Finding Drinks for Hot Days

 With the summer months arriving and no escape from the heat in sight, I often get questions about what to drink to stay cool. In my tenure I’ve written about “Hot Summer Drinks”, “Summer Sun and Martinis Galore”, “Hot Summer Calls for Cooled off Wine” etc. etc. So when I got this question from élite Magazine, I was relieved that it prompted a new subject.
I normally go for the heavy reds, but in the summer months, I never know what to drink. It always seems like if I go for the “easy drinking” wines, then I sacrifice in quality. Maybe you could suggest some wines that are great for hot days, but still maintain good quality and complexity?
“All wines are complex when you take the time to sniff and note, taste and note” was my snarky response, but not necessarily true! And then I got to thinking about some of the easy sippers that I’ve enjoyed every summer, complex when I want to swirl, sniff and write down some notes, but “easy drinking” too. These are my favorites:
For those budget conscious wine lovers my go-to white wine for a few years is from our very own Trader Joe’s: Portugal’s grape Vinho Verde (“green wine” that is just young, not green in color) by Espiral, even comes in a tall narrow bottle – think a German Riesling wine, it’s a similar shape, to remind us that it is aromatic like a perfume – and under $5. Another pick is Kono, a Sauvignon Blanc for about $15, that you can find at Trader Joe’s and large wine stores. Both of these whites stay crisp in your fridge for a couple of days after opening. An added bonus on the Kono is that the slightly turquoise glass looks great as a water carafe on your dinner table once you remove the label.
And, as we should all shop local for our complex wines, Pulchella Winery makes a darn fine Viognier – from the Rhone grape of the same name – called “Drifter” that is both refreshing and lingering. And at press time, if its available, ask for their new Rose of Tannat, there is quite a buzz on that one. Mystic Hills Vineyard, owned by long-time residents Joel and Judy Cox, makes a Rose from several red Bordeaux varietals, and the color alone will wow you.
And if wine isn’t titillating your taste buds, might I suggest a slight detour: Join us for our third year (the us being me as one of your co-hosts and Prime Publications Inc. as one of our media sponsors) for Cocktails on the Roof! One hundred percent of your ticket goes to the WiSH Education Foundation that serves our Hart School District. Keep your eyes peeled to the WiSH website wishscv.org – or the Cocktails on the Roof dedicated website – for tickets to the August 25th event! Hope to see you there, mini martini glass in hand, and to let me know how you liked my wine picks too!
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru.
You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com.

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