One of the glories of summer is slowing down, sipping on wine and visiting with friends and family. The world of wine is vast, so we asked Springfield wine experts to recommend some of their favorites for this season. Here are five great summer options — some may surprise your palate.
Morét-Brealynn rosé
They say you eat (or, in this case, drink) with your eyes first. If that is the case then the Morét-Brealynn rosé is a real stunner. Matt Bekebrede, owner of Vino Cellars Wine Shop & Lounge, recommends this beauty from Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County, California.
It is 100% Pinot Noir, but it’s a rosé as the juice has limited time of contact with the skins of the grape. The juice was placed into neutral French Oak barrels for fermentation and aging. The winery is named after its female winemaker, who was rated as one of Sonoma County’s Top Winemakers to Watch in 2024.
“This is a dry rosé that reminds me of a really mouthwatering, watermelon jolly rancher with a nice minerality on the palate,” Bekebrede said. “It's refreshing and has a bigger body than your average rosé.”
Food Pairings: Thyme-roasted chicken, salmon, gouda and salads
Price: $31 at Vino Cellars
Pomalo Debit
Amy Krieger — beer, wine and cheese coordinator for MaMa Jean’s Natural Market on East Sunshine — says her go-to summer wine right now is Pomalo Debit.
Pomalo’s winery is located in Dalmatia, Croatia. It has a Mediterranean climate, with dry, hot summers, and mild winters. They use organic farming practices and no irrigation.
“Embracing the minimal intervention approach in the cellar, hand-harvested grapes were destemmed, with a short maceration, then pressed into a stainless-steel tank to undergo spontaneous fermentation,” Krieger said. “The wine is then racked and left for five months on the lees.”
“On the lees” is a winemaking term that describes the process of aging white and sparkling wines on top of dead yeast cells and other particles that settle at the bottom of the fermentation vessel. This process can add complexity to the wine.
Debit has a straw yellow color with aromas of citrus and green apple, and is dry and zesty with hints of lemon, Krieger said.
The word “pomalo” means to take it easy and slow down. Krieger thinks this is fitting because Americans can use more “pomalo” in their lives. Debit is a perfect accompaniment to summer porch days, relaxing with a book near the pool, or enjoying in the evenings while watching the fireflies twinkle.
Food pairings: Oysters, ceviche or a goat cheese salad
Price: $18.99 at MaMa Jean’s Natural Market
Groundwork’s 2022 Counoise Carbonique
You don’t necessarily think of red in the summer, but Clinton Chandler, wine specialist at Brown Derby Wine Center & Marketplace, says you can beat the heat with Groundwork’s 2022 Counoise Carbonique.
The rare red grape Counoise (pronounced Coon-wahz), from the southern Rhône valley in France, has traditionally been used in blends but has gotten a new lease on life in Paso Robles as a single varietal wine.
Chandler says Groundwork has crafted this wine to be low in tannin, dry and very fruity, resulting in a red wine that can be chilled and enjoyed on hot summer days. He calls it “extremely food-friendly.”
“This is a red for white wine lovers,” he said.
Sounds like a great wine after a day on the lake.
Food pairings: Summer fare like spicy barbecue, burgers, brats and even salads
Price: $24.99 at Brown Derby Wine Center
Remy Saves the Sea rosé
Remy Saves the Sea is the summer wine of choice for Alex Jones, a wine specialist at Macadoodles on Independence.
Aside from being a great rosé, winemaker Noah Dorrance is from Springfield and is a Kickapoo High School graduate. He named the wine for her daughter Remy, who loves to surf and cares about conservation. They donate 1% of sales to the 5 Gyres Institute, a leader against plastic pollution in the ocean.
Jones says this is not as acidic as other rosé, which is his main complaint about rosés. It is low in acid and has more body than a traditional rosé. It’s melon-forward but balanced and has lots of depth, he said.
Cheers to supporting a local winemaker!
Food pairings: Sushi and salads, but it’s a good sipping wine even if you don’t have food to nosh on
Price: $19.98 at Macadoodles on Independence
Wilson Creek Winery’s Almond Sparkling Wine
Wilson Creek Winery in Temecula Valley, California, is known for its Almond Sparkling Wine, a multi-gold medal winner that is perfect for a little day drinking.
It’s incredibly unique and is a blend of French Colombard and Chardonnay that is naturally fermented with almond flavor added. This crisp and refreshing wine has a marzipan finish.
Founded in 1996, the winery is owned by the Wilson family and is nestled in Temecula Valley. Temecula is not as well-known as Napa or Sonoma, but it produces great vino.
The Wilson Creek Winery is gorgeous, offers wine tastings and has a wonderful restaurant on site. If you are ever in San Diego, the winery is about 1 hour and 20 minutes away and is worth a visit.
Food pairings: Brie, dried apricots, carrot or pound cake
Price: $15-19. Available at Hy-Vee, Brown Derby Wine Center, Macadoodles and select Walmart locations
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