Oregon is blessed with an abundance of excellent local fruit during the summer months. We’re a little bit prejudiced, but we think Oregon has some of the best fruit in the world. From sweeter than honey Willamette Valley berries bursting with juices, to fragrant Hood River peaches, to perfectly vine ripened Eastern Oregon melons, we eat a lot of fruit around Olsen Family Vineyards during our long extended summer months.
We also enjoy nothing better during hot weather than a chilled glass of Viridian Pinot Gris.
So why not combine the two into this terrific and easy to make white wine fruit cocktail?
This recipe is just the thing to kick off a BBQ or picnic, or is a nice light to a meal during sultry summer evenings. This white wine fruit cocktail keeps up to 8 hours in so making it ahead of time is a breeze.

Viridian Pinot Gris Summer Fruit Cocktail
Makes 4 servings

1 1/4 cups dry white wine
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1/2 cantaloupe, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1 pint fresh hulled and halved strawberries, whole raspberries or other ripe berries

Directions:
Combine the wine and sugar in a saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil; stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the mint; set aside.
Combine the cantaloupe, grapes, and strawberries in a large bowl. Pour the wine mixture over the fruit; toss together until all the fruit is covered with the wine mixture; cover and chill. Store in the refrigerator up to 8 hours before serving.
Serve with chilled Viridian Pinot Gris.
Bon Apetit!