A Midsummer Night’s Drink
Southerners often pride themselves on their gorgeous gardens, and with good reason! Our warm weather allows us to have a long season of tasty vegetables, fragrant herbs, and beautiful blooms. There’s nothing like a homegrown supper with heirloom tomatoes, fresh-off-the-vine cucumber salad, and sun-warm berries for dessert – and don’t forget the perfect beverage pairing. Here, we have recommendations for summer sipping inspired by a backyard garden.
Kurvball BBQ Whiskey +
Agalima Organic Bloody Mary Mix
For a little something unique at your boozy brunches or the morning after a big night out, try Kurvball BBQ Whiskey with Agalima Organic Bloody Mary Mix. Delicious on its own, it’s barbecue in a glass, combining the sweet, savory, smoky flavors with smooth American whiskey. But it’s even better melding with the chipotle peppers, horseradish, and Roma tomatoes in a bloody mary. Garnish with a bite of barbecue along with the celery, pickled okra, and fresh-picked herbs!
Fords Gin
For cool, refreshing cocktails to beat the summer heat, Fords Gin is a good go-to. This gin was reverse-engineered by taking the ingredients of classic cocktails – Bee’s Knees, negronis, gimlets, martinis – and matching them to botanicals to achieve the perfect blend for next-level mixing. With flavors of grapefruit, lemon, and orange peel, angelica and orris root, cassia bark, coriander, jasmine, and of course, juniper berries, Fords will go down smooth no matter what you pair it with.
Francis Coppola Diamond Prosecco Rosé
If lounging by the pool with a glass of sparkling rosé is more your style, opt for a bottle of Francis Coppola Diamond Prosecco. Made from grapes grown between the Adriatic Sea and the Dolomite Mountains, this is the ideal sweet summer bubbly. On the nose are citrus blooms and strawberries, with flavors of cherries, strawberries, and citrus bursting on the tongue. It pairs well with a fresh garden salad and enhances the umami flavors of hand-crafted sushi.
Hahn Appellation Series Pinot Noir
It’s hard to go wrong with a bottle from the Hahn Appellation Series, and this delicate and earthy ruby-red pinot noir is a great choice for porch swinging in the twilight breeze. Scents of ripe berries, dark plums, and black cherries along with toasted oak and warm spice are followed by soft red fruit flavors with creamy nuances and earthy notes on the finish. This will be a crowd-pleaser, especially served with pork chops or cauliflower tacos with locally grown peppers.
