Monthly Sips: The Best Wines I Drank in June
One of the most common questions I get is, “What’s your favorite wine?”
Truth is, wine is very situational for me. I rarely revisit the same bottle, which often makes it difficult for me to answer this question.
So, I decided a monthly log of the best bottles I’ve had of late would be a good start.
You can reference this guide when you’re stocking up your cellar or just craving something different. Hopefully, these monthly wine roundups will inspire you to try some new things! Even if you can’t get these exact same bottles, I challenge you to get out of your wine comfort zone and explore a region, grape, or style of wine you have yet to taste.
Monthly Sips: The Best Wines I Drank in June
Here are the best wines I drank in June 2022, in no particular order. You may be able to purchase some of these online, and if so, I’ve included links below.
June is my favorite month for drinking wine. I love the beginning of summer because it’s not too hot yet, and the vibes are just overall celebratory with all the graduations, weddings, etc.
I hope you also had a great month of wine-drinking. And if not, it’s not too late to make July even better! Add these bottles to your list and give them a try this summer. I promise you won’t regret it.
By the way, some of these links are affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase using the links provided, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I appreciate your support!
Maker 2021 Albariño by Camins 2 Dreams, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, CA
If you’re not new here, you know I’m a big fan of Maker canned wines, and WOW their newest can of Albariño did not disappoint. Not to mention, Albariño is one of my favorite white grapes (originally from Spain), so I had high expectations for this one.
Crafted by wife & wife winemaking team, Mireia and Tara, this natural wine is my new go-to for summer. Deep gold in color, with notes of tropical fruit, ripe yellow peaches, honey, ripe Meyer lemon, passionfruit, white flowers, green apple jolly rancher, and mandarin oranges. The tasting notes can go on forever…this wine is so expressive!
This Albariño has a slightly creamy texture and the lingering finish leaves your mouth watering for another sip. I’ve paired this can with sushi and also a beach day - both were perfect!
Get your 6-pack here before it sells out (yes, it will sell out soon!)
Domaine des huards Cour-Cheverny 2018 Romo, loire valley, fr
This wine is made from a French grape called Romorantin, a relative of Chardonnay I had yet to meet. It’s crisp and acidic, almost reminiscent of a Chablis, with a salty finish.
This wine paired delightfully with my favorite goat cheese, Humboldt Fog, and I can see it being the perfect companion for oysters!
Red Thread Wines 2021 Howell Mountain Rosé, Napa Valley, CA
This wine was one of the features for our June winemaker tasting with Gretchen Brakesman of Red Thread Wines. This Rosé of Zinfandel is a stunning shade of vibrant pink. It’s dry with notes of candied strawberries, watermelon, cherry, minerality, crisp mountain air, and ruby red grapefruit. It’s literally summer in a bottle.
This is a juicy, medium-bodied rosé that can be enjoyed on its own or alongside a variety of foods. I paired it with strawberry burrata toast, and it was a match made in heaven. Get the recipe here.
If you’d like to opt in for our next boutique California wine shipment and join the winemaker tasting, head to this events page to see what’s in store for this month!
This post is about the wine on the far left, but this whole lineup was fantastic.
Duboef Emile Beranger 2020 Pouilly-Fuisse, Bourgogne, FR
I had the pleasure of tasting this wine (along with many other delicious wines from Burgundy) at a trade tasting event in New York. I don’t typically drink a lot of French wines, especially not in this price category, so this was a treat.
That day, I learned the ‘19 and ‘20 vintages for Burgundy were a bit warmer, so the wines tend to be fruitier and fuller (less mineral) than those of other years. I’d highly recommend seeking out these vintages if you’re typically a New World wine drinker. These are great intro wines into the world of Burgundy!
2020 ECHEVERRIA WILD PéT NAT, CURICO VALLEY, CHILE
If you haven’t tried a pét-nat yet, this is your sign. “Pét-Nat” stands for Pétillant Natural, which translates to “naturally sparkling” from French. This is the original method of producing sparkling wine (yes, even before champagne) in which the wine is bottled before fermentation is finished. As fermentation continues in the sealed bottle, CO2 is released and trapped, creating bubbles in the wine.
Pét-nats are typically lightly sparkling (frizzante in Italian), a bit funky, and very refreshing. The wines are unfiltered and unfined, so don’t panic if you see some sediment in the bottle.
This Chardonnay pét-nat from Chile was so drinkable, I probably could have enjoyed the whole bottle to myself. It was floral, fresh, and easy-drinking, and paired perfectly with popcorn.
This is sold out everywhere, but take this as a sign to try a pét-nat!
Domaine Sautereau 2020 Sancerre, Loire Valley, FR
If you love aromatic wines, this is the one for you. I shared this bottle with friends over French tapas at St. Tropez in NYC. This Sauvignon Blanc was so beautifully floral and was the perfect match for oysters.
P.S. I recently shared the sad news that Sancerre is only getting more expensive. The truth is, the region is tiny and can’t keep up with the demand. Check out this post for some Sancerre alternatives that are similar, but won’t break the bank.
champagne palmer & co 2012 vintage brut
While in New York, I was lucky to attend the launch event for Champagne Palmer & Co’s new line of vintage champagne, Grand Terroirs. I can only think of a handful of times I’ve had the pleasure of tasting vintage champagne, so this was truly a treat!
Typically, champagne and most sparkling wines are non-vintage (or NV), meaning the wine is a blend of many different years to get the perfect recipe. When a champagne is labeled with a vintage, or harvest year, it means that year was a special one with perfect conditions that are evident in the wine. Vintage champagnes are typically more complex and can age beautifully.
The Champagne Palmer & Co 2012 magnum was obviously a stunner, aged on the lees (dead yeast cells) for a handful of years to give it a complex nose of toasty brioche. The wine is drinking beautifully now, but I imagine it will develop even more with age.
This wine is launching to market soon. It might be a bit pricey, but be on the lookout when you’re in need of a special bottle!
large soif! 2020 blanc, loire valley, fr
This Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay blend from the Loire Valley lived rent free in my mind for over a year, until I recently came across a bottle at a tiny grocery store in Massachusetts. I obviously picked up the bottle and opened it immediately to pair with vegetable curry (*chef’s kiss*).
This is a natural wine, meaning nothing was added (except some sulfur at bottling) or taken away. The part that stood out the most for me is the wine’s silky smooth texture. While it has some creaminess from a bit of lees contact (dead yeast cells that add texture to the wine), it has balanced acidity to keep it perfectly refreshing.
With notes of wild flowers, ripe yellow apples and honey, this wine is ideal for a warm summer evening.
I hope you enjoyed this recap of my favorite wines from June. If you taste any of these, please let me know in the comments below! I’ll be back next month with another roundup of my favorite wines from July.
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like this one about small production wine.
And if you’d like to attend a virtual or in-person wine tasting event, join our Wine Tasting Club or check out our upcoming events here.
Happy sipping!
