7 Wines for Sipping Outside

Eugenia Rose of Pinot Noir 2022
Sonoma Coast, California 

Born and raised in Texas, Erin Brooks and her husband Todd Guttola run Ernest Vineyards with a passion for sustainable and regenerative methods—in fact, 99 percent of Sonoma’s vineyard acreage has been certified sustainable by a third-party program. Their site-specific wines, made from grapes grown organically on 35 acres, show off each site’s specific terroir. This rosé is a small-lot estate blend that is both weighty and juicy, thanks to its pinot noir roots—there’s enough heft for it to linger on the palate and the right acidity for pairing it against grilled meats and cold sandwiches.

Pair it with: A roast beef sandwich topped with pickled red onions

Heath Sparkling Wine Adoration
Fredericksburg, Texas

A winery dedicated specifically to sparklers, Heath’s super-soft sparkling rosé is as lovely on the tongue as it is on the eyes—plus, it boasts a lower 12% ABV making it just right as a daytime sipper. Strawberry and raspberry with hints of rose and violet come through from the mostly pinot noir-chardonnay blend. Chill this one well before packing your next picnic. You could also pick up the Grape Creek Vineyards viognier—also part of the Heath family of wines—for a secondary companion that does well with just a hint of chill. 

Pair it with: This rustic strawberry cream cheese pie with lemon cream 

William Chris 2023 Mary Ruth

Hye, Texas

Mary Ruth was matriarch and inspiration to winemaker William Chris—this homage represents her well: graceful and floral with a strong backbone. The blend contains malvasia bianca and semillon, but it mostly sings with an undercurrent of sauvignon blanc. This is one to sip on while wearing something light and linen with bare feet.

Pair it with: This deceptively simple fish baked in paper with persimmon butter

Three Sticks Durrell Pinot Blanc

Sonoma Coast, California

This family-owned winery has multiple vineyards around Sonoma County and produces a number of small-lot pinot noirs—but this annual release of pinot blanc might top the list for its pure elegance. Think pears bathed in honey and baskets of flower bouquets, with a smooth-as-silk texture on the tongue and a mouth-watering backbone that brings you back for more. The winery’s playful Casteñada Rosé is worth seeking out as well.

Pair it with: Something delicate but salty like peaches wrapped in country ham

Veritas Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Charlottesville, Virginia

Owners Andrew and Patricia Hodson launched Veritas Vineyards and Winery 25 years ago and brought their first wines to market in 2001. In that time, their daughter Emily has acted as head winemaker for 15 years and their son George has become CEO, making it a true family affair. Their wines range from chardonnays and sparklers to cabernet franc and old-world style blends, and this time of year, it’s their sauvignon blanc that you can rely on again and again for its bone-dry body and silky-smooth finish—drinking it makes you feel both chic and feisty. There’s vanilla and citrus up front, with just a hint of grass—a perfect balance for those whose sauvignon blanc preferences sit somewhere between New Zealand and California.

Pair it with: Grilled grouper with a zest romesco sauce

Bila-Haut Blanc
Languedoc, France 

This is a “sink into a chaise lounge and bask in the shade” sort of white—a super smooth and steady sip. The Côtes-du-Roussillon blend of grenache blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and macabeu starts off all lemon and citrus but then fades into a vanilla softness with just a hint of smoke. Plus, there’s enough acidity to pair it against salty, zingy bites—and it’s a steal for under $20.

Pair it with: A well-composed cheese board

Müller Gottweiger Berg Zwiegelt-Rosé 

Austria

With a winemaking history that dates back to the 1270s, the land that the Müller family has cultivated for wine since the 1930s is well-suited to Zweigelt, a zippy hybrid grape variety that’s become Austria’s most-planted varietal. In this bottling of rosé, the grape’s white wine leanings come out to play with a big hit of lemon zest right up front and rosy, berry-like fruit joining the party with each sip. Consider this big, juicy sipper your next porch pounder.

Pair it with: A light spring salad with snap peas and strawberries