The Best Wines to Serve at Your Summer Party (From a Wine Pro Who Actually Hosts)

Six weeks of summer left - here's exactly what to pour, and how to serve it

There are endless cookbooks and food blogs telling you what to cook for a summer party. Finding solid advice on which wines to actually serve? Much harder.

I'm hosting a rooftop wine tasting in a few weeks, and this question comes up constantly from guests, from clients, from friends planning their own gatherings. So let's fix that.

Here's exactly what to pour at your next summer party, in the order you should serve it.

Start With Bubbles

Always open with a sparkling wine. It signals that a party has officially begun, but there's also a practical reason: sparkling wine tends to be high in acidity, which means it naturally pairs well with the foods you typically serve at the start of a gathering: soft cheeses, fried bites, hors d'oeuvres, anything rich or fatty.

My go-to recommendation is a Blanc de Blancs - it's neutral in flavor, high in acidity, and crowd-pleasing without being boring. If you want something a little more budget-friendly without sacrificing quality, reach for a Crémant de Bourgogne or Crémant de Loire (Domaine Huet is a personal favorite). And of course, ECR's own Blanc de Blancs was made exactly for moments like this.

Two Whites, Not One

This is the move most hosts miss. Rather than picking a single white wine and hoping everyone likes it, offer two with different profiles:

One crisp and high-acid option for those who love something bright and refreshing: a Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre, Chile, or California - or a Pinot Grigio, dry Riesling, or Albariño. I love our 2024 and 2025 Trousseau Gris for this as well.

One rounder and more fruit-forward option for guests who find tart wines too sharp: a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, a Chenin Blanc from South Africa, or a Viognier from France. Our 2023 Trousseau Gris hits this profile every time.

Two whites covers far more ground than one ever could.

Rosé, Because It's Summer

This one doesn't need much explanation. Rosé is effortlessly versatile and works with cheese, grilled meats, lighter dishes, and heavier ones too. The question is just which style to choose.

A helpful trick: think about which reds you already enjoy and find a rosé made from those same grapes. Love Pinot Noir? Look for an Oregon Pinot Noir rosé. Prefer something fuller-bodied? A rosé made from Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc will have more weight and structure. Ask someone at your local wine shop, this is exactly the kind of question they love.

A Chilled Red

Yes, red wine at a summer party but served with a slight chill. The key is choosing a lighter-bodied red with low tannins, since lower tannin wines taste noticeably better cold.

Great options: Oregon, Washington, or Santa Barbara Pinot Noir, or a Gamay or Beaujolais from France (ask for a lighter style at the wine store). The lower the tannin, the better it takes to being chilled.

My method: put the bottle in the fridge the morning of your party, take it out about two hours before serving and let it rest in a cooler. Guests will notice, and love it.

Hosting Tips That Actually Matter

If you'd rather not pour all night, set up a small sign for each bottle with the grape, region, and a quick flavor note. Google the wine and you'll find tasting notes already written by the winemaker.

And please: ice and water in equal parts in your cooler or ice bucket. Not all ice. Ice alone doesn't keep bottles cold as being submerged in water is what actually chills them. Bottles sitting on top of a pile of dry ice at a summer party is one of the fastest ways to serve warm white wine to your guests, and I say this from having witnessed it far too many times recently. At very high end spots in NYC too!

Default to serving everything slightly colder than you think necessary. Wine warms up in the glass quickly outdoors, and you can always let it come up a degree or two, you can't easily bring it back down without the use of ice cubes.

One More Reason to Host

A lot is going on in the world right now. And if there's one thing that consistently makes it better, it's gathering with people you like, with something good in your glass.

You've got six weeks of summer left. Let’s make them count.