Now that it’s unofficially summer, I’m in a white wine mindset, which also means delicious white wine cocktails. Fortunately I’ve got quite a few to share with you. But first, I want to share one of my favorite white wines–with a great story to boot. After a decade of making wine (and far longer drinking it), winemaker Christian Stark set out to make an affordable, great-tasting wine that also makes a difference in the world. Lucky for us, he succeeded with Stark Thirst. This Sonoma Chardonnay is a fresh, dry white wine fermented in steel tanks, which is a fancy way to say that it doesn’t have an oaky flavor. It tastes of crisp fruit and zesty citrus, making it delicious for summer cookouts. Even better than its good taste is the good that Stark Thirst does in the world. This Chardonnay is packaged in US-made recycled glass bottles remade that are 33% lighter than the average bottle, for a smaller carbon footprint. They also partner with WaterAid to provide clean drinking water to at least 200 people this year and help raise awareness of the world’s water crisis.

So grab a bottle and sip chilled Stark Thirst Chardonnay on its own–or in one of these white wine cocktails. Because it’s not oaky, it’s great wherever a dry white wine is called for. best wine storage brandsEither way, it tastes great and feels good, in more ways than one. wine and beer price in up White Wine Berry Sangria (above) from Tasty Trials. port wine is best withWith fresh berries, how can you go wrong?food and wine best road trips White Wine Spritzer–an easy classic from Martha Stewart. best red wine for cooking beef roast

I think it’s ready for a comeback! Especially when you garnish with melon balls. Strawberry-Lemon White Wine Sangria from Kitchen Treaty. The mason jars are such an easy, unpretentious touch.best french wine to buy in france Herb and White Wine Granita from Food52. buy wine press australiaIt’s actually a sophisticated, refreshing, and very easy dessert.the best red dry wine Peach and Honey White Wine Slushie from the Snappy Gourmet. best pink wine 2013Definitely on the sweeter side, for a little taste of the south. Find Stark Thirst Chardonnay through three exclusive partners, including the Chelsea Wine Vault which ships to 35 states.Wine Spritzer is a coolly refreshing cocktail to have during the summer.

You have to be careful what you drink when it's hot, because alcohol tends to make you feel like you're boiling from the inside out anyway.Wine spritzer, however, is light, delicate, and none too heavy, and it's even better when you have a lot of different recipes from which to choose.Speaking of which … have a look at these excellent cool summer wine spritzer recipes to try and see which one you like best! 1. the Classic White Wine SpritzerThe fundamental thing you need to know before delving into more complicated wine spritzer recipes is how to make a classic white wine spritzer.It's really simple to do – you just mix half a cup of club soda with a cup of white wine.You can make red wine spritzer this way as well!Classic beverage made of green grapes. When used in cocktails, usually it's best to use a dry white wine.Summer should be all about: bare feet, lazy days, lake trips, berry picking, fire flies, tan lines (even though you totally wore sunscreen, of course) and back porch lounging while sipping on something refreshing.

I love how summer feels both laid back, but still super packed with activities, trips, and family visits. Summer time is tricky like that. For a laid back night at home, one drink I like to make is a white wine spritzer. If I open a bottle to make risotto for dinner, you can bet I'll be using some of the remaining wine to make a spritzer. It's also a great drink to serve if you're having guests over because everyone can easily make their own. So you don't have to play bartender all night. Here are three easy variations I like to make. We worked with Mirassou Winery on these and I used three of their delicious white wines. I like that you can easily change up what type of white wine you use (based on which you prefer), and you can just use up leftover fruit or citrus from your refrigerator if you're in a pinch. First up is probably my favorite—mixing Mirassou Chardonnay and ginger. Here's what you use: 4-5 oz. chilled Mirassou Chardonnay2-3 oz. chilled ginger beer (or ginger ale if you want it a little sweeter)juice from half a limegarnish with fresh or candied ginger

You can serve this over ice in any style glass you prefer or have on hand. If you want a little more sweetness or just a little less wine, you can change up the proportions on any of these to be 1/2 wine and 1/2 whatever mixer we use (in this case, ginger beer). I personally really like the Chardonnay from Mirassou, but another option to make this a bit sweeter would be their Moscato. Second is a Mirassou Sauvignon Blanc paired with club soda, watermelon and basil. Here's what you need: 4-5 oz. chilled Mirassou Sauvignon Blanc2-3 oz. chilled club soda (or tonic if you want a little more sweetness)3-4 frozen melon cubes1 big sprig of fresh basil I like to make the frozen melon all at once and then use it throughout the week. Frozen melon cubes are great in water as well for a tasty ice cube alternative. This one is actually probably tied as my other favorite because I LOVE using fresh fruit ice pops as an ice cube alternative. 3-4 oz. chilled wine (I used Mirassou Pinot Grigio for this one.