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The Golden State is responsible for the majority of wine production in the U.S., as well as being in the top five producers by volume worldwide, so it’s fair to say you’ll come into contact with bottles from the state at your local wine shop. With over 4,000 wineries across California, it can get a bit overwhelming for consumers to choose one bottle over another. Larger producers tend to take up a solid chunk of shelf real estate, but you shouldn’t stop your exploration of the region there. California and its many AVAs are well worth discovering, thanks to the wide range of landscapes, grape varieties, and vinification styles.
As a Certified Specialist of Wine, I’ve not only narrowed down the best wines to try out this summer, but I’ve put together a selection of California brands to add to your rotation. Choose from producers that prioritize lighter styles of wine with lower alcohol contents, those that focus on bubbly fun, and others that do a great job with classic and balanced styles. These 10 wine brands will make a perfect match for your summer, whether you’re serving them at a beach picnic, garden party, or casual porch get-together.
Brassfield Estate
Located in High Valley AVA in Lake County with vineyards planted at high altitude, Brassfield Estate offers a dazzling selection of wines to serve at your summer hangs. The winery prioritizes sustainable farming methods, promoting a vine to bottle approach that ensures every product is made according to its high quality standards. With vineyards planted on volcanic soils and various surrounding ridges, the multitude of microclimates and terroirs equates to wines with a diverse character. The winery grows over a dozen grape varieties, providing plenty of variety on the shelf.
Sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, viognier, and chardonnay grace the labels, along with the Serenity White blend to round out the selection of white wines. Additionally, there’s a pinot noir rosé available too, ensuring your summer happenings won’t be lacking in pink wine. Several red wine varieties are showcased too, including lighter styles like pinot noir, grenache, and cabernet franc, as well as bolder options to pair with grilled food, like cabernet sauvignon, petite sirah, and zinfandel. If you’re looking to add a sweet finish to your summer events, the dessert wines are a great option. Choose from port-style wines or late harvest riesling for a delicious finale.
If you happen to live near the winery, summertime events like pinot and pizza are the perfect occasion to enjoy the dazzling backdrop of the estate while enjoying a glass of wine and a slice.
Eleven Eleven
If you’re looking to add a splash of luxury to your summer wine selection, then Eleven Eleven in Napa Valley should be on your radar. Founded in 2012, the urban winery keeps it real with modern winemaking techniques and a sustainable philosophy, prioritizing balance and elegance in every bottle. With a few estate vineyards in the Oak Knoll District AVA, each area is planted with the optimal varieties based on the microclimates. Additional vineyards elsewhere in Napa Valley and Sonoma County guarantee a varied portfolio.
Eleven Eleven produces excellent sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, and riesling wine, as well as a refreshing and aromatic syrah rosé. The white wines offer an excellent compromise for white wine drinkers looking for something slightly creamier and richer, and for those who prefer a crisp, mineral palate. Several reds grace the selection as well, with the usual Napa and Sonoma varieties available. You can also sample the late harvest zinfandel for a sophisticated post dinner treat. The winery organizes numerous events throughout the summer, with winemaker dinners, wellness workshops, music, art, and more.
Priest Ranch
The Priest Ranch Winery property has been around for over 150 years, with recent owners only delving into the world of winemaking in the past two decades. With close to 200 vineyard blocks in the Napa Valley, the estate showcases distinctions in terroir with its wines. Boasting varietal character and nuances from the specific plots, the various wines in the selection offer something for everyone.
Prestigious cabernet sauvignons are available alongside other bold red varieties, like petit verdot and malbec. Meanwhile, for a lighter summery touch, try the sauvignon blanc, grenache blanc, or rosé made with syrah. In the past couple of years, the winery opened The Kitchen at Priest Ranch, a fuss-free restaurant featuring fresh seasonal flavors and regional American cuisine. If you can make it over for a bite, you’ll realize just how well these wines pair with al fresco dining. Outdoor music events complete the summer vibe experience, ensuring that opening a bottle of Priest Ranch wine evokes warm memories year-round.
AVIVO
If you dream of a warm Mediterranean climate as the perfect summer temperature, then you have something in common with the grape varieties AVIVO grows. Located in Healdsburg, the winery produces wine by prioritizing sustainable and organic practices, including reducing carbon emissions, eliminating questionable additives, and aiming to leave the earth in a better place. The result is evident in the fresh and lively wines, which are made with low intervention from grapes selected from vineyards around Lodi.
The options are straightforward and include one bottle each of red, white, and rosé. The minimal selection keeps your summer sipping easy going, leaving you more time to enjoy and relax without having to deliberate over the nuances. With varieties like sangiovese, syrah, and vermentino, there’s nothing boring about these bottles. The wines are vibrant and juicy, with flavorful aromatics to back up the palate. Serve them with farm fresh summer vegetables for the perfect match.
Carboniste
If your tendency to sip on bubbly beverages is amplified in the summer season, Carboniste is the perfect wine brand for you. Keen to spread the sparkling revolution far and wide, this California company is making exciting sparkling wines — just don’t call it Champagne. Dan and Jacqueline Person’s label has been around for close to a decade, inspiring notions of what delicious bubbly wine can be. Made with grape varieties that flourish in California, these wines aren’t trying to copy anything else.
