Aside from the balmy temperatures, one of the best things about summertime is the food. From garden-ripe tomatoes, stone fruits, and melons to backyard barbecues and fresh seafood al fresco, there is no shortage of flavor during the warmest months of the year. And what’s a better pairing for these summer provisions than the perfect glass of wine?
As the season begins to wind down, we were curious to learn more about the wine and food pairings wine professionals from across the country have enjoyed most this summer. Their responses are enough to make the mouth water, with everything from peppery, Northern Rhône-style Syrahs enjoyed alongside barbecue ribs to co-fermented rosés paired with watermelon and tomato salads. And the summer season isn’t over yet — there’s still plenty of time to enjoy one (or a few) of these pairings for yourself.
Check out the best summer wine and food pairings according to nine sommeliers below.
The best food and wine pairings for summer, according to sommeliers:
- 2024 Las Jaras “Superbloom” and watermelon and heirloom tomato salads
- Domaine Roulot Aligoté and fresh oysters
- Outward Winery Valdiguié and charcoal-grilled pork chops
- Brooks ‘Extended Tirage’ Sparkling Riesling and shrimp tacos
- Rosé and green salad
- Domaine Lesuffleur ‘Friardel’ and tempura fried eggplant
- Prosecco and lemon sorbet
- Vermouth Routin Blanc & tonic and shrimp cocktail
- 2022 Domaine Chapel ‘Chiroubles’ and freshly grilled cheeseburgers
- Syrah and barbecue
- Lambrusco di Sorbara and prosciutto with melon
- Langhe Nebbiolo and Delmonico steak
- Extra Brut Champagne and corn
“Hydrated, juicy, and fresh is how I want to feel in the summertime. One of my favorite pairings to embody these emotions is the co-fermented red and white Rhône varietal rosé, 2024 Las Jaras ‘Superbloom,’ with a watermelon and heirloom tomato salad with feta cheese, parsley, and cracked pepper. Las Jaras ‘Superbloom’ 2024 has fresh aromas and flavors of watermelon, guava, rhubarb, and cherry with hints of spice which only brings out the flavors of the salad. The result is a burst of flavorful hydration on the palate.” —Lindsey Geddes, master sommelier, Carver Road Hospitality
“I recently had a lightning sharp Aligoté from Domaine Roulot that was perfectly saline alongside fresh oysters. [I also had] a Valdiguié from Outward Winery in Paso Robles — juicy and joyful like raspberry Snapple — that paired beautifully with charcoal-grilled pork chops and summer plums.” —Matt Lynn, head sommelier, Jōji, NYC
“We’re deep into Chicago summer, and the waves of windy 65-degree nights with beachy 90- degree days are keeping me craving something savory and spicy with something zippy and bright. In this case, we’re talking shrimp (or other seafood) tacos with sparkling Riesling, preferably the Brooks ‘Extended Tirage’ Sparkling Riesling. It’s giving a match-up that can only be likened to the perfection that is Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn in ‘Death Becomes Her.’ Green salad and rosé [too]. OK, yes, green salad is vague AF, but my green salad is super fresh and bright, with sliced avocado, radishes, a lot of black pepper, slivered almonds, toasted sesame seeds, more sliced avocado, and fresh jalapeño — but that’s just off the top of my head. The ever-so-popular and I-need-to-tighten-up-my-core summer salad pairs perfectly with a light and floral rosé; personally, I’m reaching for Le Grand Ballon Touraine Rosé. It’s the ‘Pink Pony Club’ of food and wine pairings (because it’s awesome).” —David Mor, beverage director, Mirra, Chicago
“To me, creating a harmonious pairing includes pairing the right wine with the right occasion and weather, too. As we are in the thick of hot, heavy, humid NYC summer, I am always looking for something refreshing, food-friendly, and lower-ABV. While cider isn’t what comes to mind immediately for many folks, it’s an unexpectedly ideal summer beverage. Right now, I’m obsessed with the masterfully crafted Domaine Lesuffleur ‘Friardel’ from the Lesuffleur family in Normandy, France. It’s on our current beverage pairing, served alongside tempura fried eggplant as a fun play on the classic combo of anything fried plus bubbles. Cider isn’t just for fall, you heard it here first!” —Camille Lindsley, wine director, HAGS, NYC
“For those extra-hot days by the pool, grab some lemon sorbet and a bottle of Prosecco. A classic Italian pairing, so classic they have a name for it — “sgroppino.” Fruity and sweet, great for those days where the sunscreen is working overtime.” —Justin Parramore, beverage manager, Ballyhoo Hospitality
“Vermouth Routin Blanc and tonic with a lemon twist and shrimp cocktail. Routin is an outlier in Savoie for vermouth because instead of using a more neutral or easily farmed grape variety like Ugni Blanc they use the Savoie-native Jacquère grape. It shows a bright and expressive florality that’s the hallmark of what makes Jacquère such an incredible grape that has an even brighter future ahead of it. That alongside a perfectly chilled shrimp cocktail and spicy cocktail sauce while sitting on a Brooklyn terrace in 85-degree weather is like a fever dream.” —Cameron Philip, co-owner, Crybaby, NYC
“A personal favorite summer wine and food pairing of mine is a lightly chilled red wine with a cheeseburger fresh off the grill. Specifically, my go-to pairing with a burger is a glass of 2022 Domaine Chapel ‘Chiroubles’ from Beaujolais, France. This wine brings balance to the richness of the burger with vibrant fresh red berry notes and refreshing acidity on the palate.” —David Cortes, lead sommelier, Majordomo, Los Angeles
“When you’re firing up the grill for a classic backyard BBQ, you need a wine that can stand up to those smoky, charred flavors. That’s a job for Syrah. While many people think of a big, jammy Shiraz, I love reaching for a Northern Rhône style with that savory, peppery edge. The Hundred Suns Le Mani Syrah is a fantastic choice. It comes from the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, Oregon, where the unique cobblestone soils give it a wild, earthy character that’s just perfect with grilled burgers, brisket, or ribs.” —Luke DeYoung, beverage director, Buttercup, Chicago
“Prosciutto and melon with Lambrusco. Prosciutto, particularly Prosciutto di Parma of Emilia Romagna, is a staple pairing of Lambrusco. Lambrusco di Sorbara, as opposed to Lambrusco di Grasparossa, is generally more supple and red-fruit oriented, and this aspect of the wine meets both the prosciutto and the melon on the mid-palate. Terrevive is a smaller producer that offers some great Lambrusco options. [Also] tomato and basil salads with rosé. Tomatoes at their peak can be an ethereal experience, but paired with a perfectly tempered Provence rosé is even more eclipsing. The garrigue and herbal aspects of the wine meet with the herbal aspects of the salad. The tomato is matched by stone fruit on the mid-palate of the wine. Both the salad and wine are simple, but the cohesion of elements is mind-blowing.” —Cheron Cowan, beverage director, Craft, NYC
“For a nice summer pairing, any grilled meat situation. The other day, I had a Delmonico cut with a Langhe Nebbiolo, and it was incredible. The rich flavor of meat with an herbal, high-toned, and acidic red worked perfectly. Another one would be grilled corn and extra brut Champagne. I think the sweetness of the corn works nicely with the sweetness of the bubbles, and both are refreshing in a way.” —Mariano Garay, wine director, Corima, NYC
