Food & Drink
Three Sips to Toast the Closing Act of Summer
We recommend three tempting drinks as you kick back and watch the sun set on the remaining dog days.
As the calendar turns from July to August, we prepare to settle in for the steamy closing act of summer. The next few weeks are about soaking up the last bits of relaxation before schools are back in session, the days grow shorter, and vacation memories already begin to fade. No need for sadness to set in: We recommend three tempting drinks as you kick back and watch the sun set on the remaining dog days of summer.
Chateau de Segries Tavel 2022
($25, Kysela Pere et Fils)
The Rhône Valley is home to many of France’s vinous treasures—but one that is often overlooked is Tavel. This hamlet forgoes the production of red wine in favor of concentrating on rosé. The combination of grapes will be familiar to fans of red Rhône wine—Grenache and Syrah—but the outcome is unique. It’s a medium-bodied wine bursting with fresh strawberry, raspberry, and melon tones with a juicy finish. It’s astonishingly good. Pair it with anything you like to eat alfresco, or enjoy one of the best glasses of rosé you’re likely to taste all season.
Lagunitas Daytime IPA
($13 six 12-ounce cans, Legends)
Having a few icy cold brews is a dandy way to close out the season. Cookouts are still in full swing, replete with barbeque sauce, steamed crabs, and even a shrimp boil. But it sure is hard to stay in the game when your preferred IPA is clocking in with weighty alcohol levels. That’s why we recommend this svelte IPA from Lagunitas. You’ll enjoy the hop-forward character of a classic IPA here. It never gets out of balance, thanks to judicious use of lighter toned varieties like Citra and Centennial. And a trim 4-percent ABV makes for a crushable brew that plays nice with food, friends, and winding down without falling over.
Singani 63
($35 750 milliliters, Winebow)
Singani is an eau-de-vie distilled from the Muscat of Alexandria grape and produced in the mountains of Bolivia. Here, grapes that were originally planted by Spanish monastic orders are distilled into a subtly floral spirit that is technically a white brandy, since it’s made from grapes. It’s delicious neat or over ice, which is how most Bolivians consume it, but cocktail scenesters have found it’s great for riffing in mules, sours, and cocktails that normally call for white rum. So grab some mint from the backyard and give your house mojito a twist.
