This Summer Try Alternatives To Chardonnay – Here’re Our Suggestions

By Tom Marquardt And Patrick Darr

As we settle into the hotter months of summer, we tend to reach for cold beverages: beer, water, soda, or maybe a glass of white wine. Although we often reach for rosé, a refreshing summer staple, there are plenty of white wines to slake our thirst.

Chardonnay is the most popular white wine, although for us it doesn’t refresh the palate as much as, say, a crisp sauvignon blanc. If you’re looking for something different, try a chenin blanc from South Africa, a viognier from France or an albarino from Northern Spain. All of these wines are light and fruity aperitifs on a boat or patio.

And if you are looking for a portable potable, consider canned wines that fit nicely into coolers and won’t break if served poolside. Une Femme makes a refreshing California chardonnay and a red wine blend. A dozen 250ml cans cost $72.

To get you away from your standard summer quaff, we have assembled some interesting alternatives. Remember, some of these recommendations won’t be neatly tucked amid the shelves of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc or other varieties because they are blends that cannot be easily categorized. Most of the time, you will find them grouped in “other white wines” or stacked at the end of an aisle.

Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc Viognier Blend 2024 ($16).  Vibrant with balanced acidity, generous aromatics and citrus, stone fruit flavors with a touch of sweetness.

Roseblood d’Estoublon Blanc 2023 ($27). From Provence, this elegant wine is a blend of rolle, sauvignon blanc and semillon. Citrus and melon notes abound.

Alexana Hillsides Pinot Gris Willamette Valley 2024 ($35). This is one of our favorite white wines of the summer. Fragrant, floral and apple aromas with fresh acidity, citrus and tropical fruit flavors. It can go with fish or fowl, but we just liked sipping it on the deck.

Cotarella Ferentano Lazio 2019 ($20-28).  This is a very interesting wine with good complexity and freshness to match many foods.  Made from the ancient, native roscetto grapes, it resembles a rich chardonnay but with additional flavors of banana, apricot, peach and spice.

Willamette Valley Vineyards White Pinot Noir 2023 ($39). The juice is removed quickly from the grape skins to keep this wine pinkish in color. It is best served chilled. Apple aromas, pear flavors and a hint of cherry.

Lucy Pico Blanco Monterey County 2024 ($26). Sometimes pinot grigio is too fruity for us, but this blend of pinot gris and pinot blanc strikes a good balance.  White peach and almond aromas with apricot flavors and fresh acidity. This would be an excellent match to seafood. Delicious!

Contacto Alvarinho 2024 ($22). From Portugal’s Vinho Verde region, this alvarinho (known as albarino in Spain) has effusive floral and tangerine aromas, citrus flavors and brisk acidity. Surprising richness and body. Mineral notes.

Gerard Bertrand Gris Blanc 2023 ($17).  This is just one of many good values from this French producer. Blending grenache gris with grenache noir, this rosé has red fruit and peach notes with a thread of minerality.

Evesham Wood Blanc du Puits Sec Eola-Amity Hills 2024 ($20).  This off-dry wine is an exotic field blend of old-vine pinot gris and gewurztraminer co-fermented with gruner veltliner, rieslaner and traminer. Generous aromas with pear, apple, lychee and white peach flavors.

Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chenin Blanc 2024 ($17). About 18 percent of this wine is an amalgamation of other white grape varieties, which give lift to the chenin blanc. It’s a very tasty wine and the first chenin blanc to be made by K-J.  Pure apple and pear flavors are accented by crisp acidity to make it a good wine to pair with seafood and chicken.

Passerelles Anjou Blanc 2023 ($30). This chenin blanc from the Loire Valley is a zesty treat with fresh acidity and notes of melon, honey and citrus.

Anaba Sonoma Valley Picpoul Blanc 2023 ($38).  This is a great sipper for alfresco dining. It will pair well with oysters, shrimp and other seafood dishes. Crisp acidity with citrus notes.

Stonestreet White Blend 2023 ($55).  Turn the bottle and on the back and you will be intrigued by the grape selection: assyrtiko (a Greek variety), semillon and malvasia bianca. Wow, this is a first for us. The malvasia profile stands out in this fruity, delicious and soft blend with apricot, peach and honey notes.

Wine picks

MooneTsai  Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2022 ($115). Well-respected, Bordeaux winemaker Philippe Melka has his thumbprint all over this exquisite single-vineyard chardonnay. Juicy apple and tropical fruit notes. Complex and not buttery – an excellent foil to seafood dishes.

Chateau de La Chaize Brouilly 2023 ($28).  This great example of a fine beaujolais gives us reason to drink more gamay from this region. With a wine history dating back to 1676, the producer has a long history of growing grapes. The Brouilly speaks of the terroir with vibrant red fruit character and a hint of spice. Its smooth texture makes it an ideal wine to give a slight chill, sit back and enjoy it by itself or with a range of summer fare.

Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 2024 ($20). If you like your sauvignon blanc with some zing, this is a steal. Vibrant citrus and tropical fruit notes with effusive and bright herbal aromatics.

Allan Scott Family Winemakers Sauvignon Blanc 2024 ($22). From New Zealand’s Marlborough region, this fresh and juicy wine has upfront tropical fruit and citrus notes.

Saint Clair Family Estate Dillons Point Sauvignon Blanc 2023 ($25). From the Wairau Valley, this New Zealand sauvignon blanc has varietal grapefruit and citrus notes with nice minerality and acidity.

Kostsa Browne One-Sixteen Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2022 ($115). With a luxurious, hedonistic texture, this rich chardonnay sports pear and apple notes with a dash of spice and bright acidity.

Concha y Toro Amelia Limari Valley Chardonnay 2023 ($55). This brilliant chardonnay from Chile shows off bright fruit character with notes of pears and a distinctive minerality.