothing connection: “My rule? My wine should match the vibe of my outfit. For summer, which is often fresh, effortless, and memorable. If it feels layered, structured, or made for a fireplace, I save it for sweater season.”

What to Avoid in Summer Wines

Since “summer wines should have a little lift,” according to Dunn, it’s best to save wines with the following qualities for fall and winter…

• High-ABV. Wines that push above 14% ABV “can taste too warm and overpowering in summer,” explains Josh Jones, owner and winemaker at City Scape Winery.
• Heavy tannins. Aging wine with its skins naturally results in tannins, or the slightly astringent factor you also experience when drinking certain types of tea, beer, apple cider and apple juice. A few examples of include Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Tempranillo. Tannins often increase a wine’s potential “age-ability,” however, tannic wines are “great for sweater weather—less great for toes in the sand,” Price notes.
• Heavy oak influence. If winemakers choose to age their wine in new oak barrels, the juice can get infused with notes of butter, vanilla, or heavy toast, Milic tells BHG. “These qualities tend to weigh the wine down and feel out of sync with summer’s lighter fare and warmer temperatures.”

Why Albariño Is the Wine of Summer

Although there were several strong contenders in our search for the best summer wine for 2025, one varietal is top shelf: Albariño. Quick likes to describe this grape as Sauvignon Blanc’s fun, edgy cousin. With alcohol levels generally falling between 11.5% to 13.5% ABV, Albariño is low in alcohol, high in acidity, and “ridiculously food-friendly,” she says.

“The citrusy zip and notes of minerals make it feel custom-built for warm weather, whether you’re poolside or cooling off indoors with the air conditioning blasting,” Quick adds. “And the best part? It is still fairly niche, so your friends and family probably haven’t had the chance to fall in love with it yet. That means every glass feels like a discovery.”

This also means Albariño is often “a great value,” Humes says. “Albariño offers spectacular quality that overperforms its price.” 

This white wine varietal has been a coastal staple in Spain and Portugal for centuries, and those countries still produce amazing Albariños. But these days, “more domestic producers, especially in the cooler regions of California and along the Oregon coast, are also making Albariño in ways that still respect its Old World soul but add a local twist,” Quick says.

Albariño hits the sweet spot, Jones chimes in: “It’s familiar enough to enjoy, but with just enough personality to feel fresh and exciting.”

Take a sip and you may experience these flavors which practically sigh, “Summer has arrived.”

• Citrus (often, grapefruit, lemon, and nectarine)
• A hint of salinity that comes across similar to ocean spray
• Honeydew
• Green apple

The best food pairings for Albariño include spicy tuna sushi, grilled shrimp, a charcuterie board,or a Cobb salad, the somms say … or simply your glass, a patio, and a sunny day.

5 Runners-Up for Best Wine of the Summer

While you’re stocking your wine fridge for the season, consider adding these runners up for the wine of summer to your cart.

1. Chilled Gamay

As we hinted to earlier, reds are still cool come summer—especially if you serve them with a bit of a chill. (Shoot for between 55° F and 65° F.) “Effortlessly cool and full of personality, Gamay has all the traits of a great summer fling,” Lirio says. “It’s light-bodied, juicy, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.” Expect refreshingly bright red berry flavors with a subtle herbaceous element that feels oh-so right for garden season. 

2. Lambrusco

Although this earned a reputation as overly sweet in the 1970s and ‘80s, today’s Lambruscos are bubbly, zippy reds that are among the most food-friendly wines. Look for them from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, the pop it open to savor flavors like watermelon, wild strawberry, and raspberry. Try it with a burger or pizza, Gordon suggests.

3. Chenin Blanc

Another “you might also like” for fans of Sauvignon Blanc, Price describes these white wines as “razor-sharp, low in alcohol, and teaming with beautiful salinity and citrus tones for summer.” Reach for Chenin Blanc from France for a lighter take, or seek our California bottles “that are a bit richer in style, but still hold onto that bright, refreshing acid streak,” Price says.

4. Verdicchio

Delivering a beautiful balance of freshness and structure, Milic believes that this Central Italian white wine has been underrated for far too long. “On the nose, it’s all about green apple, lemon zest, and occasionally even a saline edge that reminds you of the sea breeze,” he says. “On the palate, it’s crisp and citrus-driven, often with a distinctive bitter almond note on the finish that sets it apart from other whites.”

5. Aligoté

Incredibly versatile and deserving of more love, according to Dunn, this French find is also extremely food-friendly. “Aligoté tends to be overshadowed by Chardonnay in Burgundy, but those who know, know,” Dunn says. “It’s affordable, expressive, and due for a comeback—and I’m here for it.” If you decide to sip, look forward to notes of white pear, green apple, honeysuckle, and a bushel full of citrus.