It's Cocktail Hour Somewhere!

Ah the cocktail hour, such a civilized and lovely idea no doubt invented by the Brits. It calls to mind languid summer evenings on the deck, G&T in hand, with everyone worn out from a day on the beach. One G&T turns into two. No one wants to make dinner. Someone rummages through the fridge to unearth as many leftovers as possible. Someone else suggests take-out. Take-out! Another lovely idea! We huddle around the menu of our favorite seafood restaurant. Someone makes a list of who wants what and places the order. Now, who is going to go and pick it up in 30 minutes? The person who only had one G&T of course. Or my brother, who just got home from work and has had no G&Ts or beers or anything else for that matter. He'll go! Yay! Problems created by cocktail hour (hunger, lethargy, inability to drive straight) are instantly solved. Relaxing can commense.

But when cocktail hour does roll around (and, well, look at the time, it's cocktail hour right now!), I am usually more in the mood for a glass of wine. Something simple, unfussy, and preferably cheap. I want to just enjoy the wine and not think about it too much. Hence, a bottle for $10 or under will do the trick. In the summer, I have three favorites:

1. A citrusy, fizzy glass of Vinho Verde from Portugal.

2. A French rose, preferably from Provence, all cool, restrained fruit with a touch of steely mineraliness (which I think is not a word, but works for me).

3. A citrusy, minerally Sauvignon Blanc from anywhere.

Geez I'm getting thirsty.

Cheers!