The Fourth of July has long been reserved for gulping crisp American macro-lagers and sipping bourbon-based cocktails, because what else could be more patriotic? Well, we’re here to make the case for celebrating America’s diverse and talented wine industry by popping bottles from the U.S. this holiday.
Unlike wine from many regions in Europe, American wine isn’t limited by strict regional denominations or centuries of tradition. (The U.S. has an AVA system, which informs drinkers where the wine comes from, but doesn’t dictate what wines can be made in that region.) Winemakers in the U.S. are free to explore whatever grapes, styles, or techniques that inspire them. And while some regions are more established, more states are finding their own voices in American wine.
This list shows that American wine has range. Winemakers draw inspiration from all over the world, and each other, to make something distinctly from here. From crisp Melon de Bourgogne from the North Fork of Long Island to juicy Gamay from California and unctuous Petit Manseng from the Commonwealth state itself, here are 25 American wines to enjoy this Fourth of July.
Table Of Contents
Best American Wines Under $30
Gruet Brut Rosé NV
This traditional-method sparkling wine from New Mexico shows that American wine really can do it all. And at under $20, this is a great value bubbly to kick off any event. It has aromas of strawberries and white flowers, and the palate is crisp and energetic.
Average price: $17
Rating: 90
Lorenza Wine Rosé 2023
Mother-daughter team Melinda Kearney and Michèle Ouellet started Lorenza to make elegant Provence-inspired rosé in California. The blend of Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault, and Grenache manages to capture sunny Mediterranean vibes, but with a California flare. It has bright aromatics of orange blossoms and red berries, and the palate packs refreshing notes of wild strawberries and peaches.
Average price: $22
Rating: 92
Bedell Cellars Melon de Bourgogne 2022
Speaking of American innovation, Bedell was the first winery to plant the Melon de Bourgogne grape on the East Coast, and this bottle shows how the variety can thrive on the coastal vineyards of Long Island’s North Fork. (Which is no surprise, given the variety’s original home in the breezy, oceanfront region of Muscadet.) This wine has subtle aromas of pear and white flowers, but the palate is all about minerality, showcasing Melon de Bourgogne’s signature saline freshness.
Average price: $25
Rating: 92
Le Doubblé Troubblé Pear Blossom Vineyard Grüner Veltliner 2022
This Grüner Veltliner from the Columbia Gorge AVA shows the range that Washington State has to offer. This bottle opens with aromas of crisp green apple, lemon, and white pepper. The palate has juicy fruit notes, zippy acidity, and a waxy texture.
Average price: $25
Rating: 92
Montinore Estate Pinot Rosé 2023
Montinore Estate is one of the largest biodynamic wineries in the U.S., sustainably farming vineyards across Oregon’s Willamette Valley. This rosé of Pinot Noir has fresh aromas of orange blossoms and red berries, and the palate offers concentrated fruit notes and a slightly creamy texture.
Average price: $25
Rating: 92
Nathan K. Dry Riesling 2021
VinePair’s 2023 Next Wave Award winemaker of the year, Nathan Kendall, sets a standard for high-quality winemaking in the Finger Lakes. This Riesling is crisp and mineral-driven with notes of honeysuckle, green apple, and wet stones.
Average price: $25
Rating: 92
Lieu Dit Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2022
There’s nothing quite like a crisp, cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc on a hot day. For ultimate refreshment this July 4th, we suggest this mineral-driven bottle from Lieu Dit. Though this winery is based in Santa Barbara, it takes its inspiration from the Loire Valley. So Sancerre lovers, we suggest switching it up with this bottle from California.
Average price: $26
Rating: 90
Pray Tell Skin Contact 2023
There are two reasons you should have several bottles of this skin-contact wine on hand this summer. First, its bright orange popsicle label really captures the vibe of a summer block party. And second, it’s seriously delicious. A blend of 70 percent Pinot Gris and 30 percent Chardonnay from Oregon’s Willamette Valley, this wine delivers vibrant aromatics and a unique texture on the palate. Expect bright notes of guava, peaches, strawberries, and jasmine flowers.
