5 summer tipples
a selection of excellent drinks for balmy summer evenings
Long, lazy afternoons and balmy evenings call for the perfect summer drink. To help you find your new favourite, we’ve rounded up a collection of delicious tipples perfect for any occasion. From sophisticated cocktails and refreshing mocktails to the ideal wine for alfresco dining, this is your essential guide to staying cool and sipping in style. Let’s raise a glass to the flavours of the season!
Elderflower & Mint Spritz
This is my absolute go to summer tipple, it’s refreshing and packed full of summer flavours. This remake of a classic cocktail does pack a bit of a punch. We used a lovely Italian gin for this, Portofino Gin is a herby, zesty gin which is packed full of sunny flavours of the Italian Riviera!
Ingredients:
– Take a big Gin glass or tumbler and fill with Ice.
– add half a shot of elderflower cordial (any more, and it can be too sweet)
– add 1 shot Portofino Dry Gin (I tend to be more generous with the gin)
– add 4 shots of prosecco (a good glug will do, no need for total accuracy)
– add a small fever tree can of tonic
– take a healthy sprig or two of mint and crush to release the flavour and add to the glass and give it a swirl.
Dark and Stormy
In my view this is too simple to be designated as a cocktail, it’s simply a rum and ginger beer! Despite its simplicity, it’s a great drink for the hot weather with refreshing ginger, and boozy rum.
We’ve used Goslings Spirited Seas, Bermuda Rum for this, as it’s a fascinating rum blend which is loaded in barrels and onto a container ship where it embarks on a year-long voyage of flavour development as it is sloshed around on the high sea.
Ingredients:
– Take a low ball tumbler and fill with Ice.
– add a double measure of rum (let’s not beat around the bush!)
– add a small can of Fever tree Ginger beer. This is nice and light, but packed full of ginger punch, but not so much it puts hairs on your chest!
– add a slice or two of lime and give it a swirl.
Sanzo Verdejo White Wine
This is the first of our Spanish wines. What tastes more like summer than a crisp white wine from Spain. This is the brightest of the three featured which comes from the VinosSanz winery. From the Rueda. It’s a very dry wine with tropical hints and citrus notes. I would suggest this holds a fair bit of acidity, so perfect alongside Seafood and crisp summer salads with plenty of balsamic dressing.
José Pariente Sauvignon Blanc
This classic Spanish Sauvignon Blanc comes from grapes from the oldest vineyards in Rueda, planted over 40 years ago. It’s a fantastic fresh white wine which to be epitomises Spanish sunshine with citrus fruits and a fresh unadulterated hints of grapefruit and minerals. It’s dry and not overly sweet, making it a very drinkable wine with nibbles or alongside seafood, cheese or ham. If you like a European Sauvignon Blanc, or if like me you often find them too acidic, then this really should be on your list.
K-Naia 2024
Finally a classic Verdejo (with a hint of Sauvignon Blanc) again from the home of Verdejo grapes in the Rueda region. It’s really good introduction to Verejos, with citrus, fresh notes, passion fruit and mandarin. This wine does have a bitterness to it which makes it a perfect accompniment to many dishes. We were once told, if you would put lime in it, the it would pair well with a Verdejo, so that opens to door to a lot of suitable pairings! Personally I think this works really well with a coconut and lime fish curry.
