Hot Tips for Summer Sips

Summer is in full swing, and nothing is sweeter on a summer evening than sitting on the patio and watching the stars come out. Sharing a glass of wine with a friend is one of life’s great pleasures, too. Wine lovers know that wine is about hospitality. Here are my recommendations of some favourite wines to share with friends and loved ones, to make those leisurely evenings just a little bit sweeter.

BREAD AND BUTTER MERLOT
Napa, California, U.S.A.

Lip-smacking delicious, fragrant and supple. Plum and dark cherry aromas are followed by a rich palate that gives Damson plum jelly, dark cherry, vanilla and cocoa. The mouthfeel is ultra-smooth with supple tannins and there’s a lingering finish with cocoa and vanilla. Perfect with pork souvlaki or grilled pork chops and veggies.

Dry • 13.5% • LCBO# 28558 • $19.95

MARQUES DE RISCAL RUEDO
Rueda, Spain

This refreshing white wine is made from the indigenous Verdejo grape. It shows appetizing aromas of white flowers, citrus, tropical fruit, fennel and anise. The palate continues these flavours with crisp acidity and a persistent finish. It makes an excellent match for shellfish, white fish, or cold chicken.

Awards: Mundus Vini 2024 Gold and Premios Ecovino 2024 Gold

Dry • 13% • LCBO# 36822 • $17.25

If you’re ever planning to tour wineries in Spain, put Marques De Riscal at the top of your list. The Marques de Riscal City of Wine offers a wine museum, a luxury hotel, a spa with wine-based products from Caudalie and of course, the winery itself, a gift shop and restaurants. The spectacular avant-garde 21st-century Hotel Marqués de Riscal was designed by the famous Canadian-born architect Frank Gehry.

PHOTO: Getty Images, Gonzalo Azumendi

TARAPACA DE-ALCOHOLIZED SAUVIGNON BLANC
Central Valley, Chile

Now you can enjoy the flavours of Sauvignon Blanc without the buzz. This wine has undergone a de-alcoholization process that reduces the alcohol content to less than .5%. It’s perfect for the designated driver at your parties or for non-drinkers. Find fragrant peach, citrus and pineapple on the nose with a lively, fruit-forward palate and bright acidity. Serve well-chilled. Food pairings: salads, ceviche, fish and aged cheeses.

Under .5% • LCBO# 28557 • $10.95

PERNOD
France

A perennial favourite in France, this anise liqueur is the key ingredient in many popular cocktails at Parisian cafés. Originally produced in 1805 as an absinthe, which contained wormwood, today’s version was produced in 1938, without the wormwood. Bright green Pernod is made using star anise, fennel and 14 other botanicals, which give it a distinctive herbal flavour. It’s very versatile for use in cooking and cocktails.

40% • LCBO# 6049 • $32.20

Cooking Tips: If you add half an ounce of Pernod and some chopped fresh tarragon to cream sauce, you will have a fabulous mouth-watering sauce for grilled shrimp or white fish. A tablespoon of Pernod is also a classic touch for the most flavourful bouillabaisse. 

PHOTO: Bon Apppetit

French Pearl Cocktail

Ingredients
¾ ounce fresh lime juice
¾ ounce cane syrup
2 ounces Gin
¼ ounce Pernod Classic Pastis
Lime and mint for garnish

Method
Combine the lime juice, cane syrup, and mint sprig in a cocktail shaker. Muddle the ingredients. Next, add the Pernod and gin. Fill the shaker to the top with ice and shake well. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wheel and mint sprig.

Find more cocktail recipes using Pernod here: Best Pernod Cocktails to Drink

For more wine and food discovery from Jane Staples, visit www.bellovinoj.com

Header Photo: iStock