Some ground rules: seasonality is less about specifics and more about the overall vibe. After some intense debate (and tasting), we divided summer into three different scenarios, kind of like choose your own adventure. Ready, set, go: Park vs. Pool vs. Beach! Which one comes out on top? Well, you've got until Labor Day to find out for yourself.

Park: Think picnics, potluck meals, playing games until sunset.

Jolie-Laide 2020 Melon de Bourgogne - Buy It!

Melon is the grape used to make Muscadet in western France, and this version from Jolie-Laide, grown at elevation in an extreme vineyard on California's Central Coast, hints at saltiness but leans into flavors of zesty lemon and chalky minerality. And if you don't know Jolie-Laide yet, this is a fantastic introduction to some of the best new-school wines in California.

Pool: Sunshine, whistles, grilling, chilling and definitely no glass.

Two Shepherds Sparkling Piquette 'Maxzilla' Can - Buy It!

This low alcohol (7.5%) spritzy red wine in a can is made from organically farmed old vine carignan grown in Mendocino. Zesty and fresh, with a snap of bright red fruit, this drinks great right out of the can. Skip the glass and go carefree while poolside this summer. That's what we do.

Beach: No rules, just sand and sea; chase waves all day, bonfire all night.

Subject to Change 2021 Coferment FKA - Buy It!

Drinking red wine in the summer can be hard, but thankfully our pals at Subject to Change decided to blend a little Chardonnay with some Merlot and Pinotage to tackle that problem head-on. Fresh nectarine and charred peach flavors mingle with a tangy note of citrus in this irrisistible red wine that will fool you into thinking there's a white wine in your glass. Pop one at sunset on the beach after a long afternoon and get that bonfire going. You earned it.