Aaron’s summer picks
My criteria for summer drinks is pretty straightforward: Is it a good porch pounder? As the days in Mississippi get hotter and hotter, I want wines, bourbons, and cocktails that are refreshing, easily sippable and long on flavor.If you are looking to get your liquor cabinet summer-ready, here are some of my favorite suggestions. Each selection is available at High Cotton, and as usual, if you are looking for a specific suggestion or pairing, stop by the store and our knowledgeable team will be happy to help.
Wine
Les Rascasses Rose
If you are looking for a light, crisp summer wine to throwback while you relax, then I recommend this Ynez Valley rose from Railsback Frères Winery. It has good acidity and is an easy thirst quencher for those hot days.
Pour It With: Anything spicy, charcuterie, salmon
Blandine Le Blanc
This drier white from Chateau du Cedre is a great bang for your buck. The wine, a blend of Colombard, Ugni Blanc grapes, is fruit forward with strong grapefruit, lemon and green apple flavors, as well as a zesty acidity that makes it easy to drink.
Pour It With: Poultry, lean fish, white sauce pasta
Famiglia Carafoli Nicchia Lambrusco
If you are looking for a red to drink during the hot summer days, try this Lambrusco served slightly chilled. It has a nice fizz, notes of ripe berries, a fruity fragrance and isn’t too sweet. As a bonus, this wine will be a great addition to your summer backyard barbeque.
Pour It With: Pork, pizza, barbeque
Whiskey
Widow Jane 10-Year Bourbon
This is a go-to Brooklyn small-batch bourbon that is only made in 5-barrel batches. It’s a smooth pour with notes of vanilla, cinnamon, maple, orange, and cherry and is one that I always have around.
Four Roses Small Batch
This is another one of my go-to bourbons no matter the time of year. It has a creamy profile, making it a great pour to sit back and sip. It also makes a great cocktail spirit because the robust flavor profile won’t get masked.
Go-To Summer Bourbon Cocktail: Paper Plane
Mixers
Cocchi Americano
This aromatized Italian aperitif wine is a versatile mixer that you will use all summer long in tiki cocktails and rum-based cocktails. It is also a refreshing drink served simply over ice with a twist. Cocchi Americano is infused with orange, gentian, wormwood, and cinchona and has a bitterness to it.
Go-To Cocktail: Corpse Reviver No. 2
Aperol
Aperol continues to be a popular mixer choice for good reason. The bitter drink’s versatility makes it the perfect companion for rum, gin, and bourbon cocktails like an Aperol Spritz.Try subbing aperol for Campari in a Negroni for a lighter summer version.It’s an essential for both the professional and home bartender.
Go-to Cocktail: Division Bell
El Guapo Bitters
This New Orleans-based bitter and syrup maker doesn’t have a bad product. Their unique lineup includes Cucumber Lavender, Barrel-Aged Vanilla, Chicory Pecan Coffee, Spiced Cocoa Tea, Polynesian Kiss, Crawfish Boil, and Summer Berries. If you like experimenting with flavor profiles, I highly recommend bringing these bitters into your recipes.
Go-to Cocktail: I love to mix their Gumbo bitters in a Bloody Mary and their Love Potion bitters in a Paloma.
