20 best White wine cocktails

Back in 2001, I had a seminal experience in the bar at Hotel du Vin in Bristol, where I was served their Palermo cocktail. This wasn't the first wine-influenced cocktail I'd tried, but it was the one that revealed the delicious influence the acidity and grassy flavours of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc could bring to a cocktail.

That experience, combined with enjoying Spritz Al Bitters made with Pinot Grigio while in Venice, made me something of an evangelist for the use of wine in cocktails, particularly aromatic grassy Sauvignon Blancs. In 2006, when creating the cocktails for the launch of St-Germain, Sauvignon Blanc was my go-to, resulting in the Elderflower Spritz, Left Bank Martini and The StiG (all below).

The use of wine to add acidity and balance, in place of or alongside citrus, dates back to the earliest cocktail recipes with the Rhine Wine Cobbler from Harry Johnson's 1882 New And Improved Bartender's Manual perhaps the most enduring. Unlike the modern trend towards using lactic, malic, and tartaric acids, white wine adds flavour as well as acidity.

Predictably, many of my selections for the best white wine cocktails below use Sauvignon Blanc but perhaps try with other varietals such as Viognier.

Canary Flip
We say: Looks creamy and sweet but is sharp and citrusy.

Double Grape Martini
We say: The name represents the combination of grapes and wine made from grapes.

The Duchess
We say: Gin's light gin botanical spice combines with rich orange, wine and vermouth.

Elderflower Spritz
We say: A long, easy-drinking summer cooler.

The Field Marshal
We say: Sauvignon Blanc wine, celery, pineapple and rum all sit harmoniously.

GE Blonde
We say: A delicate cocktail with apple juice and subtle peaty whisky.

Grape Expectations
We say: A Sauvignon Blanc wine, rose liqueur, apple and lemon brandy-based swizzle.

It's Hartnell Damn It!
We say: An equal parts riff on Doctor No.1, using white wine acidity instead of lime juice.

Left Bank Martini
We say: Aromatic, floral and dry.

Morning Dew
We say: Minty fresh with light white wine acidity and subtle ripe raspberry.

Palermo
We say: Vanilla rum with tart wine and the richness of pineapple juice.

Parmenides
We say: A brandy sour with Green Chartreuse and white wine.

Pisco Kid
We say: Inspired by memories of Nestle's Milkybars and the 1980s British TV ads.

Reggatta de Blanc
We say: Dry and spirit-forward.

Rhine Wine Cobbler
We say: A fruity alternative to a spritz.

Sauvignon Blanc Punch
We say: Sauvignon Blanc wine's grassy acidity adds to citrus' fresh, zestyness.

Silver Pineapple
We say: Rum-laced rich pineapple balanced by white wine and lime juice acidity.

The StiG
We say: Wine acidity balances rich elderflower with apple brandy and pisco.

Suzie Cocktail
We say: Gentian bittersweet notes with pisco, pineapple and Sauvignon Blanc wine.

Tropic
We say: A light, satisfying summertime cooler.