☀️ Sipping Lightly: My Go-To Wines for August Heat

From Sardinia with sunshine: crisp whites & innovative styles to round out summer

It’s hard to believe that August is already here! I saw this post on social media today, and it really summed up how this year has gone so far and made me giggle.

With only 5-ish months left ahead of us in 2025, it’s time to go all out on everything we hoped to bring to life this year. That’s what I’m planning on doing anyway!

That being said, it’s still important to savor the moment right where we are and August in Sardinia is a slow, sun-soaked affair. The days stretch long and golden, with the kind of heat that makes you forget what cold ever felt like. Although this year we had a hot couple of weeks in early July and temperatures have been more mild since. But it looks like another heatwave is on the way.

Life moves to a slower rhythm here. After lunch naps are sacred (for the locals, I’ve never managed to become much of a napper), beaches are packed by 10 a.m., and even the vines seem to sigh in the heat. What one of our dear friends endearingly and proudly calls, the slow life.

I find myself craving simplicity: chilled wine, juicy fruit, something grilled. No elaborate meals, just good ingredients, good company, and something cold in my glass.

Whether you're by the sea, the grill, or the AC unit, here are a few wines I’ve been reaching for lately. They’re easy-drinking, versatile, and full of summer charm. Yet if you find the right producers, even these refreshing beauties can speak of terroir and entice with complexities of their own.

4 Light, Refreshing Wines I’m Loving Right Now

You know that I’m in Sardinia at the moment, so of course I am sipping on as many Sardinian wines as possible. I understand these might not be widely available where you are, but I’m working diligently behind the scenes to change that (if you’re based in America).

1. Vermentino

Bright, citrusy, and slightly saline, Vermentino is my go-to summer white. There is A LOT of Vermentino produced in Sardinia, and it’s safe to say that styles vary widely. Those from the Vermentino di Gallura DOCG tend to be more voluptuous on the palate with greater concentration. As opposed to Vermentino di Sardegna DOC wines, which can technically be produced all over the island. Though my favorite zone for Vermentino besides Gallura is the northwest part of the island near Alghero, Sorso, and Ussini. Lots of gems worth discovering around there, some of which you can find in my ultimate guide on where to go wine tasting in Sardinia.

Well-made Vermentino is like a citrus-and-sea-breeze-kissed summer day on the island with a characteristic bitter almond finish. It’s perfect with seafood, but also delightful on its own or with lighter pasta dishes and fresh cheeses. Bonus: it’s widely available and affordable.

I’m sharing a couple of my favorite Vermentino producers with paid subscribers below. If you want to learn more about this quintessential Sardinian grape, then read this:

2. Granazza

Granazza is one of Sardinia’s rarest native white grapes and if you’ve never heard of it, you’re not alone. For a long time, it was mistaken as a variant of other grapes or dismissed entirely, but in recent years a few dedicated producers in the renowned Mamoiada region of Barbagia have been working to bring it back.

Granazza makes a lightly aromatic, textured white wine with notes of citrus, wild herbs, yellow stone fruit, and acacia blossoms, often with a bit more weight and rusticity than Vermentino. There’s a certain mountain freshness to it, like a breeze coming down from the Gennargentu range, balanced by a savory edge and slightly grippy finish. It’s incredibly food-friendly and shines with grilled vegetables, sheep’s milk cheeses, or roasted chicken with lemon and herbs. AND it makes fantastic orange wines, too!

Granazza is hard to find outside Sardinia (and sometimes even in Sardinia), but it’s worth seeking out if you love discovering lesser-known varieties with a strong sense of place.

You’re here, so I know that you do! ;)

3. Torbato

Torbato is one of Sardinia’s most intriguing white grapes. It’s rare, distinctive, and deeply tied to the island’s Catalan past. You’ll mostly find it in the Alghero area, where it thrives in chalky, clay-rich soils with temperatures moderated by sea breezes. It’s notoriously finicky in the vineyard, requiring the right balance of heat, light, and minerality, which makes its revival all the more impressive.

Sella & Mosca led the charge in bringing Torbato back from near extinction, and today a few producers are exploring both still and sparkling styles. In the glass, Torbato is all about freshness and structure with notes of pear, green apple, chamomile, and crushed stone, and a clean, almost saline finish. It has a little more body than you might expect, which makes it incredibly versatile at the table.

Pair it with bruschetta, grilled calamari, grilled veggies, or oysters with a squeeze of lemon, and you’ve got a perfect match for a summer lunch al fresco.

4. Sparkling Cannonau Rosato or Cannonau Vinified as a White Wine
Did you know that Sardinia’s powerhouse red grape can be a total revelation in the summer heat?! Not only are there lighter-bodied styles made with carbonic maceration that are delectable when chilled, but several producers make sparkling Cannonau that’s vinified as a white wine or as a rosé.

These lighter expressions show a whole new side of Cannonau, highlighting its red berry brightness, floral lift, and subtle spice without the full weight and tannin you get in traditional reds.

The rosato versions when made sparkling are juicy, vibrant, and incredibly refreshing, often with notes of wild strawberries, pomegranate, and herbs. Perfect as an aperitivo or paired with prosciutto-wrapped melon, cold pasta salads, or grilled shrimp skewers.

Even rarer is white vinified Cannonau. It’s essentially a blanc de noir style that showcases crisp acidity and citrusy elegance with a whisper of red fruit complexity. These wines are still under-the-radar, but if you find one, grab it.

Now I’m thirsty…