More to Summertime

Written By: Marlene Osteen | Issue: July 2023

It’s officially summertime. Time to let the imagination run riot, drinkwise. Because there’s more to summertime than tepid wine in a plastic cup. And nothing embodies the relaxed and easy-going spirit of the season quite like a wine-based cocktail or cooler. After all, what could possibly be cooler in summer than this?

The quickest route to relief from the heat is a tall, cold one. So here are recipes for what’s easy, thirst-quenching, and pleasant to drink for those sultry nights ahead.

Start with a Kir, the classic cocktail from the Burgundy region of France. Served chilled and made from only two ingredients – crisp, dry white wine (aligoté is traditional) and crème de cassis (a black currant liqueur) you can mix it directly in the glass. When the proportions are right – 1/2 oz of Crème de Cassis to 5 or 6 oz of wine – a kir is refreshingly tart and lightly sweet. Once you have the classic down, variations abound. Substitute sparkling wine for the white wine, and it becomes a kir royale or make it with red wine, and it’s a Bourgogne. Low in alcohol, it is an open invitation to go the length of the long sunset and drink on repeat.

Wine coolers – a combination of still wine and fruit – are another opportunity to experiment. A longtime favorite is a watermelon cooler, a concoction created by legendary New York bar expert, Dale DeGroff. To make, pour 3 oz of Sauvignon Blanc, 2 oz of Watermelon juice, ½ oz elderflower liqueur, and 1 teaspoon of simple syrup over ice: garnish with a cucumber ribbon and a lime wheel.

Then there’s the Aperol spritzer, which of late seems to have become the official drink of summer. The classic is made with the red-orange aperitif and prosecco or champagne, with a splash of club soda. Light and fresh, and low in alcohol, you can drink it all night long – and certainly all summer long.

The oldest, most summery, and most outdoorsy drink of all is Sangria. Inexpensive, easy to drink, and perfectly harmless, you can, as Kingsley Amis said, “drink a lot of it without falling down.” Here’s how to make a good one: Combine a bottle of inexpensive Bordeaux, or an equivalent California red, with a cup of brandy, a pint of club soda, the strained juice of three oranges and a couple of lemons, two slices of fresh pineapple cut up, two sliced peaches and a pint of sliced fresh strawberries. Add half a cup of sugar.

Be sure to select a wine you want to drink on its own and resist the impulse to use a flawed or turned bottle. It can only lead to lackluster drinks and quick-to-arrive hangovers.