Drinking wine in the summer is different. Not because people tend to eat lighter, or because it’s hot. It’s the vibe.

From the moment children are imprinted with those two glorious words — “School’s out!” — summer has meant vacation, recreation and relaxation. It means dressing down and slowing down. We have yet to adopt the civilized French habit of taking August off. Nonetheless, the level of anxiety dips and formality trickles away like drops of perspiration at the beach.

We still want to sip greatness, to be tantalized and inspired by wines that speak with purity, grace or mystery. But more often we want to guzzle and slurp, to enjoy wine and plenty of it for its sheer deliciousness and refreshment. Critical drinking still has its moments, but more often comes the yearning to kick back, unwind and enjoy.

In keeping with that spirit, here are 20 fresh, lively, easy-to-drink wines for about $20 each. Some were new to me, while others are old, reliable friends in new vintages. They are divided roughly equally between reds and whites, with one pink wine thrown in. I’m not one to stop drinking reds in the summer, nor do I taper off on whites in the winter, but I do tend to drink lighter in the heat. Heavier, more alcoholic wines may have their redeeming qualities, but quenching summer thirsts is not one of them.