It’s Official, These Two Wines Have Officially Replaced Rosé As the Official Wine of Summer

According to recent data from Drizly, these two varietals have dethroned this classic warm-weather wine.

Rosé and summertime go together like peanut butter and jelly, or coffee and creamer — or so we thought. According to new data shared by Liz Paquette, head of consumer insights at Drizly, the largest online marketplace for wine, beer, liquor, and non-alcoholic spirits in North America, fewer drinkers than summers past reached for rosé this year, begging the question: Is there a new “summer water” in our midst?

Since 2020, Drizly has reported an uptick in sales of lighter bodied, chillable red wines like Gamay and Lambrusco between the months of May and August, and in 2023, rosé sales on the platform dipped by nearly 10 percent. Paquette says that this summer, Barbera experienced a 16 percent increase in share within the red wine category on Drizly compared to the same time period in summer 2022, while Gamay saw a six percent increase.

So what exactly are these popular grapes making waves in the warm-weather drinking scene? While many Italian wines are named after a place — Chianti, Barbaresco, or Barolo — Barbera refers to a specific grape. “Though there are differences in character from one producer to another, and from one type of terroir to another, Barbera wines tend to be energized with assertive acidity that perks up bright and brambly fruit notes, making it a delicious accompaniment to a wide range of foods,” notes Food & Wine contributor Brian Freedman. Like Gamay, Barbera is grown in a variety of places, from Australia’s McLaren Vale to California’s Paso Robles. This summer’s top-selling Barbera on Drizly was the Barbera d’Asti “Tre Vigne” from Vietti, one of the most iconic producers in Piedmont, Italy. Compared to Barbera d’alba, Barbera d’Asti tends to be lighter in body with bright cherry and berry notes, making it a perfect choice to pair with grilled vegetables and summertime appetizers like potato salad and coleslaw.

The other core member of this summer’s great rosé coup d’etat? Gamay. This acidic, light, and bright wine can come from anywhere that the grape variety of the same name is grown, including Oregon, California, and Australia. France — particularly in Beaujolais, a wine region located south of Burgundy — is where this varietal really shines. Both of his summer’s top-selling Gamays hail from Beaujolais — the top seller, Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages, and the runner-up, Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais Gamay. Both wines retail for under $20, meaning it’s easy to stock up on a few bottles to have in your fridge for the last few weeks of summer.

That said, we’re not writing rosé off altogether — in fact, there are plenty of bottles that we’ll be reaching for year-round. "What people don't realize is there are some rosés that spend a little time in oak," says Wanda Mann, contributing editor to The SOMM Journal, as well as the founder behind Wine With Wanda. "I always say rosé can also be a great Thanksgiving wine." But when it comes to the reigning wine of the summer, it looks like there are some new chillable red wines to watch out for and stock up on.

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