Summer is in full swing here in Santa Barbara. Sure it's Labor Day Weekend and Monday is the first of September, but this is when Santa Barbara hits its stride. 75 degree days stretch out for weeks at a time, the beaches have room, finding a vacant volleyball court isn't a scramble, you may even discover a bar seat at The Boathouse and enjoy a sunset over the Pacific. With that in mind Renegade is featuring some of our newer warm weather wines, from Soave to Sancerre, Rhone to Rías Baixas. There's even a restock of our favorite Corsican Rose. As always, read, relax, enjoy, and have a great long weekend!

2023 Gini Soave Classico (Italy, Veneto) $24 Since 1570, and with fifteen generations under their belt, Gini is producing some of the most dynamic wines in Soave. Their 70-100+ year old Garganega vines are planted on volcanic soil and while Soave law requires only a 70% input of Garganega in a Soave white wine, Gini allows the full terrior of the soil, and the genius of 100% Garganega to shine through in this bottle. Welcoming aromas of citrus, peach, floral notes emerge first, while in the glass a more textured wine (than say Pra or Inama) emerges. Beaming acid greets the palate mingled with golden apple, pear, lemon, white peach, and hints of tropical fruit with a smattering of fresh herbs. There's grip here, and precise balance, with an emerging salinity as the wine interacts with its environment. The finish lingers with celestial weight, and while you may become lost staring at the bright luminescence in the glass, may we suggest another sip.

2023 COS Terre Siciliane Zibibbo in Pithos (Italy, Sicily) $42.50  Zibbibo, more commonly known as Muscat of Alexandria, is an ancient, highly aromatic white grape originating in the Mediterranean. COS takes the grape to a whole new level. With seven months of skin contact in amphora, a few months in concrete, then time in bottle, the wine is transformed into a beautifully textured, complex and aromatic orange wine. There's floral aromatics with salty minerality and a richly structured mid-palate; beeswax, lemon curd, lychee, toasted almond, Mandarin orange, honey...to name a few of our tasting notes. A full on elegant expression of Zibbibo.

2024 Jean-Max Roger Sancerre Cuvée "Les Caillottes" (France, Loire Valley) $38 What more can one say about Sancerre? Except that it's hard to keep in stock these days. Here's a new vintage of one of our go-to Loire Valley whites. Citrus zest, apple, melon and a flinty, briny character are all richly displayed, with subtle stone fruit in the shadows. An ideal wine for pairing with oysters, baked cod, roast chicken, but also fantastic just by itself.

2023 Bodegas del Palacio de Fefiñanes Albarino (Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas) $42 It's been a few vintages but our notes reflect what we've always experienced: "Good As Ever". Stone fruit, salty minerality, hints of citrus, gorgeous texture, with a round, silky finish. Once enjoyed by the Spanish royalty close to a hundred years ago, now perfect for a Royal weekend.

2024 Domaine de Marquiliani Corse Rosé Gris de Marquiliani (France, Corsica) $35 Before we get to the Kermit Lynch red below, let's visit one of our favorite Roses from Corsica, from Anne Amalric, also a Kermit Lynch Import. While in her neighborhood Anne is most famous for her olive oil it's her Rose that gets all the attention in Europe and overseas. We are over the moon with this vintage; it's like drinking a cloud (someone had to say it). 95% Sciaccarellu, 5% Syrah, harvested early to preserve freshness and acidity, this is a splendid example of a picture-perfect Summer Rose. We could mention the ethereal notes of peach, melon, spring flowers, or the mineral-laced blood orange, strawberry, and lavender that tease the senses. But honestly, it's best experienced in person.

Juicy, fresh, savory with red berry fruit, hints of lavender, a touch of that Rhone garrigue, a twist of pepper and a beautiful bouquet to round it out. Textbook Southern Rhone