Average price: $28
Rating: 93
Tinto Amorio Bheeyo 2023
Long, hot days of drinking outside call for a quaffable, low-ABV option. That’s where this bottle from Tinto Amorio comes in. The eclectic blend of Colombard, Gewürztraminer, Zinfandel, and Albariño from California’s Central Coast comes in at 10.5 percent ABV and smells like freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. The palate’s juicy fruit and acidity make this the platonic ideal of an easy-drinking orange wine.
Average price: $29
Rating: 92
Best American Wines Under $50
Arnot-Roberts Rosé 2023
Arnot-Roberts is known for pushing the boundaries of American wine, producing elegant, well-balanced bottles that often shock and delight many who think they understand what California wine can offer. This rosé is made from a blend of Grenache, plus less common Portuguese grapes — Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cão, and Trincadeira — sourced from several off-the-beaten-path vineyards across California, and yet, it’s a true American classic. The nose pops with notes of watermelon slices, white peaches, and strawberry tops. And the palate is deeply refreshing with brilliant acidity and an ABV of just 11.5 percent. This should be a go-to American rosé all summer long.
Average price: $30
Rating: 92
Bedrock Wine Co. California Syrah 2021
While we’re mostly focusing on chillable and refreshing wines here, there’s always room for some Syrah in our book. This wine has deep notes of both black and red fruit with savory undertones. Pair this peppery and herbaceous bottle with something off the grill.
Average price: $30
Rating: 94
Catch & Release Wines Credits & Cameos 2023
This Jura-inspired blend is made from organically farmed Gamay, Trousseau, and Pinot Noir sourced from across northern California. The result is a juicy chillable red with aromas of red berries and orange juice. The palate is wonderfully light-bodied, with refreshing acidity and a fruit punch vibe that makes it all too easy to drink.
Average price: $30
Rating: 90
Massican Annia 2022
Winemaker Dan Petroski crafts Mediterranean-inspired white wines in the land of big, bold reds: Napa Valley. His Annia bottling is a nod to the complex white blends of Italy’s Friuli region, bringing together Ribolla Gialla, Tocai Friulano, and Chardonnay. The nose offers fresh apple and citrus notes with a hint of ginger. The palate is perfectly balanced between freshness and richness, with an enticing creamy texture and lively acidity.
Average price: $32
Rating: 93
Outward Wines Presqu’ile Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Sauvignon Blanc has a tendency to either be lean and crisp or overly tropical and grassy, but this beautifully balanced bottle finds the perfect middle ground. Outward sources the grapes for this bottle from the Presqu’ile Vineyard in California’s breezy, ocean-influenced Santa Maria Valley, helping the wine develop complex character while retaining a mouthwatering acidity. It has notes of white flowers, citrus, and mango with a lovely texture on the palate reminiscent of lemon oil.
Average price: $32
Rating: 93
Scar of the Sea Topotero Vineyard Gamay 2022
Producers across the U.S. are embracing Gamay, and this bottle from the San Luis Obispo Coast is one of our favorite expressions from California. It showcases both Gamay’s playful, juicy side and its more serious, herbaceous side in one bottle, and we can’t get enough. The nose has bright red berry notes with subtle hints of pepper and dried herbs. The palate brings strawberries, citrus, and more of those enticing savory flavors along with refreshing acidity.
Average price: $36
Rating: 92
Pax Lyman Ranch Chenin Blanc 2022
This rich and complex Chenin Blanc from California’s Amador County AVA shows the potential for this variety in the U.S. It offers a mix of orchard fruit notes, from crisp green apples to baked pears with hints of honey and ginger. The palate has a great depth of fruit and a rounded texture, but the grape’s signature acidity still shines through.
Average price: $38
Rating: 96
Las Jaras Sparkling Wine 2020
We can’t think of a better bottle for a fireworks viewing party. Made from old-vine Carignan sourced from Mendocino County, this wine pops with bright aromatics of mixed berries and citrus. It has refreshing acidity and lively bubbles on the palate, but the finish brings a complex rounded texture.
Average price: $42
Rating: 90
Hirsch Vineyards ‘Bohan Dillon’ Pinot Noir 2021
Hirsch sets the standard for coastal Pinot Noir in the U.S. The estate’s reserve and single-block bottlings are some of the most esteemed wines in Sonoma, and while those aren’t to be missed, this more approachable bottle — inspired by the village-level wines in France — is ideal for a more casual cookout vibe. It’s bursting with plum and cherry notes and hints of earth and thyme. Its refreshing acidity, juicy fruit, and smooth tannins make it a great candidate for a slight chill.
