Summer is synonymous with sipping on a glass of chilled rosé. However, recent data from Drizly, the largest online marketplace for alcoholic beverages in North America, suggests that there may be new contenders in the warm-weather wine game. Sales of lighter bodied, chillable red wines such as Gamay and Lambrusco have been on the rise since 2020, while rosé sales on the platform dipped by nearly 10 percent in 2023.

Liz Paquette, head of consumer insights at Drizly, highlights the increasing popularity of Barbera and Gamay as the new “summer water”. Barbera, a grape variety that tends to be energized with assertive acidity, boasts bright and brambly fruit notes that pair well with a wide range of foods. It is grown in various regions around the world, including McLaren Vale in Australia and Paso Robles in California. The Barbera d’Asti “Tre Vigne” from Vietti, an iconic producer in Piedmont, Italy, emerged as the top-selling Barbera on Drizly this summer.

Similarly, Gamay, an acidic and light wine, can be found in locations where the grape variety is grown, such as Oregon, California, and Australia. However, it is in Beaujolais, a wine region in France, that Gamay truly shines. The Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages and Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais Gamay, both from Beaujolais, were the top-selling Gamays this summer.

While the rise in popularity of Barbera and Gamay is evident, it is important not to write off rosé entirely. Some rosés, aged in oak, can offer a different dimension and pair well with dishes beyond the summer months. Wanda Mann, the contributing editor to The SOMM Journal and founder of Wine With Wanda, points out that rosé can also be a great Thanksgiving wine.

So, while rosé may no longer reign supreme as the ultimate summer wine, there are certainly new chillable red wine options to explore and stock up on. Whether it’s Barbera or Gamay, there are plenty of choices to enhance your warm-weather drinking experience. Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter to stay updated on the latest Food & Wine news. Cheers to discovering new and exciting wines!