The summer solstice is the longest day of the year, lasting over 15 hours here in the northeast US.

For some of us sleeping in east facing bedrooms, it’s a shocking early start to the day, but the solstice is meaningful in the vineyards. The vines sense they must transition from growing leaf canopy to ripening their grape clusters. It’s a short growing season to the end of August when some vines (especially white grapes) will be ready for harvest.

The summer solstice also marks the official start of summer. So it’s time to put away the heavy red wines and drink summer sippers. Here’s a sampling of a White, Rosè and Red that are easy drinking and they won’t break the bank.

Read more: Summer Solstice 2023

Santi Infinito Rosè 2022, $13 
60% Corvina, 25% Rondinella, 15 % Molinara, Veneto, northen Italy
Sourced from vineyards in Bardolino DOC east of Lake Garda. Pale pink in color with vivid red tints. Intense, elegant, fragrant bouquet of ripe grapes with delicate aromatic notes of ripe strawberries, wild cherries and blackcurrants. Balanced, very savory, fresh and fruity, this wine is a delicious companion to white meats, seafood, salads and pasta dishes.

Chateau La Dame Blanche 2021, $21
100% Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux France
La Dame Blanche is a very fruity wine, with citrus aromas and, in certain years, exotic fruits. The wine has a soft and rounded texture, making it a charming wine, but very different to most Sauvignon Blanc we know today. It can be enjoyed either as an appetizer or with seafood.

Castello di Uviglie Le Cave Barbera del Monferrato DOCG, $19
100% Barbera, Piedmont, northern Italy
Excellent pizza or pasta wine, serve slightly chilled for summer sipping

Cheers, Bob the WineGuy
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