As I brainstorm about a topic for this week’s blog, the birds are chirping up a storm outside the window and I know just how they feel. In a word (or two) – SPRING FEVER!
Days like today make me wish I was sitting on a patio sipping cocktails instead of “adulting” at work like a good girl. So here I sit, windows open, think…think…thinking about what to write, and voila: Wine cocktails!
Even if I’m not gonna be drinking one any time soon, I might as well dig around a bit and find some tasty ones to try later, right? And find I have! There are so many delicious looking recipes I don’t 
know where to start, so I’ll just jump right in with the prettiest one first – The Summer Cup. Perhaps it’s because the name is similar to Pimm’s Cup, which I adore, but this looks delicious to me. It may be a bit more Summery than Spring-like, but I can’t wait that long to try it at home!
If you plan to take your cocktails on the road, say to a concert at your local outdoor amphitheater that allows patrons to byob – like Atlanta’s wonderfully civilized Chastain Park – the timeless classic Champagne Cocktail could be the way to go. It’s simple, tasty, and will make you feel oh-so-classy whilst you’re drinking it.
Since today is St. Patrick’s Day I would be remiss if I didn’t include a green cocktail for you. I found so many it was hard to choose – mainly because almost all of them contain Midori and I had an unpleasant experience with that liqueur in my 20s (oh, the things I’ve outgrown). I’d almost given up since the only other green alternative I could find was Creme de Menthe, but then I found the delightful Green with Envy! Why didn’t I think of Apple schnapps sooner? It would have saved me a lot of time searching for something green I’d actually drink.
I saved the best for last…and by best, I mean the ones I’m likely to drink most often. I stumbled across Stone’s Ginger Wine and it might 
have just changed my life! Seriously, I just ordered one of each of their wines online. I’m posting three of their recipes because they all look so yummy I couldn’t decide which one to share. I even found a cool old recipe booklet of theirs on Pinterest that you can check out!
The first of their cocktails I’ll share with you is Stone’s and Lemonade, and
it’s as simple as it sounds. To make it into something else, like their “Stonehead,” just substitute beer or lager for the lemonade. How perfect is that for beer lovers? Finally, this last one, Stone’s Ginger Punch, isn’t a Spring “patio cocktail” per se, but I bet it would be wonderful on chilly evenings during this transitional weather. Wow, I’m starting to sound like a Stone’s infomercial and I haven’t even tried it yet!
The moral of the story: it’s okay to play around with your wine! You don’t always have to drink it as is, and there’s definitely more to wine cocktails than adding a splash of club soda or a soft drink and calling it a spritzer or wine cooler. There’s a whole world of combinations to try, so be BOLD and let me know what you come up with.
Cheers!
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