Sauvignon Blanc Sundays: Wine

Summertime signals an irresistible change. Friends are eager to stay out later and watch the sun go down. Beachside and patio gatherings are constant- whether serendipitous or premeditated. Crisp, whites are poured feverishly across the country. In this three-part series, follow some simple tips to make this summer a memorable one with a simple and elegant sauvignon blanc Sunday party, Napa style.

Let crisp, lively, refreshing Whitehall Lane sauvignon blanc be one of your summer entertaining essentials — on Sauvignon Blanc Sundays or any day of the week. The wine helps create a vibe that is fun, welcoming and casually elegant. Don’t forget to #SBSunday to inspire (or shamelessly brag to) your social networks.

#1 Wine

Whitehall Lane sauvignon blanc is best serve chilled, almost glacially cold, so stock up on ice. Chill the sauvignon blanc in wine buckets filled with ice and water, arranging them in groups throughout the party for easy access.

A champagne tub brimming with several bottles of Whitehall Lane makes for an especially dramatic presentation. No champagne tub? Pas de problème. Substitute an inexpensive anodized aluminum tub (very farm chic) purchased at a garden or big box store or colorful plastic baskets or hampers found at discount stores.

And speaking of discount stores: They’re great sources of stylish but affordable glassware. At a casual party where there’s lots of mixing and mingling and filling of wine glasses and setting them down, you don’t want to tout out your best crystal. Save that for sit-down dinners.

Instead, use your everyday wine glasses, even those with logos commemorating various events, the logos add a whimsically kitschy touch. If you don’t have enough, head to the discount store to stock up.

Again, as with the wine, set the glasses out in clusters throughout your gathering. You might also want to offer inexpensive wine charms with the glasses so people can loop them about the stems to keep track of which glass is theirs.