Within the throes of a cussed warmth wave, one of many solely issues I need in my glass is an ice-cold, low-ABV spritz. They’re simple to make and to drink, and make even the stickiest summer time night a little bit bit breezier. These days, I’ve been making spritzes with Le Moné aperitif wine from New York’s Finger Lakes area. Made with Meyer lemons and agave nectar, it’s tart and satisfyingly viscous, and the ABV clocks in at simply 16%. It’s a flexible cocktail ingredient, too. I’ve substituted it for the triple sec in a batch of sangria and swapped it for the easy syrup in a French 75. 

However my favourite solution to drink Le Moné is as a easy spritz. I fill a glass or jar with ice, splash in an oz. or two of Le Moné, then high with glowing water. For a punchier spritz, you possibly can additionally add a shot of vodka, gin, or tequila blanco. Would that change it from a spritz to an extended drink? Possibly. However, as my colleagues level out within the July/August 2024 concern of Imbibe, the spritz rubric is ripe for personalization. 

It’s a great level: From Negroni variations to Martini riffs, the perfect cocktails are sometimes iterative. Moreover, it’s too scorching exterior to argue. drinklemone.com, $35