The Only Summer Wines You Need, According to a Wine Pro

These days, we’re certainly spending a bit more time in the house or hanging out with friends at their homes. As we know all too well, 2020 gave us a taste of a slower life, as we spent more time inside than we ever could’ve imagined was possible. Boredom set in. We all felt a little like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day.

Fortunately, our resilience came out to play—and when 2020 gave us lemons, we made lemonade. We purchased all the home essentials, decked out our outdoor spaces, and perfected recipes that we’re still proud to share with friends. In short, we all mastered the art of entertaining. And kudos to us for keeping the party going!

While being an outstanding host can often mean paying attention to the little details, here’s my advice as a person who's spent an entire career in hospitality hosting dinners and events: Don’t stress over being super fancy. The days of the fine china place settings and four-course seated dinners are becoming a distant memory. That said, while you may not need your grandmother's porcelain dinnerware anymore, but don’t put her crystal glassware away too quickly. You can entertain in style and still keep it casual, putting more focus on the best part—beverages. As the saying goes: “Life is too short to drink bad wine.”

Once you’ve narrowed down the food selections, head to your local wine retailer to take care of the rest. As the owner of a neighborhood wine shop, I can say firsthand there is nothing more satisfying than helping cooks and hosts pick the perfect bottles to serve and dazzle their guests. With that in mind, here are a few of the summer wines I recommend time and again—wines that will get the sensory wheels spinning and give you all the summer-breeze-making-you-feel-fine vibes.