Ask George: What Are Your Favorite Summertime Beverages?

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Ask George: What are your favorite summertime beverages? —Lauren F. Crestwood, Mo

Hmmm...that's a simple question with a long answer, so ’ll break it up and keep it brief. In general, I’m one of those people who leans toward lighter spirits, wines, and beers when the weather is hot, preferring the more robust wines, beers, and spirits in the cold months.

Here are a few of my summertime favorites: 

  1. The PortTonic – a name coined by a family member for a drink containing 1 part white port to 3 parts tonic water. It’s a popular summertime drink in Portugal (the home of port wine), the Portugese equivalent perhaps of the gin and tonic in the U.S. Using best quality tonic is crucial, but the garnish is not—a wedge of either lemon or lime is fine.
  2. Beer – After cutting the grass, nothing beats a Mexican beer (such as Victoria or Pacifico) with a hit of lime. At other times, I revert to “lighter beers with body,” such as Belgian white ales, the most common of which is Hoegaarden. Blanche de Bruxelles is an excellent choice, but it’s not as readily available.
  3. Wine – Rosés and non-Chardonnays take up significant refrigerator space in the summer months. My favorite roses are made by Azur, and recently onto the scene, Miraval, a beautiful French wine in a beautiful bottle, not surprising as two of the partners are Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.  Somehow seeing “mis en bouteille par Jolie-Pitt” on the bottle adds a certain panache. Regarding summer white wines, I’m a sucker for the Cortese-based wines from Gavi in Northern Italy and one called Domaine de Pouy, an extremely drinkable (and inexpensive) wine made from Ugni Blanc and Colombard grapes.
  4. Bottled Water – Instead of spring waters that usually contain a fair amount of minerals, here I prefer what the water experts call “dead flat,” a water that’s had all its minerals (and in my opinion, off-flavors) removed through reverse osmosis. Aquafina may be the most popular water of this type, but there are many others.
  5. Ice – The only ice to consider for any kind of mixed or soft drink are the pure, hard, square cubes produced by KoldDraft ice machines. Ladue Market is one of few places in town to buy such ice at retail. It’s not expensive, but it is superior. Far superior. What then to do with the crescent-shaped cubes in the freezer? They’re perfect for coolers and ice packs.
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