 |
I have never been interested in wine-based concoctions. Maybe it’s the purist in me, but wine has natural balance, structure, and flavor–it’s the complete package–so why tinker with it? I am also lazy, and find making cocktails messy and tedious. However, I rediscovered two old friends that, though perfectly lovely on their own, improve tremendously when they’re served as sparkling aperitifs for summer sipping: fino sherry and white port.
Fino sherry is a fortified wine that comes from the southwest region of Spain near Jerez. Throughout Andalucía, both in spring and summer and especially during festivals, the Spaniards guzzle pitchers of a fino-based drink called a rebujito, a spritzer that’s light on alcohol, incredibly refreshing, and the drink of choice on hot afternoons. Bonus: It’s also easy to make.
Portuguese white port has very few followers in the U.S., and that’s a shame. It’s the otherport: a fortified wine made with white grapes instead of red. The Portuguese drink white port with tonic during the hottest months. It’s a cross-generational cocktail–both the hip kids swarming the outdoor cafés in July and older men whiling away time playing cards top off their pitchers with the mixture.
The rebujito and port-and-tonic are Iberia’s answers to heat-easing summer day-drinking. The NYC summer can feel as steamy as a wet T-shirt competition on Nassau Island, but summer on the the Iberian peninsula sees temperatures high enough to melt the landmass off the European continent. So let’s rejoice that we don’t have it that bad and head to Central Park with a few pitchers of our own.
Rebujito
Easy Recipe
Ice
2.5 ounces fino sherry (Tio Pepe is widely available and popular in Spain)
2.5 ounces chilled 7UP (try the Ten-version for calorie-counters)
lemon slice and mint sprig to garnish
Pour sherry then 7UP into an ice cube-filled highball glass, stir gently, garnish.
Better Recipe
Ice
2.5 ounces fino sherry
1 to 1.5 ounces fresh-squeezed lemon juice (adjust for desired tartness)
1 Tbsp. simple syrup
soda water
lemon slice and mint sprig to garnish
Pour sherry, lemon juice, and simple syrup into an ice-filled highball glass. Stir. Top with soda and stir again, gently. Add garnish. (This makes a fairly tart drink. Add more simple syrup for a sweeter version.)
Port and Tonic
Ice
2 ounces white port
4 ounces good-quality tonic water, such as Fevertree (though Schweppes will do in a pinch)
orange slice and mint sprig to garnish
Pour white port, then tonic into an ice-filled highball glass, stir gently, and garnish.
Where to Try:Macao Trading Co., 311 Church Street, 212-431-8750
Where to Buy: Manley’s Wine & Spirits, 35 Eighth Avenue, 212-242-3712
CHASING THE VINE 