So it’s been a hot this summer…like, really hot. One of my favorite things to do during the warm summer and early fall months is sip on a refreshing cocktail or glass of wine. While I think you should drink what you want during whichever season you want, there are some cocktails and wines that pair well with the sweltering heat. From premium canned wine to a newly launched prosecco rosé, here is a roundup perfect for your continued summer imbibing.
Just Enough Canned Wine
After many years in the tech industry, Jessica Hershfield wanted a change. Thus, she partnered up with Kaitlyn Lo, co-founder and COO, and Ross Bentley, Director of Winemaking to create premium quality canned wine. Just Enough Wines features Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Brut Bubbles, and a Rosé. Each can is equivalent to 1.5 glasses of wine; it’s perfect if you want a little more than a glass but don’t want to open a whole bottle. (No judgement if you want another can!) Focusing on sustainability, Just Enough Wine also partners with environmentally friendly nonprofits to donate 1% of their sales each year.
Middle West Spirits
Produced in Ohio — hence the name — Middle West Spirits features a number of premium spirits, including vodka and gin. Their flagship vodka, OYO Character Vodka is unfiltered and crafted from Ohio soft red winter wheat. The flavor profile is so light, yet distinctive. With vodka expressions like OYO Stone Fruit, OYO Honey Vanilla Bean and OYO Barrel-Finished Honey Vanilla Bean, there is a flavor profile for everyone. The innovative spirits brand also produces a refreshing dry gin named Vim & Petal. Distilled with 18 various botanicals, the American gin offers light floral aroma and notes of elderberry on the palate.
Try it out in a cocktail:
Pom Punch
1 oz OYO Character Vodka
1 oz Stonefruit Vodka
1 oz Pomegranate Juice
0.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
0.5 oz Orgeat
Method: Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin with ice. Shake for 20 seconds or until the outside of the tin is frosted. Double strain into a rocks glass and garnish with an expressed lime peel.
Zardetto Prosecco Rosé DOC Extra Dry
If you love Prosecco and rosé, you’re going to definitely enjoy Zardetto Prosecco Rosé. Rosé prosecco is a new concept — it was only approved for production by the Prosecco DOC Consortiumin in 2020 and the first vintages were released this year. Producing prosecco for over 100 years, Zardetto certainly knows what they’re doing. Its rosé combines the delicate fruitiness of Glera grapes, the traditional grape of prosecco, with Pinot Noir, which has more body and beautiful, red fruit aromas. It’s fresh and crisp on the palate.
Ditto Piquette Spritz
Sustainable and delicious, that’s the mission of Ditto Piquette Spritz. While Ditto is new, piquette is certainly not. Piquette is an old style of wine that dates back to ancient Greek and Roman times. A great piquette starts with previously pressed grapes used for winemaking. Instead of being discarded, they are then used to produce the ancient-style wine. With sourced grapes from Napa Valley, natural botanicals, real raspberry juice and a touch of lemon juice, Ditto Piquette Spritz pairs beautifully with rooftop get-togethers and relaxing by the pool.
Cognac Cocktails
It’s time to stop thinking of cognac as a nightcap drink…it’s so much more! Cognac is a distilled and aged spirit produced with wine grapes in France. The aging scale is classified as follows: VS, or very special, must be aged at least two years; VSOP, or very superior old pale, must be aged at least four years; and XO, or extra-old, must be aged at least ten years. Cognacs are versatile, elegant and rich in flavor and aromas, which makes for great summer food pairings, like steaks and BBQ. The younger-aged cognacs are great for mixing up in cocktails, don’t be shy about experimenting. One cognac you can start out with is the Ferrand 1840 Original Formula.
And here’s an easy cocktail to get you started:
Summertime Feels
1.5 oz VS. cognac
3 oz watermelon juice
Method: Combine ingredients in a shaker tin with ice. Shake until the tin is frosted. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with mint. Or combine ingredients over ice in a rocks glass and garnish.