Average price: $45
Rating: 96
Lady of the Sunshine Chene Vineyard Chardonnay 2022
This biodynamically farmed wine from California’s Central Coast feels like bottled sunshine, with bright notes of lemon oil and grapefruit zest popping out of the glass. The palate offers a chalky minerality, fresh acidity, and a wonderful olive oil-like texture on the finish.
Average price: $46
Rating: 92
Nalle Winery Ranch Red 2021
This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel from Nalle in Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley. Zinfandel was historically California’s red grape, until Cab fever took over, so to see these two grapes together in harmony is an American wine triumph. It has concentrated notes of blueberries and cherries with hints of earth and herbs. The palate is rich and has a great tannic structure, without crossing over into the jammy or over-extracted territory.
Average price: $48
Rating: 96
Red Car West Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021
A crowd-pleasing Pinot Noir is never a bad idea for a big get-together. And this bottle from the West Sonoma Coast hits all the desired notes. It’s expressive on the nose with bright aromas of raspberries, blackberries, and cherries. Hints of baking spice and earth also come through. The palate is juicy and refreshing with silky tannins.
Average price: $48
Rating: 94
Best American Wines Under $100
Marine Layer Wines Lyra Pinot Noir 2021
Marine Layer crafted this Lyra bottling as a blend of its favorite vineyard sites across the Sonoma Coast AVA. The result is a lifted, elegant wine that showcases the freshness of the Sonoma Coast. It has notes of strawberries and rhubarb layered with hints of cinnamon and spice.
Average price: $50
Rating: 94
Early Mountain Petit Manseng 2022
Petit Manseng is one of the varieties vying to become the face of Virginia’s blossoming wine scene, and this bottle from Early Mountain makes a compelling case for it. It’s inviting on the nose with aromas of lemon curd, stone fruits, and spices. But the palate’s creamy, waxy mouthfeel is what sets this wine apart. It manages to deliver refreshing acidity and deep texture at the same time, making this a wonderfully complex wine to sip.
Average price: $65
Rating: 93
Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Chardonnay 2021
Chateau Montelena is integral to the history of wine in the U.S. Its 1973 Chardonnay took home the top prize in the 1976 Judgement of Paris tasting, helping put Napa Valley — and America as a whole — on the map for the wine world. Decades later, the estate is still making impressive wines, and this Chardonnay made us absolutely swoon. It has notes of citrus, pear, and savory herbs with well-integrated oak aromas. The palate is liquid gold, with great richness and balanced acidity.
Average price: $75
Rating: 98
Best American Wines Over $100
Louis M. Martini Monte Rosso Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
We all know that one person who won’t give up their big, bold reds even on the hottest summer days. So if you need to have a Cab on hand this long weekend, might as well make it an iconic one. Not only is Louis M. Martini part of California wine history, but this Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from one of the best sites in the state: the high elevation Monte Rosso Vineyard on Moon Mountain in Sonoma. This site is home to some of California’s oldest Cabernet plantings, dating back to 1880. This powerful wine brings intense notes of red fruit, pepper, and earth, with a prominent tannin structure that can stand up to any meat dish.
Average price: $140
Rating: 95
Bonus: Boxed Wine
Ryme Cellars Chilly Rouge 2023
It’s time to give boxed wine the attention it deserves, and no occasion calls for boxed wine more than a backyard barbecue or beach trip. Ryme Cellars is embracing the casual, fun vibes of boxed wine and just introduced three different options to stock up on this summer including a rosé, a Vermentino, and this extremely light and juicy “Chilly Rouge” red. Need three liters of chilled red wine for a crowd? Look no further.
Average price: $70
Rating: 92
VinePair’s Tasting Methodology
Throughout the year, VinePair conducts numerous tastings for our popular Buy This Booze column, and wine and spirits reviews. Our mission is to provide a clear, reliable source of information for drinkers, providing an overview applicable to day-to-day buying and drinking.
Tastings are not typically conducted blind. In alignment with our reviews mission, we believe in purposefully tasting all products as our readers typically would, with full knowledge of the producer, the region, and — importantly — the price.
