Picture this: It’s a warm summer evening and you’re headed to the park to enjoy a picnic with some friends and pop open that bottle of wine you’ve been looking forward to all week. But when you settle in and get ready to pour yourself a glass, you realize you’ve forgotten your corkscrew, and there’s no way to get your precious bottle open. Sure, you can try slapping the cork out with a shoe, but the best way to ensure this problem never happens is by not packing a wine that needs a corkscrew.
Next time outdoor drinking is on the agenda, cut back on the number of accessories you need and opt for a screw top wine. And while you’re at it, throw out the assumption that all screw top wines are lower quality than their cork-sealed counterparts — despite what certain pop-culture references suggest. Screw top wines offer the same quality as bottles with traditional cork closures — often at more wallet-friendly prices.
So, no corkscrew? No problem. From crisp Finger Lakes Riesling to spicy Australian Shiraz, check out 10 of the best screw top wines for outdoor drinking below.
Gruber-Röschitz Grüner Veltliner 2023
Characterized by its light body and high-acid citrus notes, Grüner Veltliner is a white wine grape native to Austria, which accounts for over 75 percent of the world’s Grüner production. Coming from the northeastern region of Weinviertel is this bottle from Gruber-Röschitz, a winery operated by three siblings committed to sustainable viticulture. The nose presents welcoming aromas of minerals and sliced pear, before a ripe, juicy fruit palate takes over.
Average price: $19
Rating: 93
Kobal Sivi Pinot 2023
Kobal was established in 2015 in the Haloze Hills of Slovenia, a country with a rich history of producing Sivi Pinot — a grape more commonly known as Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio. Slovenian winemakers often produce Sivi Pinot with a bit of skin contact, and this bottle from Kobal is a stellar example. Aromas of white pepper and watermelon greet the nose and transfer onto a textured palate with hints of guava and yogurt.
Average price: $20
Rating: 93
Apollo’s Praise Lahoma Vineyard Dry Riesling 2023
Apollo’s Praise is a Finger Lakes operation kickstarted by husband and wife winemakers Kelby James Russell and Julia Rose Hoyle after they purchased the highly sought-after Lahoma Vineyard in 2023. That year, Russell launched his first vintage with this knockout Riesling produced with fruit harvested from the site. Bottled at 12.7 percent ABV, the nose bursts with grapefruit, apricot, and mango aromas, with hints of smoke. The palate delivers lush tropical fruit and ripe stone fruit flavors, though high acidity keeps everything light, crisp, and refreshing.
Average price: $22
Rating: 92
Reichsrat von Buhl ‘Armand’ Riesling Kabinett 2022
The von Buhl estate has been producing wine in Germany’s Pfalz region since 1849, concentrating its efforts on Riesling. The Armand bottling is a testament to the winery’s lengthy history and serves as a great example of balanced and intentional sweet Riesling. Tart white cherry and juicy ripe peach burst across the palate, accompanied by a hint of residual sugar that perfectly counters the wine’s natural acidity.
Average price: $25
Rating: 92
Paritua ‘Stone Paddock’ Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Most New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc available in the United States hails from the country’s famous Marlborough region. But that doesn’t mean bottlings from other regions should be overlooked, as this Savvy B from Paritua in Hawkes Bay demonstrates. The wine opens with a mineral nose accented by notes of green bell pepper before a grippy palate takes over, delivering peach, grapefruit, and toasted oak.
Average price: $25
Rating: 94
Astrolabe Wrekin Chenin Blanc 2023
When it comes to white wine, New Zealand is synonymous with its Sauvignon Blanc production, but this Chenin Blanc from Marlborough’s Astrobale deserves your attention. Crisp apple and ripe pear aromas permeate the nose and transfer onto the palate where they’re accompanied by pops of salty French butter. While a high-acid wine at its core, the depth of fruit provides soft roundness and pleasant balance.
Average price: $27
Rating: 94
Suhru & Lieb Vineyards Lieb Estate Chardonnay
California dominates the conversation about American-made Chardonnay, but this bottle from the North Fork of Long Island should not be ignored. Time spent maturing in oak has resulted in a welcoming nose of orchard fruit aromas and hints of vanilla bean that transfer onto the palate. While soft and round — like most oak-aged Chardonnays — a high level of acidity prevents the wine from tasting too buttery.
Average price: $28
Rating: 93
Istine Rosato 2024
Contrary to Taylor Swift’s opinion, not all screw top rosé is cheap, nor is it something to shy away from. This rosé — or rosato, as it’s called in Italy — hails from Tuscany and is a delightful celebration of pink wine made from Sangiovese. The nose and the palate alike burst with ripe red fruit flavors, with hints of confectioners sugar offering a touch of sweetness. Any lingering sweetness is kept in check with herbal rosemary and thyme notes and punchy acidity.
Average price: $29
Rating: 93
Pali Wine Co. ‘Huntington’ Pinot Noir 2022
Pali Wine Co. may have been established in 2005, but it wasn’t until 2012 that the winery planted its first vineyard in Santa Barbara’s Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Since then, Huntington Pinot Noir has been produced with estate-grown fruit, which benefits from a high elevation and cool ocean breeze. The wine has impressive texture, delivering notes of roasted cherry, earthy soil, balsamic vinegar, and pepper. If pink wine is more your speed, Pali also produces a great rosé made with estate-grown Pinot Noir that arrives in a screw-capped bottle.
Average price: $35
Rating: 93
Fowles ‘Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch’ Shiraz 2020
The Fowles family are more than just winemakers, they’re also farmers and hunters. Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch serves as a nod to this, with each aspect of the Shiraz meant to emulate the qualities of wild food. Black pepper, green herb, cinnamon, and spiced meat aromas dominate and transfer onto the palate where they’re accompanied by juicy red and black fruit flavors. Complex, savory, and rich, it’s a wonderful wine to drink paired with food or on its own.
Average price: $35
Rating: 95
