In Defense Of The White Wine Spritzer

Welcome to Sounding Off, where writers have the chance to express their thoughts on the food and drink world. These opinions belong to the writer, not Tasting Table.

White wine spritzers have unfairly acquired a reputation over the years for being uncool. Mention "wine spritzer," and most people think of Grandma drinking watered-down Sauvignon Blanc or premixed cans of the strawberry-kiwi variety.

But there's no need to be ashamed of your love for this bemoaned beverage: I'm here to argue that white wine spritzers are the ultimate summer drink, no matter how "uncool" everyone may think they are.

Wine spritzers are delightful on a hot summer day and what you want to be drinking all summer long: on sunny beach days, lazy Saturday afternoons at the pool or at your next backyard cookout. They're cool and thirst quenching. The combination of chilled white wine and refreshing carbonated bubbles makes them perfect for staying hydrated while catching a buzz.

And best of all, they're low in alcohol, so they're ideal for all-day drinking minus the nasty hangover. You can play around with your wine-to-bubbles ratio and make them as light (or as boozy) as you want.

The basic recipe combines chilled white wine with club soda and ice, but the beauty of this simple drink is the endless possibilities for customizing with whatever you have lying around in your fridge or at the beach. There are no rules and no strict recipes to follow: another one of the many attributes that make it the perfect summer vacation drink. It takes two ingredients and a total of 30 seconds to whip up—so you can get back to enjoying your lazy summer afternoon outside. 

To rock a wine spritzer at your next event, combine your favorite chilled white wine with whatever bubbly beverage you have on hand. Club soda? Tonic water? LaCroix? Sprite? Anything works. Only have boxed wine? That works, too. If you want to be fancy about it, you can garnish your beverage with lemon slices (or whatever citrus you happen to have available), but it's just as enjoyable without.

Then comes the hard part: Sip outdoors on a hot summer day, preferably next to a pool or on the beach. Trust us, this beats stomaching another lukewarm lager or one of Uncle Jim's "special margaritas" any day of the week.