Is there anything better than being on the Italian coast and hydrating yourself with their famously pale and crisp white wines? This light bodied grape varietal originally from Sardinia has beautiful fresh notes of lime and green apple with a touch of almond. It’s deliciously dry and mineral and is just perfect with langoustines and grilled octopus. So while you may not be on the Costa Smeralda, you could transport yourself there through a nice cold bottle…

Don’t spend on beautiful and delicate Burgundies for easy summer drinking, instead, look for lighter bodied and more fruit-forward new world pinots that are lovely to drink slightly chilled. Red cherry, strawberry, and raspberry notes pair surprisingly well with a grilled tuna or something citrusy like a pork souvlaki with yoghurt sauce. Think a long Mediterranean lunch with some baba ghanoush and tapenade.

One of my favorite wines is the Gamay-based Brouilly from the Beaujolais region. Always served slightly chilled, this medium bodied red is very versatile with red berries and plums and a nice mineral quality. It is one of my favourite pairings for a lovely fresh goat cheese. This also works wonderfully with spicier dishes like Thai beef salad or grilled spicy Hungarian sausages. A good option to bring to a backyard summer barbecue!

This rich and flavourful variety can make heavy reds but it is also the base for beautiful rosés. Try exploring grenache in its more medium bodied incarnations. Black fruit, cassis, herbs, and sometimes a white pepper quality⁠—this is a lovely wine for spicier dishes like Moroccan tajines or tandoori shrimp. This is perfect outdoor barbecue wine which will hold up nicely to the smoky chargrilled meats.

Muscadet is a lovely dry white wine from the Loire Valley made with the local grape varietal melon de bourgogne. With zesty flavours of lime, lemon, and green apple, this pairs nicely with fresh seafood and shuckedoysters. It is also perfect for outdoor summer brunches or warm afternoon cocktails where wine is overflowing.