Summer usually belongs to crisp rosés, zesty sauvignon blanc and French-style chardonnays, but if you’re a devout red wine lover, finding a bottle that fits the season can be a challenge. Let’s face it, the average wine drinker isn’t trying to crack open a heavy, California cab in the middle of July. But if white wine gives you a headache or you find its lack of depth to be underwhelming, or you’re just a staunch red wine enthusiast who prefers it no matter the time of year, an ice-cold glass of pinot grigio isn’t the most appealing alternative.
While red wines are inherently more tannic and complex, a handful of varietals are light enough to enjoy in warmer weather. Over the last few years, tangy chilled reds have taken center stage, offering the best of both worlds for red wine devotees. Technically, almost all red wines should be stored between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, but light-bodied varietals like pinot noir, gamay and sangiovese have a natural vibrancy and brightness that’s enhanced when served on the colder side.
From Lumen Wines in Santa Barbara County to Vincent Gaudry in France’s Loire Valley, producers all over the world are crafting delicate reds that avoid full-bodied intensity and bold, dark fruit flavors. Whether you’re interested in a bubbly Lambrusco or a semi-carbonic blend that’s 100 percent natural, raise a glass to summer while sipping these light and refreshing red wines.
Best Light-Bodied Reds For Summer
Lumen 2021 Julia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir
Lumen is a Santa Maria-based winery that’s known for using ginger to eliminate additive sulfites across its portfolio. Their more traditional wines, however, are also worth exploring, and like many purveyors in Santa Barbara County, they craft a couple of world-class pinot noirs. The 2021 Julia’s Vineyard pinot is a particularly bright bottling with flavors of wild plum, strawberry jam, mint and pomegranate. Undertones of peppercorn and bay leaf add just enough structure to keep you interested, but its pleasing palate and smooth texture go down almost too easily, with or without food.
Lumen Julia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir.
Lumen Wines
Saint Enzo L’Originale Lambrusco
A crisp glass of Lambrusco is an easy go-to whenever Italian food is on the menu. This underrated Italian wine boasts a sparkling texture that’s not common across most reds, giving its dry and composed palate a beautiful lift. Saint Enzo’s L’Originale Lambrusco puts an elegant twist on this otherwise simple table wine, using 100 percent organic Lambrusco Grasparossa grapes grown only in Northern Italy. It is extremely cherry-forward, but you’ll also find hints of wild fig and violet while imbibing.
Saint Enzo L’Originale Lambrusco.
Saint Enzo
Stolpman Love You Bunches Magnum
Whether you’re entertaining during an al fresco dinner party or hosting a summer soirée, a magnum bottle of Stolpman’s Love You Bunches Sangiovese is the ideal chilled red for larger groups. It’s got an energetic, crowd-pleasing palate that bursts with notes of raspberry, rhubarb and candied cherries, while a hint of fine tannins balances its bright nature. Best served cold, this red manages to be simultaneously refreshing and bone-dry, so don’t expect any unpleasant sweetness from its fruity flavor. The simple, minimalist label is also a hit and looks great on any table, so if you want to keep it in view, display the bottle in an ice bucket while serving.
Stolpman Love You Bunches Magnum.
Stolpman Vineyards
Vincent Gaudry 2022 Sancerre Rouge
Vincent Gaudry was a pioneering force in the biodynamic wine movement, having farmed holistically and regeneratively since 2000. Sancerre is perhaps my favorite white wine of all time, but this Sancerre Rouge is an enticing alternative known for its red fruit flavors and subtle undertones of baking spice. This bottle, in particular, uses a special, ancient clone of pinot noir grapes called pinot fin, giving it a fragrant nose of cherry, violets and wild berries. Bright acidity and silky texture pave the way to a juicy palate with well-rounded earthiness. It’s mellow, versatile and satisfyingly tart.
Vincent Gaudry 2022 Sancerre Rouge.
Manhattan Wine Company
Solminer 2023 Nebullite Sparkling Red
Solminer is a certified organic and biodynamic winery based in the Santa Ynez Valley’s ever-charming Los Olivos. Helmed by husband-and-wife duo Anna and David deLaski, Solminer crafts Austrian-inspired bottles crafted in harmony with nature, and though their portfolio is plentiful when it comes to summer-worthy wine, the Nebullite Sparkling Red is one of their most distinct. If the colorful, galactic-inspired label doesn’t grab your attention, the liquid’s deep amethyst hue will. Expect strawberry and cherry on the palate, along with powdery tannins and a hint of citrus. The bubbly texture and dry, acidic taste are reminiscent of an Italian Lambrusco, but it is actually composed of 80 percent syrah, 16 percent grenache and four percent malbec.
Solminer 2023 Nebullite Sparkling Red.
Solminer
Domaine la Bohème Lulu
The volcanic soils of Auvergne, France, give this unfined and unfiltered red its vibrant minerality and gentle spice. Lulu is fresh and earthy, boasting lively acidity, smooth tannins and plenty of salinity. After undergoing a 150-day maceration and spontaneous fermentation in amphora vessels, the organic gamay grapes are aged in neutral oak for 12 months, developing juicy red currant and raspberry notes with a hint of smokiness. Serve it slightly chilled while watching the sunset at your next backyard barbecue.
Domaine la Bohème Lulu.
Domaine la Bohème
Chaand Glou Glou Red Wine
Tinto Amorio specializes in natural wines crafted sustainably across California. The brand’s Chaand Glou Glou Red Wine is inspired by the ever-changing moon phases; it’s a limited-edition release made from dry-farmed carignan and zinfandel. When slightly chilled, bright acidity paves the way to a slightly earthy palate that’s rich with pomegranate, plum and blackberry flavors. You’ll also find a touch of spiced molasses on the aftertaste, and since it is fermented to literally zero sugars and contains minimal sulfites, it’s (allegedly) helpful if you’re trying to avoid a bad hangover.
Chaand Glou Glou Red Wine.
Tinto Amorio
Alma Rosa 2023 El Jabali Pinot Noir
The grapes used in this Sta. Rita Hills pinot were sourced from an estate vineyard planted in 1983, resulting in an elegant red that maintains a light and playful essence. As a die-hard pinot noir drinker, I find Alma Rosa to be an excellent producer, but the El Jabali bottling is a particular favorite thanks to its balanced complexity and refreshing minerality. Each sip is anchored around red fruit flavors like raspberry and cherry, with delicate rose petals notes and layers of Earl Grey tea contributing to a lengthy finish.
Alma Rosa El Jabali.
Alma Rosa
Domaine Matassa 2023 Planals Grenache Noir & Gris
Crafted in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France, this dry and light-bodied red is balanced between tart and herbaceous, offering a more unique sip during the summer months. An organic blend of grenache noir and grenache gris grapes is biodynamically farmed before being hand-harvested and foot-stomped. Domaine Matassa’s Planals wine is unfined, unfiltered, contains no added sulfites and should be enjoyed between 55 and 58 degrees Fahrenheit.
Domaine Matassa Planals Grenache Noir and Gris.
Domaine Matassa
Louis Jadot Chambolle-Musigny Les Fuées Premier Cru 2023
Maison Louis Jadot has been crafting premium French wines since 1859. This elegant cru is made from pinot noir grapes grown in chalky soils over hard bedrock, yielding a light- to medium-bodied red Burgundy. Notes of blood orange, dried strawberries and fresh flowers mingle with a silky texture that maintains bright acidity. This is a great bottle to open when enjoying a little summer grilling, as it’s ideally situated between vibrant and structured, making it a good pairing with a juicy filet or charred salmon.
Louis Jadot Chambolle-Musigny Les Fuées.
Louis Jadot
