Food, Wine

Spring and Summer Cocktails Brighten Up with California Wine

Raise a glass to Spring and Summer Wine Cocktails.

As winter’s chill gives way to warmer temperatures, we naturally gravitate toward crisp, refreshing wines that match the brightness of the spring and summer seasons. Of course, wines like California Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and rosé are delicious on their own, but they’re also fantastic in wine-based summer cocktails! Light and fresh yet big on flavor, wine cocktails are easy to make and are ideal for warm-weather sipping.

For vibrant spring and summer wine cocktails, choose wines with light and refreshing profiles—such as California sparkling wines, crisp whites and rosés. Then add accent ingredients like simple syrups, artisan bitters, edible flowers and fresh herbs that complement the wines’ natural aromas and flavors.

Need more inspiration? Download a copy of California Wines’ free e-book, “Fresh & Delicious California Wine Cocktails.” The book features five fabulous recipes for seasonal drinks that celebrate California’s bounty of sustainably grown wines, produce and fresh herbs.

Cocktail recipes include:

Fresh Berry Moscato Mule: A bubbly blend of muddled berries, ginger beer and California Moscato

Cucumber Herb Spritzer: California white wine, cucumber and lime meet mint and basil for a fresh herbal twist

Strawberry Lemon Smash: Fresh strawberries, California sparkling wine and lemon create a summertime sensation

Raspberry Frosé: California rosé, fresh raspberries and peaches whirl together for a slushy, grown-up treat

SoCal Citrus Sangria: A citrus-kissed combination of California Zinfandel, fresh citrus and a touch of honey

This tasty California take on the Moscow Mule is loaded with berry goodness. You can choose any berries you like. If you’re hosting a get-together, muddle a big bowl of berries in advance and store them in the fridge for up to 1 day. Since Muscat wine varies in sweetness, the wine you choose will dictate how sweet the finished mules are.

Ingredients

1 cup fresh berries, divided (we used blackberries, blueberries and strawberries)
8 ounces California Moscato
1 bottle ginger beer
2 lime wedges
2 sprigs mint
Ice

Directions

Set a few of the berries aside to garnish the cocktails. Place the remaining berries in a bowl and muddle them together to release their juices. Allow the berries to sit for at least 5 minutes.
Split the berry mixture evenly between two copper mugs or cocktail glasses.
Add 4 ounces of wine to each cocktail, top with ice, and stir to combine.
Fill each glass with ginger beer and top each with a lime wedge, mint and reserved berries. Serve and enjoy.

Recommended Pairings

California Moscato

This adult take on Strawberry Lemonade made with sparkling wine is incredibly popular, and with good reason. Find the full recipe featured on both the CA Grown website and on the This Mess Is Ours blog, by our photographer for the project, Meg van der Kruik. And be sure to check out the Raspberry Frose on the G-Free Foodie blog. Of course, you can also get both recipes in the ebook itself.

Summer Wine Cocktail Strawberry Lemon Smash

Looking for More Spring and Summer Recipes?

For seasonal dishes to pair with California wines and wine-based cocktails, order a copy of “Wine Country Table,” featuring recipes inspired by the Golden State’s sustainable winegrowers and farmers. You can also find many great seasonally inspired recipes at Discover California Wines.

How do winemakers know when it's time to harvest?