Your Ultimate Summer Drinking List: White and Sparkling Wine
Summertime means lounging on the patio basking in the warm sun with a glass of your favourite wine in hand or lively get-togethers in the backyard with friends you haven’t seen since last summer. But, for moments like these, not just any wine will do.
White wines and
sparkling wines go hand-in-hand with summertime sipping. Each bottle showcases this varietal’s versatile flavour palate, fruit-forward tasting notes, and crisp finish. Plus, who doesn’t want to celebrate with a big bottle of bubbly?
This ultimate guide to white and sparkling wines for the summer will help steer you in the direction of some of the best bottles of the year, so you spend less time choosing your white wine and more time actually drinking it.
Here are our Summer Wine recommendations for 2021
White Wine
While a handful of white wine grape varietals—such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Siegerrebe—often get most of the spotlight from wine enthusiasts, there are actually over 20 different white wine grapes that vary in popularity around the world.
With so many options, the best course of action is to try as many as you can. If that seems overwhelming, here’s a list to start off your great white wine discovery this summer.
This beautifully crafted signature wine offers full fruity flavours with a crisp finish. Larch Hills winery takes advantage of perfect growing conditions for this vintage Ortega varietal. Wine lovers can sip this award-winning Shuswap winery specialty with appetizers or pair it with stellar sweet and spicy combinations like Thai food and Asian cuisines.
Pikes Hills and Valleys Riesling ($14.59)
The Riesling has always been a premier choice for summertime wines. This particular bottle offers very high acidity and crispness with notes of apricot, nectarine, honey, and petrol. This Australian delight is consistently a fan favourite.
Larch Hills Siegerrebe ($15.54)
This wine is a tropical paradise in a bottle. The flavour profile translates to a tropical floral bouquet with robust fruity and lychee notes. Sip Larch Hills Siegerrebe and explore a full body wine with round flavours and a pleasant lasting finish. This versatile 2018 vintage goes excellently with slightly spicy dishes such as coconut curry and shellfish.
2019 Dirty Laundry Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc ($19.99)
This bright “BC Style” Okanagan Valley Sauvignon combines aromas of lively pineapple and fresh citrus so you can travel to dreamy tropical destinations without actually leaving your home. For seafood lovers, this gorgeous white works beautifully with fresh oysters and an array of seafood dishes.
Pedernales Cellars Viognier Reserve ($40)
Viognier indeed sits high on the list of great white wines that excel in Texas. This highly aromatic white has pear, caramel, and lime notes and is a recurrent favorite from this family-owned winery. Gold winner of the 2012 prestigious Concours International de Lyon wine competition, Viognier still stands as a bottle of premium wine, with excellent food pairing options like a goat gouda or a double-cream, soft-ripened cheese.
Sparkling Wine
Keep the bubbles flowing all summer with these great sparkling wines for every occasion.
Sparking wine behaves like other wines, except with high carbon dioxide levels to create that signature pop everyone wants to see. The most common grapes used in the production of sparkling wine are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Pinot Meunier, so there is an option for every wine enthusiast. Even if you aren’t familiar with sparkling wines, try a delicious food pairing to get you saying yes to another glass.
This bright and vibrant French Malbec varietal balances notes of intense berry and mild tannins that celebrate a fruit-forward taste, aroma, and mouthfeel. Larch Hills’ Sparkling Rosé pairs perfectly with lean red meats and funky flavour like blue cheese, so bringing a couple of bottles to the barbeque will make you (and the wine) the star of the night.
Prosecco is the sparkling wine you always want to have on hand. The delicate peach, floral, and lemon notes highlight the prolific Veneto region in Italy and its perfect growing season for this famous type of sparkling wine. So do yourself a favour and grab a bottle before your next celebration.
2017 Mas De Daumas Gassac Rosé Frizant ($22)
Who doesn’t love sweet, refreshing watermelon juice in the summer? This organic French wine is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon but with a delightfully fruity twist. The bottle packs fierce fruit flavors and beautiful acidity, perfect for drinking over ice and a slice of orange.
2012 Champagne Chartogne-Taillet Couarres Château Extra Brut ($87)
This bottle is definitely for our special occasions---how you define that is up to you. The 100 percent Pinot Noir bottling creates a super dry and elegantly sophisticated Champagne, with hints of blueberries, cream, and lemon. Expect a roaring ovation for the beauty of this bottle and compliments throughout the evening.
Beat the Heat with the Best in White and Sparkling Wines
With a beautifully curated ultimate shopping list for your white and sparkling wine needs, you’re ready to take on the summer. This mix of sommelier recommended crisp whites, tantalizing sparkling rosés, and show-stopping champagne will surely please the wine lovers in all of us.
Celebrate Summer with Larch Hill Winery
Shop from the #1 Salmon Arm Winery in the North Okanagan Valley. Our land-based, family-run vineyard and winery proudly produces wines from 100 percent prime British Columbia grapes and always ensures top-quality bottles for you to enjoy.
We want to make your summertime memorable. Visit
our website to shop our award-winning white and sparkling wines or join our
BC Wine Club for exclusive offers, discounts, and bottles throughout the year.
