Best Chilled Wines For Summer

Patio pounders: the frosty, easy-to-drink wines that are the answer to a sweltering day. And though your apartment might be missing the, well, patio part of this equation, that doesn't mean you can't still kick back with a few of these refreshing drinks. But before you swoop up another case of $1 cans (hey, no judgment), Meg McNeill, owner of Upstream Wine & Spirits in New York, has a few other picks that will keep you occupied well into the dog days of summer.

Want to try these wines in person? Join us at our Test Kitchen for TT Wine Club, where we're pairing these patio pounders with tacos from NYC favorite El Toro Blanco.

If a margarita decided it one day wanted to become a bottle of wine, chances are this would be the end result: a sparkler with hints of lime and sea salt, "except you can drink a whole bottle, no problem," McNeill says. "I wouldn't judge anyone who puts this on the rocks," she adds. 

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For proof that not all canned wines are the equivalent to spiked soda, turn to Una Lou, which McNeill calls the "semiserious rosé for those very serious about active summer drinking," thanks to notes of wild strawberries.

Yes, even red wine is fair game during warm weather. This natural Spanish red has strong aromas of pomegranate and hibiscus that pair well with steak and is "super fun and delightful, inside and out."

Ramona's grapefruit wine spritzer pairs well with fish, is naturally bright and bubbly, and, more importantly, is still drinkable even when you forget to take a corkscrew with you to the beach. "Plus, they're the brainchild of badass wine woman Jordan Salcito," McNeill notes.

This festive and addictive Loire Valley wine can do double duty as a pairing for both sweet and savory dishes, thanks to "notes of fresh cherries, earthy minerality and a little spice."