It’s been a hot and humid summer in Massachusetts. Not a great backdrop for big red wines or oaky Chardonnay, but the perfect setting for crisp, white wines and mouthwatering rosés– from palest salmon to deepest cherry. With August approaching, it’s time for a mid-summer round-up of the best we’ve tasted so far. Most are $20 or less, but we’ve included a couple of luscious splurges if you’re in the mood.
| ROSÉ WINES | PRODUCER | NOTES | $ | ||
| 05035 Rosé 2021 | Leonard Bussoletti Umbria, Italy Grape: Ciliegiolo | My favorite new rosé. Delicate but intense aromas, rich and fruity, and made from a “lost” grape recently re-discovered in its native Umbria. | $20 | ||
| Summer-Salters Rosé 2023 | Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Sonoma, CA Grapes: Mourvèdre, Primitivo, Barbera | We discovered this knock-out wine at Lune restaurant in Dennis, on Cape Cod. Everything about it is unusual, from the color, to the grape selection, to the fruit-herb flavor melange. | $40 | ||
| Torre dei Beati ‘Rosa-ae’ 2023 | Torre dei Beati Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, Italy Grape: Montepulciano | Bright cherry color, fresh berry and cherry flavors, this typical Cerasuolo is smooth and refreshing. | $19 | ||
| Domaine Charles Joguet Chinon Rosé 2022 | Charles Joguet Loire Valley, France Grape: Cabernet Franc | Made from 30-year-old organic Cab Franc vines, this is a fresh, tangy and altogether delicious wine perfect for sipping or dining! | $26 | ||
| WHITE WINES | PRODUCER | NOTES | |||
| Albert Boxler Riesling 2021 | Albert Boxler Alsace, France Grape: Riesling | Pale color and bone dry, this elegant wine counters every misperception of Riesling as simple or sweet. | $50 | ||
| Zuri Getariako Txakoli 2022 | Zuri Getariako Txakolina, Spain Hondarrabi Zuri | We first discovered the easy-to-love, hard-to-pronounce Txakoli wines from the Basque region of Spain in 2019 and continue to enjoy these slightly fizzy white or rosé treats. | $20 | ||
| Fallegro Favorita 2021 | Gianni Gagliardo Piedmont, Italy Grape: Vermentino | Vermentino is one of Italy’s premier white varietals. The Fallegro is crisp and bright, with good acidity and some pear and flower flavors. | $23 | ||
| Domaine de la Damase Picpoul 2022 | Domaine de la Damase; Rhone Valley, France Grape: Picpoul | Light, fresh, and easy drinking. Lots of herbal flavors, with plenty of green apple and citrus notes. | $17 | ||
Got your own favorite white or rosé wines this summer? Share your tips in the Comments section and we’ll check them out!
VinoDuo 
You have been on a fun wine journey this summer!