Sip Tips: September 2016

We tend to lump September in with fall, but most if its days are still summer. As the summer weather train prepares to pull out of Penn Station, let’s celebrate the last of these sultry days with three refreshing libations.

Southern Right
Sauvignon Blanc 2015
($17, Bacchus Importers, Ltd.)
The label might remind you of Nantucket, but this refreshing white wine actually hails from Walker Bay in South Africa. It’s a more subtle version of Sauvignon Blanc than what you might be used to from New Zealand, with cool lemon-zest notes and lovely herbal accents. A natural match for grilled shrimp and light seafood, it’s also perfect for catching a few more sunsets in lawn chairs before autumn’s cool tendrils creep into our nights.

Green Hat Gin
($35, The Country Vintner)
Green Hat began operations in our nation’s capital in 2011 and has already been recognized as one of the best gin distillers in the country. Named for the signature headwear of Prohibition-era D.C. bootlegger George Cassiday, this gin is all about the juniper, with lovely citrus and floral notes playing supporting roles.

Juniper berry is the defining characteristic of gin as a category. The flavor differences among gins has to do with the combination of botanicals and other flavor elements that a distiller chooses to use. Often this is a carefully guarded house recipe that defines an individual gin’s style.

Boulevard Brewing Co. Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale
($11 750 ml, Bond Distributing Co.)
Missouri’s Boulevard Brewing Co. makes some of craft beer’s most interesting brews. But imbiber beware: Do not let the chunky bottle fool you. This is a medium-weight beer that’s perfect for the end of the season. The straw-colored ale leads with aromas of grapefruit zest and fresh yeast, then delights with a thirst-quenching crispness and pronounced peppery hop finish. Crack one open while the leaves are still green.