New Wines on the Shelves This Summer

By Kathleen Todaro

Summer residents spend a lot of time catching up on what’s changed since last season. New restaurants open, familiar spots introduce new menus, and there’s always something worth checking out around town. The wine shop follows much the same rhythm. Throughout the year we’re tasting, revisiting old favorites, and looking for bottles that deserve a place on the shelf.

Some of these wines come from producers we’ve never carried before. Others come from wineries many of you already know, but with bottlings that are new to us. There were enough additions this year that I decided to split them into two articles, beginning with the whites, rosés, and one orange wine that I think are especially worth drinking this summer.

Dócil Loureiro Vinho Verde (Portugal): Vinho Verde has long been one of my favorite summer categories because very few wines deliver this much freshness at the price. Made from the Loureiro grape, this bottling from renowned Portuguese producer Dirk Niepoort is crisp, citrus-driven, and just slightly floral. If your refrigerator isn’t stocked with at least one easy-drinking white all summer, this would be a good place to start.

Benito Santos Igrexario de Saiar Albariño (Rías Baixas): If there were an unofficial grape of the Jersey Shore, Albariño would have a strong case. High acidity, citrus fruit, and the saline character that comes from vineyards influenced by the Atlantic make it one of the easiest wines to pair with seafood. Benito Santos has been producing excellent Albariños for years, and I’m excited to finally have one in the store.

Cascina delle Monache (Gavi, Piedmont): Gavi doesn’t always receive the attention it deserves, often overshadowed by Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc. Produced from the Cortese grape in Piedmont, it offers citrus, white flowers, and a clean mineral finish. If you’ve never spent much time with Gavi, this is a great introduction to one of Italy’s classic white wines.

Elk Cove Estate Riesling (Willamette Valley): When people think Riesling, Germany usually gets the spotlight. Oregon deserves more attention than it receives. Elk Cove is one of the Willamette Valley’s pioneering family wineries, and its Riesling balances bright acidity with ripe orchard fruit and just enough residual sugar to keep everything in harmony.

Blue Quail Sauvignon Blanc (Mendocino County): California Sauvignon Blanc often gets overlooked in conversations dominated by New Zealand and the Loire Valley. Blue Quail offers a different expression of the grape, combining citrus, melon, and fresh herbs in a style that’s bright without becoming overly aggressive.

Tement Grassnitzberg Riff Sauvignon Blanc (Austria): If you’ve looked at Sancerre prices lately and wondered when they climbed quite so high, Austria offers an interesting alternative. Tement is one of the benchmark producers in Südsteiermark, a region that has quietly become one of the world’s great homes for Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is mineral-driven, focused, and every bit as serious as many of its French counterparts.

Nicolas Delfaud Mâcon-Verzé (Burgundy): White Burgundy continues to become more expensive, making villages like Mâcon increasingly attractive. This Chardonnay delivers everything people appreciate about Burgundy: restraint, freshness, and texture, without requiring a special-occasion budget.

Pierre Boisson Coteaux Bourguignons Blanc (Burgundy): One of Burgundy’s interesting quirks is that exceptional fruit occasionally ends up in wines labeled under broader regional appellations rather than famous village names. Pierre Boisson has earned a devoted following among Burgundy collectors, making this an opportunity to drink from an outstanding producer without paying Meursault prices.

Dunedelion White Blend (Santa Barbara County): This is one of the more unusual wines we’ve added this year. Rather than fermenting Albariño and Sauvignon Blanc separately before blending, both grapes are fermented together from the beginning in what’s known as a co-fermentation. The result is seamless, energetic, and a little different from what either variety would taste like on its own.

Midi-Minuit Orange Viognier (France): Orange wine isn’t made from orange grapes. It’s white wine produced using a technique more commonly associated with red wine. Instead of pressing the grapes immediately, the juice spends time fermenting on the skins, extracting color, texture, and gentle tannins. In this case, a week of skin contact transforms Viognier into an amber-colored wine with remarkable versatility at the table.

Il Corzanello Toscana Rosato (Tuscany): Rosé may be most closely associated with Provence, but Tuscany makes a compelling argument for looking elsewhere. Built around Sangiovese, this rosato has bright red fruit, lively acidity, and a savory edge that makes it especially well-suited to grilled foods.

Remy Saves the Sea Rosé (Sonoma County): This father-and-daughter project from Noah and Remy Dorrance supports efforts to remove plastic from the ocean, making it an especially fitting bottle for a shore community. Fortunately, the wine stands on its own merits. Produced from old-vine Carignane, it’s fresh, expressive, and exactly what I want chilled on a hot afternoon.

Feudo Montoni Passito Bianco (Sicily): A summer meal deserves a proper ending. This Sicilian dessert wine is made from grapes that are partially dried before fermentation, concentrating both flavor and sweetness while retaining enough acidity to keep everything balanced. Serve it with fresh fruit, almond cookies, or a simple cheese course.

Whether you gravitate toward familiar regions or enjoy trying something new each season, I hope at least one of these bottles finds its way onto your table before summer ends. Next month, we’ll move from whites and rosés to the newest additions on the red wine shelves.