One of the best ways to survive the heat of summer is with a refreshing beverage, and what could be better than a wine cocktail? Today we’re going to teach you how to make five of the most popular and satisfying cocktails of the season. And don’t worry, you don’t have to be a master mixologist to follow these recipes, they are simple and fun. Without further ado, let’s take a look at our top five summer cocktail recommendations:

White Zinfandel Sangria

This is a traditional Spanish cocktail made from White Zinfandel wine, a spirit (rum, vodka, brandy, etc.) and fresh fruits (orange, apple, or pear). Pour the ingredients into an exquisite LUCARIS lead-free wine glass and top off with a dash of lemon juice.

Wine Mojito

If you love a good mojito but prefer wine over rum, we’ve got just the thing! In a pitcher, combine a dry white wine (i.e., Sauvignon Blanc) with sparkling lemonade, lime wedges, and pieces of mint. Now choose the appropriate LUCARIS glass and serve over ice.

Raspberry & Lime White Wine Slushie

This type of cocktail is guaranteed to cool you down in a hurry! Put white wine, raspberries (fresh or frozen), a splash of lime juice, and ice in a blender. Now pour into a high-quality LUCARIS glass, and your enticing cocktail smoothie is complete.

Lemonade Spritzer

At less than 120 calories per glass, this cocktail is sure to be a hit with day-time drinkers. Fill a LUCARIS wine glass ¼ full of ice cubes and then top off with white wine, soda, and lemonade. Garnish with a fresh lemon wedge. Voila!

Peach Sangria

This popular and fruity cocktail is made by combining Pinot Gris, Brandy, Grand Marnier, apple juice, and raspberry juice in a blender. To serve, pour into a quality LUCARIS wine glass and top off with a wedge-shaped peach slice and sprig of mint.

LUCARIS’ premium range of lead-free glasses stylishly combines fashion and art, allowing you to have the best possible wine-tasting experience. Browse our collections to select the most suitable glasses for your summer cocktail tasting.

Today, we’re going to help you survive the long summer months by introducing you to the best summer wines available and tell you why they make the perfect tipple in hot weather. And make sure you check out our next blog when we share our top five summer cocktail recipes using white wine. But first, let’s discuss some of the ‘rules’ associated with summer wine selection. Don’t overlook these steps, as they’ll help you select the most suitable and cooling option:

• Select a wine (white, rose) with a high level of sourness because it usually has a refreshing taste and clear citric taste.
• Pure white wines (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio) are affordable and don’t typically have complex textures, so they accompany most foods. The following are our top five picks for superb summer wines:

 

Chardonnay

  This type of grape can grow under many weather conditions; its aroma often comes with notes of vanilla, lemon, walnut, and fresh fruit. Originally from Burgundy in eastern France, this grape is now grown across the globe, from England to New Zealand.  

Riesling

  Riesling is one of the most popular wines to drink during summer. It has a very refreshing taste, exquisite levels of crispness, and a fruity aroma. This citrusy wine goes great with all kinds of summer foods – salad, pasta, fish, cheese, and so forth.  

Sauvignon Blanc

  This dry, crisp wine is perfect for warm-weather sipping. It has pleasantly high acidity and a unique grassy taste. Its bold palate matches with a diverse array of foods, particularly fresh oysters, cheese, and vegetables.  

Pinot Gris

  The white grape Pinot Gris is derived from the darker Pinot Noir variant. This type of wine has a light and elegant aroma and notes of citrus, stone fruits, spices, and smoke, imbuing it with an extraordinarily light and refreshing taste.  

Gewurztraminer

  Although this wine has a tough name to pronounce, let alone remember, it is highly prized for its flowery aroma, elegant character, and breezy taste. This robust white wine pairs perfectly with the grilled foods and spicy dishes of summer. No matter if your tastes lean towards Pinot Noir or Gewurztraminer, chilled wine will make you feel refreshed and relaxed in the summertime. The LUCARIS Premium Crystal Wine Glass is the last piece of the puzzle, enabling you to bring out the delicate taste of any wine to its full potential. Also read: Calimocho recipe

Wine glasses are a big part of the culture and theatre of wine – one of the first things you notice about a fine dining restaurant, particularly a western-style one – is the glassware on the table. If a friend hands you a glass of wine on your way into a party, the quality of the glass she hands you will say a lot about the wine inside.

While it may seem like this is placing too much weight on presentation, in reality the quality of the glass has a significant impact on the way you experience the wine. Thus it is well worth spending some time understanding the key signs of quality so you can be sure you’re not missing out on a great experience by using glassware that’s not up to standard.

The first point to consider is clarity . Just like when we taste wine, our eyes are the first tools we use to judge the quality of a glass. A wineglass made from crystal (which contains lead) or crystalline glass (which does not) will have much greater brilliance and clarity than one made from soda-lime glass (the type of glass used for windows, most bottles and jars). Imperfections like bubbles or a noticeable blue or green tint are another sign that an inferior raw material has been used. Another way to detect whether the glass is made of crystal or glass is to tap widest part of the bowl with your fingernail – it should make a beautiful ringing sound like a bell. Crystal is much more durable than glass and therefore is less likely to chip or crack over time.

The second point to consider is weight. Although crystal and crystalline glass are denser than glass, their added strength means that they can be blown super thin and so crystal glasses can be much thinner and lighter than glass ones. The distribution of weight is also really important: the base should be heavy and wide so that the glass doesn’t tip over easily. However, the weight of the base and the weight of the bowl must be balanced so that the glass is comfortable to hold and to swirl. Embellished cut crystal wine glasses are often beautiful to look at but they add a lot of weight and can obscure the wine in the glass.

