Who would disagree that the beach is a wonderful place? It’s a sun soaked paradise devoted to hedonism, people-watching and pretending to read but drinking instead.
Still, all beach goers with a penchant for boozing would agree that one must choose their beverage wisely. Mixing summer sun and alcohol can make us tired, sluggish, dehydrated and grumpy.
The perfect beach wine is refreshing, thirst quenching and drinkable. The six vinos below have made straight A’s in all those categories and as such, are WA’s picks for the 6 Best Beach Wines:
Sauvignon Blanc:
A solid “SB” is the perfect beach companion. The typical bottle will come with generous servings of flavors like grapefruit, pineapple and lemongrass… easy and designed to delight. Consider its crispness and slight crunchiness your reward for being so good at sunbathing.
Grüner Veltliner:
Affectionately called “Gru-vee,” this grape produces some of the most absurdly refreshing and pert vino in the Milky Way Galaxy. It’s super acidic, tart (and almost minty) qualities are complemented perfectly by a big hit of fresh peach. Gru-vee is a great way to hold off the heat and keep your mouth from melting, unless you’re into that.
Vinho Verde:
Vinho Verde is one of Portugal’s best known contributions to the wine world, and it’s one of the freshest, lightest and most delightful summer wines there is. In Portuguese, “vinho verde” literally means “green wine.” Not as in the color green, more as in ripe, as in fresh as f*%k. Plus, most vinho verde has a lower alcohol content than your average white, making all day drinking that much more manageable. Sipping Vinho Verde is as close as you can get to sipping on Sprite, except it’s wine and it’s much better than Sprite.
Rosé:
It’s pink, it’s popular, it’s summery and it feels just as home on the beach as it does in the vineyard. A good take on rosé combines the freshness and drinkability of a white with some of the body and flavoring of a red… allowing you to quench your thirst without skimping on flavor. Plus, like we said, it’s pink. Don’t spread out on a towel without it.
Cava:
Going to the beach is a celebration of summer, of sun and of doing absolutely nothing for days on end. Celebrations call for bubbly! So next time you trek down to the water’s edge, bring some of “Spain’s Champagne” AKA Cava. It’s an effervescent, crisp explosion of bubbles that will complement the crashing waves perfectly. Make sure it’s good and dry for ultimate satisfaction.
Albariño:
The sloth and sleepiness of the sun is no match for this insanely bright, tart and acidic vino from Spain. Green apples and melons and lemons and a definite hint of ocean air will keep you cool, wakeful and feeling refreshed. It not only tastes like the ocean, it’s about as refreshing as that first chilly dip of the day.
