Summertime, and the livin’ is easy… 

It’s that time of year. Summer is officially upon us! Families and friends are gathering for pool parties, BBQs and beach time, and the temperatures are hot enough that a chilled, refreshing drink is an absolute must.

Although the SYLTBAR team loves to kick back and relax all summer long with our favorite Mr Premium Prosecco and Mrs Sparkling Rosé, sometimes we switch it up with our super light and crisp 2018 White Linen Pinot Grigio.

This is the perfect summer sipper. Just as its name suggests, its flavor is light, airy, and fresh, but also more full-bodied than your typical Pinot Grigio. Drinking this wine gives us that same light and fresh, comfortable feeling that wearing white linen gives you as well. It’s made from 100% Friulano Grape, with low acidity and very floral, fragrant aromas. Enjoy a glass and you’ll find yourself tasting notes of almonds, dry fruits and peaches, a very summer-appropriate fruit.

One of our absolute favorite things to pair with White Linen is something we got to enjoy a lot during our recent trip to Germany: white asparagus. This particular vegetable is only available during the month of May in Germany, so we made sure to eat as much of it as we could while we were traveling! It’s much milder, more delicate, and slightly more bitter than regular green asparagus, which is why it pairs so nicely with White Linen.

White Linen is definitely our go-to fine wine for the summer, but if you are looking for something a bit stronger, yet still just as crisp and refreshing, here are some of the best summer-friendly cocktails that are easy to make, delicious to drink, and fun to share with your loved ones!

Popular Summer Drinks can be High in Sugar

Mojitos and margaritas are always a popular drink to sip on by the pool or at the beach. Keep in mind that many of your traditional cocktail mixers have a lot of sugar and calories in them, so be on the lookout for lower sugar options whenever possible. This is why the original versions of these drinks are typically a better choice than flavored varieties.

To keep things lower in sugar, this is how we suggest making these two classic cocktails. 

Low Sugar Mojito Recipe:

Ingredients: 

• ¾ ounce zero-sugar liquid sweetener such as Stevia or Truvia
• A few sprigs of mint
• 2 ounces white rum
• 2 ounces fresh squeeze lime juice (not lime concentrate)
• Club soda (or Mr SYLTBAR!)

 Directions:

1. Muddle the sweetener and mint at the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
2. Add rum, lime juice, and ice, and give it a good shake.
3. Strain the mixture into a glass filled with ice.
4. Top off with club soda, or if you want a little extra oomph, top off with Mr instead!

Low Sugar Margarita Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces blanco tequila
• 2 ounces fresh squeeze lime juice (not lime concentrate)
• 1 ounce fresh squeezed orange juice (not store-bought juice)

 Directions: 

1. Add all three ingredients and ice to a cocktail shaker, and give it a good shake.
2. Strain the mixture into a glass filled with ice.
3. Add a splash of Mr for extra efferevencese!

Aperol Sour Recipe:

SYLTBAR founder, Regina, loves an Aperol Sour for the summer. This is her new favorite drink! This is how you make it:

 Ingredients: 

• 1 ounce Aperol
• 1.5 ounces gin
• 1.5 ounces fresh blood orange juice (not store-bought juice)
• ½ ounce fresh orange juice (not store-bought juice)
• 1 ounce fresh lemon juice (not store-bought juice)
• 3 ounces Mr
• Garnish with a slice of orange

 Directions: 

1. Freshly squeeze fruits for juice and set it aside. 
2. Combine Aperol, Gin, Blood Orange, Orange Juice in a tall glass
3. Top with Lemon Juice and Mr
4. Serve with orange slice as a garnish.

We prefer to use fresh fruit whenever possible, rather than store-bought juices that are filled with sugar. Using fresh ingredients makes the cocktails taste so much better too!

Low Sugar Spritz Recipe

Another great summer cocktail is the Spritz. You can make a low-sugar, low-calorie spritz with just about any flavor of sparkling water and either Mr or Mrs. Enhance the flavor even more by muddling in some fresh fruit as well.

Healthy Summer Frose Swap

There is one summer drink that we can’t forget… It came onto the market not too many years ago and has been making waves ever since: Frosé! This frozen rosé drink can be found on restaurant menus almost everywhere. It’s typically made with some kind of sweetened, syrupy flavored mix added to rosé wine and ice, and blended until it resembles a slushie.  

It’s definitely tasty and its icy texture is perfect for hot days, but it’s loaded with sugar! Mrs wants to be a part of this summer favorite, so we have an idea for how to keep things a bit more healthy. Instead of purchasing a store-bought frosé mix, use fresh strawberries and/or raspberries from the market! Add the berries, Mrs, and ice to a blender and mix until it’s nice and smooth, and ready to drink!

Perfect wines for the Summer!

As you decide on your preferred cocktails for the summer months, make sure to keep SYLTBAR in mind. For the best summer-friendly white wine, order our White Linen Pinot Grigio. Make sure to also stay stocked up on Mr and Mrs to drink on its own or make any of these low-sugar cocktails we’ve suggested! Shop our online store or look for a retailer near you that carries our wine.