In honor of National Wine Day today and Memorial Day on Monday, we teamed up with Sommelier and SALT & VINE  owner Mattie Jackson Selecman to list 2018 must-have summer wines. As a Nashville native, Mattie got her taste for the grape while studying abroad in Greece and traveling to Tuscany to visit century-old classic wineries. After returning to the U.S. and studying under her mentor in Austin, she completed the CSW & Certified Sommelier before moving to Napa to intern, where she was the only female on the cellar crew for their 2013 harvest. Whether you’re hosting a BBQ or having an outdoor happy hour with friends, see her recommendations below on the perfect sips for the long weekend.

Txakolina

Mattie says: “Difficult to pronounce and even harder not to love, Txakolina is a perfect, edgy summer white to cut through muggy, humid nights. A style produced exclusively from indigenous grapes in Spain’s northern Basque Country, the wines (both white and rosé styles), are bone dry, mineral laced, and meant for long afternoons by the ocean.”

Picpoul de Pinet

Mattie says: “Another zingy wildcard white that should be stocked in every fridge this summer — Picpoul de Pinet. One of the oldest grape varieties to find a home in France’s Languedoc region, the wine is light, low in alcohol and beautifully limey. Consider it the vodka tonic of wine. The best part: it’s always inexpensive and a great partner for delicate shellfish.”

Gruner Veltliner

Mattie says: “Summer calls for bikini season which, unfortunately, can call for lots of salads and healthier fare. Gruner Veltliner, the pride and joy of Austrian winemaking, tops the charts as one of the best wines to accompany vegetables, vinaigrettes, and anything high in citrus. Bottles from Wachau, Kamptal, and Kemstral regions are the best, but most under $20 prove wildly refreshing.”

Unoaked Chardonnay

Mattie says: “Bringing Chardonnay back into style and into the summer season, just remember to “keep it clean.” While many of us cringe at flabby, butterbomb Chards, when the grape is unoaked, it offers one of the cleanest and freshest white wines to keep around the house. Whether an entry Macon from Burgundy or a crisp bottle from Santa Barbara or Sonoma, you’ll be astonished at how easy drinking Chardonnay can be when you keep it away from oak aging.”

Gavi di Gavi

Mattie says: “Rooted in Italy’s most northwesterly mountain region of Piedmont, Gavi’s style is understated, fresh, and packed with a core of fleshy melon fruit that makes you salivate for salty prosciutto. This unique white comes from a primarily red wine producing area, but the grape Cortese that comprises the style is made for picnics and light summer pasta dishes.”
(Reccomendations courtesy of Salt & Vine.)