Beyond Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is a wonderful thing, and it has more than earned its place as the default summer white. But it gets a lot of attention while a whole world of equally refreshing, more interesting whites sits quietly on the shelf waiting to be discovered. Summer is the season to branch out.

This week we’re rounding up eight whites that deliver everything you want from a warm-weather pour, meaning brightness, crispness, and easy drinking, without reaching for the same bottle as everyone else. A few are familiar grapes from unexpected places. One is a white made from a red grape. All of them are in the shop. And since it’s the season for it, we’ve added a short guide at the end to packing wine (and a couple of cocktails) for the beach or a picnic.

THE LINEUP
EIGHT WINES to TRY this SUMMER

Arranged loosely from lightest and crispest to richer and more textured. Every one of them wants to be served well-chilled, ideally with the sun out.

Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine, Loire $26

Grape: Melon de Bourgogne

Bone dry, saline, green apple and citrus with a briny snap.

If you’ve written off Muscadet as thin and forgettable, this will change your mind. Made by a beloved natural-leaning Loire couple, Pulpe Fiction has real texture and a mouthwatering, oceanic salinity. It is the single most oyster-friendly wine on this list, and one of the great cheap thrills in French wine. Serve it very cold.

Puglia, Italy $22

Grape: Fiano

Fresh, floral, white peach and almond with a gentle herbal lift.

Fiano is one of southern Italy’s great white grapes, and this is a bright, easy, affordable introduction to it. Softer and more aromatic than a Sauvignon Blanc, with a lovely stone-fruit character and just enough weight to feel substantial. The value here is hard to beat, and it drinks beautifully on a hot afternoon with nothing more than some olives and bread.

Sardinia, Italy $26

Grape: Vermentino

Citrus, sea spray, green herbs, and a slightly bitter almond finish.

Vermentino is the definitive Mediterranean island white, and Sardinia is its spiritual home. This one has the grape’s signature combination of citrus brightness and a saline, almost savory edge, with a pleasantly bitter twist on the finish that makes it a natural with seafood, pesto, or anything off a summer grill. If you love Sauvignon Blanc’s zip but want something with more of a sea-breeze character, start here.

Campania, Italy  $26

Grape: Falanghina

Bright citrus, white flowers, apple, and a mineral, volcanic edge.

Falanghina is an ancient grape grown on the volcanic soils around Naples, and it makes some of Italy’s most refreshing, food-friendly whites. This one is crisp and floral with a stony minerality that speaks to where it’s grown. A little more character than your average summer sipper, and a great match for fried food, seafood pasta, or pizza.

Mosel, Germany$29

Grape: Riesling

Off-dry, electric, lime, green apple, white peach, and slate.

Yes, it has a touch of sweetness. Kabinett-level Mosel Riesling is one of the most thrilling and underappreciated wines on earth: low in alcohol (often under 9%), racy with acidity, and perfectly balanced between fruit and minerality. From one of the Mosel’s legendary vineyards, this is dazzling with spicy food and impossible to stop drinking on a hot day. Don’t let the word “Kabinett” intimidate you.

Loire Valley, France$35

Grape: Cabernet Franc (yes, really)

Grapefruit, lemon zest, white peach, wet stone, saline and silky.

The curveball of the lineup, and a genuine conversation piece. This is a white wine made from Cabernet Franc, a red grape, by gently pressing the grapes right after harvest so no color is extracted. Fermented with native yeasts and made with minimal intervention, it’s bright, energetic, and distinctly mineral, with a saline chalky backbone. If someone at your table thinks they know wine, pour them a glass and ask them to guess the grape.

Veneto, Italy$28

Grape: Glera

Lightly sparkling, crisp, pear, apple blossom, and citrus.

A pop-top, lightly sparkling white from the hills of Prosecco country, made from the Glera grape. The crown cap makes it wonderfully casual, and the gentle fizz makes it the definition of a summer afternoon wine. Chill, pop the top, and pour. No corkscrew required.

Champagne, France$55

Grape: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier

Toasty, citrus, orchard fruit, chalk, and a fine, persistent bead.

Because sometimes summer calls for bubbles with real pedigree. A.R. Lenoble is a small, family-owned grower Champagne house, and their ‘Intense’ cuvée blends across vintages for depth and consistency. This is serious Champagne at a price that makes it a reasonable indulgence, not a special-occasion splurge. Chill it well and drink it with everything from fried chicken to a Tuesday.

PACK IT UP
The BEACH & PICNIC GUIDE

A few quick rules for taking wine out of the house, and a couple of grab-and-go cocktails that make it even easier.

---> Reach for screw caps and crown caps. No corkscrew to forget, no cork to lose in the sand. The Bellenda pop-top above is practically designed for this.

---> Bring an insulated tote or a soft cooler with a couple of ice packs, since summer whites and sparkling wines taste best genuinely cold and warm up fast outdoors.

---> Pack unbreakable glasses, like acrylic or the stainless tumblers that keep things cool are ideal, and far safer than glass on rocks or sand.

---> Remember to check the rules; many beaches restrict or prohibit alcohol, so know before you go.

And if you’d rather skip the setup entirely, we’ve got a couple of cocktails-in-a-bag that are made for exactly this — no shaker, no measuring, no cleanup. Just chill, snip, and pour.

A tropical, ready-to-pour martini in a portable pouch. Freeze it for a slushy version, or serve it cold and straight. No bartender required.

Vivy Blueberry Lemon Drop
Bright, tart, and a little sweet: the lemon drop reimagined for a beach towel. Chills fast, and includes a straw. No cup needed.

Everything here is in the shop and ready for summer. Come in, tell us where you’re headed, and we’ll send you off with the right bottle.

See you soon 🥂