Sancerre is a little hilltop town that pops out of the Loire like a button. In the 70’s, the wines from the area were all the rage around Europe. Streaked with mineral and honey aromatics, the best of them are so vibrant that they leave a trail of amazement in their wake as the bottle makes its way around the room. The wines are refreshing and terroir driven. They should be your go-to wine for salads and goat cheese (especially of the ash-aged creamy variety). If you want to lay down some sophistication at a dinner party this summer, the Hyppolite Reverdy Sancerre is the wine to set the night off right.

SB from New Zealand is a different animal. A big, lovable, tropical-tasting animal. The country’s best artisan wines come from Marlborough, on the northeast tip of the South Island. These Lemon-zest dusted bananna, kiwi and gooseberry bombs are intensely aromatic and deeply enjoyable. Serious crowd pleasers with the power to match bold food, this is the stuff for backyard entertaining and people-watching from the porch. For everyday grilling, chilling, and relaxing, serve up a few bottles of Sacred Hill. For an epic, next-level grill event, roll out the Mahi.

One hundred percent free run juice, cold fermented and sur lee aged for three months. Translation: this is one fine, artisan wine. The Mahi is ripe and tart at the same time -  and perfectly balanced, too. It has all the classic NZ elements: big, bold tropical and citrussy (banana, kiwi, meyer lemon and pink grapefruit all playing together nicely). But it’s got something else. It’s got something that so many SB producers lust after but can’t have: a sense of place. Mahi is the story of Marlborough in all its complexity and depth. Beautiful minerality and an incredibly weight are reminders of why we fell in love with Marlborough’s wines in the first place. Everybody who gets a glass, loves it.

A bunch of people, some grilled shrimp and scallop skewers, and full glasses of the Mahi – a recipe for one hell of a spring evening.

Impress your friends. Come down and snatch up a few bottles.

$18.95/Bottle

This is big, fun juice. The Sacred Hill is a ripe gooseberry and lemongrass explosion  that you’ll want to set off in a backyard, with the grill humming along, the music playing and the sun shining. It is made for salads and grilled fish, for sunny afternoons and warm nights – an extra delicious wine wine for perfectly simple entertaining.

I can’t guarantee this’ll be around all summer, but we’ve got a good chunk. Pick up a bottle or six, you’ll love it.

$13.25/Bottle