The 7 Best Napa Valley White Wines to Drink This Summer 2026
Odette, Freemark Abbey, Pahlmeyer
When most wine lovers hear the words “Napa Valley” their minds immediately go to Cabernet Sauvignon, and even if they’re white wine lovers their thoughts might float to Chardonnay. Sure, Napa Valley produces some of the world’s best Chardonnay, but winemakers have been experimenting with a multitude of white grape varietals over the years and some of them have achieved world-class status. For example, Napa Sauvignon Blancs have become highly sought after, but lesser-known varieties such as Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne are also winning the hearts of Napa wine drinkers. Many people don’t realize that one of the first grapes ever planted in the valley was Chenin Blanc, which is now going through a resurgence, while Sauvignon Blanc from here has been popular since Robert Mondavi made his first Sauvignon Blanc (and named it Fumé Blanc) in the late 1960s. White wines are definitely popular during the summer months because the only appliances we want to turn on are the air conditioner, wine cooler, ice maker, and refrigerator. Here are the seven best Napa Valley white wines to drink this summer.
-
Inglenook 2024 Blancaneaux
Image Credit: Inglenook Inglenook first made Blancaneaux in 1999 as a white wine partner to its iconic red wine, Rubicon. It is made with three estate grown white Rhône varieties, Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne and has heady aromas of white flowers, orange peel, and lemon zest. This full-bodied blend offers juicy flavors of lemon lime, peach, apple, and apricot.
-
Chateau Montelena 2023 Napa Valley Chardonnay
Image Credit: Chateau Montelena Chateau Montelena is well known for their 1973 Chardonnay that took top honors in the Judgement of Paris in 1976. Fifty years later the wines are still delicious and garnering accolades and awards. Matt Crafton has been the winemaker since 2014 and currently he is both the president and winemaker. His responsibilities include overseeing production, running the business, and weighing in on vital business decisions. His 2023 Chardonnay has ethereal aromas of mandarin, lime zest, and Anjou pear. It is big and bright in the palate with flavors of green apple, caramelized orange peel, and just a touch of flint in the finish.
-
Pahlmeyer 2023 Napa Valley Chardonnay
Image Credit: Pahlmeyer Pahlmeyer is named for Jayson Pahlmeyer, a former trial lawyer who founded his eponymous winery in 1981. He released his first red wine in 1986, and it was very well received by consumers and critics alike, thus putting his him and his winery on the map. The current winemaker is Katie Vogt, and she continues Jayson’s traditions by making excellent wines including this delightful Chardonnay. It has aromas of citrus blossom, lemon zest, and tangerine. Voluptuous in the palate, it offers flavors of mandarin orange, apricot, and white peach.
-
Annulus Cellars 2024 Sauvignon Blanc Oakville
Image Credit: Annulus Cellars Luke Evnin and Deann Wright founded Annulus Cellars and named it for the Latin word for “ring” to honor the cycles found in nature such as vine and grape growing and the cyclical process of making wine to be shared with family and friends. We recently drank their 2024 Sauvignon Blanc at their winery in Napa and thought it was excellent. It has aromas of white flowers, lemon merengue, and pink grapefruit with flavors of lemon zest, yellow peach, and a touch of sea spray salinity in the finish. This stunning wine is only available in a three pack, but hey, why not, there’s still a few months left to enjoy it this summer.
-
Tor 2023 Cuvée Torchiana Beresini Vineyard Chardonnay
Image Credit: Tor Tor Kenward founded his eponymous winery in 2001 and to date he has received more than 30 100-point scores from respected critics. Before that he worked for 26 years at Beringer and developed their Private Reserve program. His 2023 cuvée is made from vines that were planted in the 1980s in the Torchiana Beresini Vineyard. It is a delicious and well-made Chardonnay with aromas of toffee, pear, and pineapple that transition to flavors of Gala apple, Anjou pear, and citrus blossom.
-
Odette Estate 2023 Reserve Chardonnay
Image Credit: Odette Odette Estate is named in homage to characters from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and essays by Proust because the moniker represents grace and triumph. It’s also as a nod to Odette Kahn, a French wine critic who tried to rescind her scores after learning that American wines had taken the top spots in the Judgment of Paris. It was created as a sister winery to PlumpJack and is designed to counterbalance the full-bodied nature of Cabernet Sauvignon with the elegance and grace of Chardonnay. This 100 percent Chardonnay has aromas of citrus blossoms, lemon zest, and graphite. It is full bodied with flavors of green apple and lemon curd with a touch of refreshing salinity in the finish.
-
Freemark Abbey 2023 Viognier
Image Credit: Freemark Abbey Freemark Abbey was founded in 1886 by Josephine Tychson, one of the first female winery owners in California. It’s located at the northern end of Napa Valley and is now owned by Barbara Banke of Jackson Family Wines. The 2023 Freemark Abbey Viognier is 100 percent Viognier fermented in 70 percent stainless steel and 30 percent neutral French oak barrels for five months. It has delightful aromas of white flowers, especially freesia and jasmine, lemon zest, and gooseberry. Crisp and clean, it has bright flavors of citrus, peach, and kiwi.