Refreshing, vibrant, and evocative of endless hours of Californian sunshine, you’ll want to chill a few bottles for your next outdoor gathering. Proving the brand isn’t taking itself too seriously, it has a line of Critter wines, with labels such as Octopus, Mackerel, and Crab. Reserve wines boast prime vineyards and fruit, offering a range of products no matter the vibe. Rosé, white, orange, and red sparkling wines are all available in the lineup, with varying levels of residual sugar and effervescence. Pick up a bottle of mackerel and serve it with tinned mackerel for an impromptu picnic.
Joseph-Jibril Wines
Joseph-Jibril is the brainchild of Robert-Joseph and Jaam-Jibril, two friends who have been involved in the winemaking industry for several years across a wide range of areas of expertise and regions. Now, they produce minimal intervention wines in Sonoma County, highlighting the terroir in their approachable and expressive wines. They describe their wines as “crushable” and seek balance between fun and serious qualities.
This follows through in their selection of bottles, which currently consists of rosé, white, and red wines, made with pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, valdiguié, and cabernet franc. For a bright taste of summer, be sure to try the carbonic red wine, made with carbonic maceration and brimming with juicy red fruit aromas. With vibrant flavors featuring tropical fruit, citrus, green apple, and floral hints, the white wines offer sensory enjoyment for all palates. Serve these refreshing wines with or without food to pair with a balmy summer day.
Miramonte Winery
Located in Temecula since the start of the 2000s, Miramonte Winery is the place to go for novelty and variety. It’s so much more than just a winery, though it features top notch wines made with expertise, earning plenty of buzz by reviewers. On site, there’s a beautiful tasting room where you can sample the selection.
The red wines include Spanish and Portuguese grape varieties, like mencia, touriga, tempranillo, and garnacha. Similarly, the lineup of white wines showcases varieties like albariño and verdelho, as well as pinot gris, riesling, and moscato. There’s an excellent rosé blend too with summer-centric aromas like watermelon, berries, and sweet grapefruit. To truly set yourself up for summer enjoyment, pick up a bottle of red or white sangria, ready to drink chilled or to serve with a shot of brandy.
If you’re in the area, Miramonte has an excellent bistro for meals, as well as rentable cabanas to soak up the sun and wine in style. Regular live music events and shows keep the atmosphere lively and the good times flowing.
Lady of the Sunshine Wines
With a name referencing the sun, it’s hard not to pick up a case of Lady of the Sunshine Wines for your summer frolicking. Founded by Gina Giugni in 2017, the second-generation biodynamic farmer has been making waves along the Central Coast with her minimal intervention wines. Every step of the process is done with intention, from the careful biodynamic preparations to the work in the cellar. The label art and writing is a collaboration with friends and family, highlighting the holistic philosophy behind Giugni’s work.
Bottles showcasing various vineyards and varieties, like pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, gewürztraminer, gamay, and nero d’Avola are on offer. A solera sparkling wine adds novelty to the selection, along with ancestral method bubbles and assorted mixed packs to ensure the wine keeps flowing. Each bottle is crafted with such care that you can’t help but feel good about including one in your perfect summer day outing.
Native Bloom Winery
Native Bloom Winery features several vineyard areas, including San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles County, highlighting the diversity of the region. Natalie Albertson and her husband produce these low intervention wines, selecting fruit at optimal acidity and sugar levels to ensure they can stand on their own with complex aromatics. Only neutral oak barrels are used in production, and grapes are organically or biodynamically farmed, allowing the qualities of the varieties and terroir to be tasted in full.
Described as “wildly drinkable,” you’ll have no trouble finding someone to share a bottle of wine by this young winery. Varieties like grenache, cinsault, syrah, and sangiovese are vinified for freshness, keeping them light on the palate; these wines are perfect for summer picnic sipping. White wines include albariño, viognier, and a skin contact riesling. You won’t want to miss Zee Bubbles, a chardonnay pét-nat that epitomizes the brand’s playful vibe. If you’re at loss as to which bottle to choose, grenache-based Among Friends says it all.
Ruth Lewandowski
The circle of life is at the essence of Ruth Lewandowski Wines, a California brand that prioritizes natural regenerative farming and holistic philosophies. A balanced biome and a gentle hand in the cellar are core tenets of this winery, which aims to promote the natural bounty of its vineyard lands. The wines are made with fruit from a few vineyards tended by various farmers across the region, including near the Russian River, Sierra Foothills, and in Mendocino County. With this wide-ranging landscape and distinct varieties, diversity is at the heart of it all.
Among the selection, plenty of bottles are summer-sipping ready, including several rosé, white, and skin-contact wines. Less common white varieties in California, like cortese, scheurebe, kerner, and arneis are available, as well as more familiar options grüner veltliner, grenache gris, and riesling. Italian red grapes like dolcetto, schiava, barbera, nebbiolo, and sangiovese hint at the owner’s passion for Italian wines, and a cabernet-merlot blend keeps it familiar for all. A couple of Cuvée Zero non-alcoholic wines are included in the lineup, providing a multitude of options no matter the occasion.
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