Sipping under the sun is all about adventure, having fun and trying out new things. If you have always thought of wine as something classy and elite for special occasions, it's time to change the thought and pop open a few bottles of wine to experiment and have fun this summer.
With soaring temperatures, everyone has a way to beat the heat whether it is taking a trip to a cool place or taking a dive in the neighbourhood pool to cool off or just cranking up the air conditioner to a blast in your room. The most important thing to remember in the summer is to stay well hydrated, and the best way to start is with a chilled glass of wine. This is our guide to wine cocktails to spice up your summer.
“It is the season for wine, roses and drunken friends. Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” - Omar Khayyam
Wine For Sipping Under The Sun
Wine keeps the heart healthy and active, especially in the summer when extreme weather changes can nudge heart-related problems. Sipping on wine makes sure your heart stays healthy and pumping throughout the summer. Did you know that wine is said to be good for your skin? If that is true, having an occasional glass of wine could help to keep the skin clear, bright and healthy as well as reduce wrinkles and stress lines. Whether it is summer or not, it is a great reason to sip on some wine.
Before you worry about your calories ruining the summer body you are working so hard to get, wine has fewer calories than any other alcohol. Meanwhile, wine cocktails and spritzers have even fewer calories so you can enjoy sipping on them without worrying about putting on weight. Wine cocktails are super easy to make, perfect for the warm weather, and are the most underappreciated cocktails. While most alcohols tend to leave your body dehydrated, wine helps to hydrate your body and quenches thirst with that dash of acidity. Better yet, wine cocktails pair well with any kind of food so you don’t have to worry about recommendations for that picnic in the park or that evening barbeque.
Sparkling Lime Summer Drinks
The most simple yet soothing summer cocktails are where Limeade meets Sparkling wine! A couple of Limes ideally Italian limes sliced thinly along with some sugar cubes and a dash of Angostura bitters muddled together till the sugar is crushed and slices have softened poured over with a choice of sparkling wine (ideally Prosecco) makes a perfect glass of summer.
Cocchi Prosecco Spritz For Sipping Under The Sun
The Cocchi Americano Rosa is a refreshing Italian aromatized red wine from Piedmont infused with extracts of herbs and spices such as rose petals, gentian, cinchona, ginger and orange peels. It is perfect for a summertime cocktail in an ice-filled glass with a beautiful Italian Prosecco and a splash of club soda garnished with a slice of orange or pink grapefruit.
Frosé (Frozen Rosé)
A flavourful full-bodied Rosé is perfect for a frozen summer cocktail. Pour the bottle of rose into a freezer-safe pan and let it freeze till almost solid for at least 4-6 hours. As the Rose will lose its bright appearance after freezing, a berry-infused sugar syrup will add extra sweetness and colour to your glass. Boil sugar and water into the sugar syrup and steep some strawberries (even better if wild) for at least 25-30 minutes till the syrup is well infused. Strain through a fine mesh without squeezing any of the pulp. Blend the frozen rose with a dash of lemon juice and the rose-coloured strawberry syrup until smooth. Freeze the blender jar for 25-30 minutes and blend again to get a beautiful slush of frozen rose.
Classic Bellini
You can never go wrong with the classic Italian Bellini with mouthwatering ripe peaches. Simply blanch and peel off the ripe white peaches, chop them and mix with a dash of lemon juice and sugar and let it chill. Blend into a puree and strain through a fine mesh. Slowly pour Prosecco, stir to mix with the peach, and raise a flute to the summertime classic!
Summer Sangria
Just like the Italian Bellini, a Sangria is a must-have on your cocktail list in the summer. While there are hundreds of variations to a sangria, this one draws out the best from the summertime flavours of South France. With stone fruits like apricots, nectarine, plum, cherry and peach that are at their prime in summer and an elderflower liqueur from the blossoms of the previous spring, a mouthwatering Sangria is made with a medley of peeled and pureed apricot, nectarine and peach along with chopped cherries, plums, nectarines and apricots, elderflower liqueur, a flavourful bottle of rose and a vanilla bean chilled in a pitcher for a couple of days and served in a chilled glass of sparkling water.
Sbagliato
In the 1970s, Mirko Stochetto of the Bar Basso in Milan accidentally grabbed a bottle of Prosecco instead of Gin while making a Negroni resulting in “Sbagliato” which means “a mistake” in Italian. This happy little accident turned the Sbagliato into the signature cocktail of the bar as well as the summer! A pour of Prosecco in an ice-filled glass with a dash of vermouth and Campari topped with club soda is guaranteed to serve you a delicious beverage that is no mistake!
