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Calgary Herald

Easy, ready to drink ideas for our oh-so-short summer

Article content We have approximately one month left until the kids are back in school. One month, give or take a few weeks, until that first frost. Article content Summer is short. We have to take advantage of every moment. Sometimes those moments should be about being outside with friends, not making a complicated drink. Article content Article content I'm all for complicated drinks — don't get me wrong — but when the weather is good, don't waste time fussing. Just get outside and soak up the summery vibes. Article content Article content Article content Article content If you like Aperol Spritz, you'll enjoy this variation. Made with an Italian aperitif wine called Cocchi Americano, it is slightly spicy, citrussy, and just as easy to make as the Aperol edition. Article content The history of the spritz goes back to the 19th century in Italy. Austrian soldiers travelling in the Veneto found Italian wines too strong, says Mark Bata, a partner with Bonvida Wines, an import agency in Calgary. Article content 'So they would ask for them to be diluted, giving the wine a spritz, which means to water them down.' (Spritz is the German word for splash.) Article content Make your own, or sip one at the swanky new Mille Restaurant and Cafe, where all the cocktails are Italian-inspired. 'We believe cocktails should be an experience — rooted in tradition but elevated with creativity,' says owner Jenna Bazzana. Article content Article content Cocchi (pronounced ko-key) Americano is roughly $50 a bottle at Vine Arts – 5 Vines Wine, Craft Beer & Spirits, Highlander Wine & Spirits, Bin 905 and Zyn. Call ahead to confirm availability. Article content 3 parts Prosecco Article content Article content Jorge Ramos, Fladgate Partnership's sales and marketing director, was recently in Calgary. During an event at Cavernus, he mentioned one of his favourite summer cocktails involves just two ingredients: Croft Pink Port and cold jasmine tea. I haven't stopped thinking of it. Article content Launched in 2008, Croft Pink Port was the world's first rosé Port. Light and flavourful, it is ideal for cocktails or poured over ice. It is roughly $20 a bottle at CSN Wine & Spirits, Cork Fine Wine, Liquor & Ale, and Calgary Co-op Wine Spirits Beer in Kensington. Call ahead to confirm availability.