Libations
by Pat Daniel
Cool Wine Cocktails to Beat the Heat
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t’s summer! Time to put away the heavy red wines and opt for something cool and refreshing. But what shall we drink? Of course, we always turn to chilled white wines and rosé in the summer, but wine cocktails can be a perfect answer. Whether you’re winding down solo or celebrating with friends, here are some great options to try.
brut Champagne. vodka and a scoop of birthday cake ice • Sangria: Mix two bottles of dry Spanish cream. Top the drink with sparkling rosé wine (such as Grenache or Tempranillo) and garnish with a pastel-colored rock with one cup of brandy, half-cup sugar, candy swizzler. two sliced oranges, three sliced lemons, • Tinto de Verano: This Spanish favorite three sliced limes, two sliced peaches and translates to “red wine of summer.” one pint sliced strawberries. Pour into Combine red wine and lemon soda over glasses over ice and top with club soda. ice in a glass. Garnish with a slice of Garnish with a slice of orange. orange or lemon. • Kalimotxo: Also known as a Rioja Libre, • Blushing Mimosa: Mix two ounces The Classics this cocktail from the Basque Country in orange juice and one ounce of pineapple • Mimosa: It doesn’t get any easier northern Spain combines four ounces of juice in a Champagne flute. Top than this. Start with two ounces of red wine and four ounces of Coca-Cola. with brut Champagne, then add two orange juice and top with four ounces Garnish with a slice of lemon. tablespoons of grenadine. Garnish with of Champagne, prosecco or cava, orange or pineapple. depending on your taste. Serve in a Something New Under the Sun • Bubble Bouquet: In a shaker, combine Champagne flute and garnish with a slice • Pink Flirtini: In a cocktail shaker filled four ounces of club soda, two ounces of of orange. with ice, combine one ounce of raspberry peach purée and one and a half oz peach • Bellini: This drink originated in Venice, vodka, half ounce of triple sec, half vodka. Stir and pour into a glass with Italy. Start with two ounces of peach ounce of pineapple juice, half ounce of three scoops of ice cream. Drizzle with purée and top with four ounces of cranberry juice and a dash of lime. Shake basil olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and garnish with a peach slice and fresh basil. prosecco. Serve in a Champagne flute vigorously and pour into a glass. Top • and garnish with a slice of fresh peach. with Champagne and garnish the drink Saint Florent Cocktail: In a shaker, • French 75: Combine two ounces of with a strawberry. combine six tablespoons of gin, three London dry gin, three-fourth ounces • Call Me a Cab: In a cocktail shaker tablespoons of fresh lime juice, one tablespoon of Aperol, one teaspoon of of fresh lemon juice and three-fourth filled with ice, combine one ounce of honey and two dashes of Angostura ounces of simple syrup in a cocktail vodka, six ounces of lemonade and three shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, shake ounces of cabernet sauvignon. Shake bitters. Fill with ice and shake for 30 vigorously, strain into a large flute and vigorously, strain into a glass and garnish seconds. Strain into two chilled coupe top with Champagne. Garnish with a with a lemon twist. glasses and top each with Champagne. lemon twist. • Frosé: This is the best cocktail to cool Garnish with a lime slice. • Kir: Pour one ounce of crème de cassis you off. Pour one bottle of a hearty, • Wine Port and Tonic: This is a lighter, in a champagne flute and top with four bold rosé into ice cube trays and freeze slightly sweeter alternative to a gin and ounces of Chablis. overnight. Blend 10 ounces of fresh tonic. Pour equal parts white port and Variations: strawberries (about two cups, sliced) tonic into an Old Fashioned glass over > Kir Royale: Substitute Champagne with one tablespoon sugar and let sit for large ice cubes. Add a dash of orange for the Chablis. 10 minutes. Add a fourth cup vodka, two bitters and garnish with an orange twist. > Kir Imperial: Substitute Chambord tablespoons of grenadine and the rosé • Peach Champagne Punch: In a punch for the Crème de Cassis and top with cubes. Blend until smooth. Pour into bowl, combine one tablespoon of simple Champagne. glasses and garnish with strawberries. syrup, a half cup of lemon juice, one cup • Champagne Cocktail: Place a sugar • Cherry Wine Spritzer: Fill a glass with of orange juice, five ounces of orange cube in a chilled Champagne flute, add ice. Add three ounces of white wine (like liqueur, five ounces of iced tea and one two or three dashes of aromatic bitters, sauvignon blanc), one ounce of cherry bottle of Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial fill with brut Champagne and garnish juice and one ounce of club soda. Stir Champagne. and garnish with a skewer of fresh, pitted Tag @columbusandthevalley with with a lemon twist. cherries. your concoction and let us know your • Ernest Hemingway’s Death in the Afternoon: Pour one and a half • Birthday Cake Mimosa: Dip the rim of favorite. ounces of absinthe into a Champagne a Champagne glass in icing and coat with ————————————————————— Pat Daniel is the owner of Uptown Wine flute, and then add four ounces of sprinkles. Add one and a half ounces of & Spirits in Uptown Columbus. J U LY / AU G U S T 2 0 2 5
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