Happy Hour with Friends – The Perfect Wines to Serve

What does Happy Hour mean to you?

Maybe it brings to mind those times spent in a bar or pub that’s trying to get rid of its drinks by offering low prices on them. Those hours between 5pm and 7pm are ideal for those who want to drink on a budget. But let’s face it. You’re likely not going to be enjoying the best Italian wines during a bar’s Happy Hour. You’re more likely to get a few glasses of weak beer and the occasional white wine spritzer.

Of course, Happy Hour doesn’t mean this for everybody.

Maybe you prefer to hold your own Happy Hour at home. For example, you have a big meal planned and a couple of hours to kill while you wait for everything to cook. Those hours are perfect for sharing some wonderful Italian wines with your friends. And that is the type of Happy Hour the team at Xtrawine can get behind.

There’s just one problem.

You don’t know which Italian wines to serve.

That’s where this article comes in. We aim to provide the definitive list of perfect Happy Hour wines for you and your friends.

Leonardo da Vinci 1502 Sangiovese Portocanale Cesenatico Rosato 2021

Some of your friends love Italian white wine. Others prefer red. That leaves you with a little bit of a conundrum if you don’t have enough money to spend on a bunch of reds and whites to satisfy everybody.

The Leonardo da Vinci 1502 Sangiovese Portocanale Cesenatico Rosato 2021 is the perfect solution.

A gorgeous Rosé wine made using the famous Sangiovese grape, this wine is available for less than €10. This makes it ideal for buying in bulk of you expect your Happy Hour to be a particularly heavy one. But don’t let the budget price fool you. This is a stunning example of Rosé that has plenty of floral notes making it ideal for a refreshing summer drink. Combine those notes with white peach and apricot to get a wine that is fresh, crisp, and offers perfect harmony.

The Xtrawine team adores this wine and has awarded it a 98/100 rating. Not bad for an IGT that costs less than €10!

Buy Leonardo da Vinci 1502 Sangiovese Portocanale Cesenatico Rosato 2021 Here.

Villa Lanata Langhe Chardonnay 2021

Chardonnay is the most popular white wine grape in the world. It’s used in a ton of wines, both as a blending grape and as a standalone grape. With the Villa Lanata Langhe Chardonnay 2021, you get a wine that is 100% Chardonnay, which makes it ideal for Happy Hour.

Why?

Chardonnay is one of the most accessible grapes in the world. Its combination of dryness and fruity notes means that even those who don’t drink Italian wine regularly can usually enjoy a nice glass of Chardonnay. With the Villa Lanata Langhe Chardonnay 2021 you get a beautiful example that combines floral and fruity notes to perfection. The wine is both intense and full-flavoured, giving it a slight juiciness that balances out its dryness. The notes of citrus and tropical fruits are instantly recognisable, making this an easy wine for most people to enjoy.

Another wine that you can get for less than €10 from the Xtrawine collection, Villa Lanata Langhe Chardonnay 2021 receives an 88/100 rating from our team.

Buy Villa Lanata Langhe Chardonnay 2021 Here.

Tenuta Ulisse Rosé 2021

We return to Rosé wines with the Tenuta Ulisse Rosé 2021. Only now, we’re looking at a wine that is made using Merlot, which is still one of the world’s most popular wine grapes. That popularity makes the grape instantly accessible, meaning it’s perfect for a Happy Hour that includes a large group of friends with varying wine tastes.

The wine offers notes of white flowers, citrus peel, and fresh fruit. It also has a subtle note of minerality, which adds some balance to the mix. With its delicate structure and lengthy finish, this is the perfect wine to sip along with friends. Make sure to serve it chilled to get the most out of it.

The Xtrawine team absolutely adores this wine. The 2021 vintage shared here is one of very few wines to receive a 100/100 rating from our team. Best of all, you can pick it up for less than €17 in our store right now, making this both affordable and exceptionally high quality.

Buy Tenuta Ulisse Rosé 2021 Here.

Girlan Vigna Ganger Pinot Noir Riserva 2017

For the red wine enthusiasts, we cap off our list with a stunning example of Pinot Noir. The Girlan Vigna Ganger Pinot Noir Riserva 2017 is the showstopper for your Happy Hour experience. Costing about €136, this isn’t a wine for the faint-hearted. But if you’re looking to impress and enjoy in equal measure, it’s a perfect choice.

Girlan Vigna Ganger Pinot Noir Riserva 2017 has exceptional longevity, meaning it can be aged for over 25 years. The wine has intense notes of cherries, wild berries, raspberries, and similar ripe fruits. It also has a subtle note of marzipan for those willing to explore. When tasted, the wine reveals an elegant and refined structure, those the intensity of the notes is clear. A spiciness rears its head too, with well-balanced tannins making the wine accessible.

This wine will break the bank when compared to the others on this list. But if you’re looking to spend Happy Hour enjoying something truly spectacular with your friends, there are few better choices. The Xtrawine team gives this wine a 95/100 rating and believes it’s worth every penny you’ll spend on it.

Buy Girlan Vigna Ganger Pinot Noir Riserva 2017 Here.

The Final Word

Happy Hour is a chance to gather with friends and enjoy some wonderful Italian wines. Whether you’re enjoying the last vestiges of summer evening weather or experiencing your wines as part of a long dinner party, you’ll find plenty of great choices in the Xtrawine collection.

We’ve shared four excellent examples of Italian wine in this article. But if none of these wines take your fancy, there are plenty more for you to check out in our collection.