The third key place to look for wine glass quality is the rim. A rolled rim, which is clearly noticeable as it is thicker than the bowl below it, gives a less refined experience than a laser-cut rim. To experience this effect more clearly, exaggerate it by drinking wine out of a thick mug with a rounded lip: the wine will seem thick and clumsy. However, a laser cut rim is more fragile than a rolled one and so the glass needs to be made out of high quality crystal to ensure it doesn’t chip too easily.

Another point of interest is whether the glass is hand blown or machine blown. Hand blowing is a highly skilled craft practiced by an increasingly small group of trained artisans and is much more time-consuming than machine blowing, so hand blown glasses are more expensive. However, machine blown quality has improved so much over the years that these days most companies are using machines for standard shapes. For unique shapes, however, hand blowing is sometimes the only option as it’s only worthwhile to create a new mould for a glassblowing machine if the product run is large. An insider tip for how to spot a machine blown vs a hand blown glass is that there is may be a very subtle indent on the bottom of the base of machine blown glasses, but often only trained glassblowers can detect it.

Just to be clear, what we’ve discussed only relates to quality and doesn’t relate to shape. I personally feel strongly that there is no ideal glass for each wine – drinking a Riesling out of a Bordeaux glass if you like the effect is not going to “ruin” the wine. It’s all a matter of personal taste and setting. Hold that thought for later this month, when I’ll be introducing the new collection I developed with Lucaris Crystal. Stay tuned!

Summer ushers in not only a wave of heat but also a wave of passion, making people want to get outside and come together, mostly in the company of good food and good wine. But what food and wines go well together in the summer heat? Finding the right dish pairing during such a hot season can be fun and challenging. So, today we’ll help you easily choose your food and wine pairs.

1. Light-Bodied Wine

Light wines (containing less than 12.5% alcohol) are perfect for pairing with seafood, caviar and sushi during leisurely weekend brunch. Some of these light wines include Italian sparkling wine Prosecco, some Sauvignon Blancs (depends on the vineyard), Reisling and Pinot Grigio. The best temperature to drink these white wines will be at 8-10 degree Celsius. Pinot Noir is a light red wine that is sure to please any palate and is very versatile for pairing.

2. Medium-Bodied Wine

Medium-bodied wines (containing between 12.5% and 13.5% alcohol) are best paired with heavier foods, such as steak or pork chops. A refreshing option for a warm summer lunch is Rosé, while a nice Burgundy goes well with dinner. Tempranillo can be medium to full-bodied and goes well with cold cuts. The suitable temperature for medium-bodied wines is 13-16 degrees Celsius.

3. Full-Bodied Wine

Full-bodied wines (over 13.5% alcohol), typically your more famous reds, i.e. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, go great with your typical summer BBQ fare. Think grilled meats, short ribs, juicy burgers. These wines can be enjoyed with class in a nice restaurant or with gusto in a backyard with friends. Serve these wines slightly chilled at 15-18 degrees Celsius.

Finally, wine is meant to be enjoyed. These wine pairing guidelines can help you begin your wine pairing journey, but if you find a combination that you like but does not fit the standard wine pairing rules, then you go right ahead and enjoy your unique pairing experience. No matter the wine of choice, Lucaris has a wine glass for you. Cheers to the summer!

What Do You Like to Drink ?

The last thing to consider is your specific wine choices. Whether you usually drink red wine, white wine or other styles, it’s worth thinking realistically about your own drinking patterns. Many people see the diverse range of glass styles available and assume they need to have all of them, but in reality most wines will work in most glass styles, so you only need a few.

If you tend to drink a lot of red wines , it is important to make sure you have at least one style that has a big, spacious bowl to expose the wine to plenty of oxygen. This helps the wine release its aromas and softens the tannin texture. If you drink a lot of young wine, a glass with a wide, flat-based bowl can act like a decanter and quickly expose the wine to the air. Older wines are best served in glasses that have a relatively tight rim to hold in their aromas. Try:Lucaris Desire Elegant Red https://www.lucariscrystal.com/products/elegant-red/

If you are more of a white wine person, it’s a good idea to make sure you have two different styles of glass that match different white wine styles. A smaller tulip shaped glass (often called a “Riesling” glass) is great for younger, fresh styles of white that need to stay cool and crisp. This is also a great solution for rosé wine. A wider, more spherical shape (often called a “Burgundy” glass) actually works really well for fuller-bodied or fragrant white wines as well, since it provides plenty of room for them to release their aromas. Try:Lucaris Tokyo Temptation Riesling or Desire Rich White https://www.lucariscrystal.com/products/tokyo-temptation-riesling/ and https://www.lucariscrystal.com/products/rich-white/

For special styles, I have a few pointers. One is that you don’t necessarily need sparkling wine flutes. While they have a great celebratory look, help preserve bubbles and are very efficient for serving at cocktail events and parties, they aren’t the best for expressing the aromatic character of more complex sparkling wines. If you love luxury sparkling wines, do them a favour and put them in a small white wine glass. Try:Lucaris Desire Crisp White https://www.lucariscrystal.com/products/crisp-white/

Sweet wines often strike a delicate balance between sweetness and acidity, so to help them seem fresh and bright, it’s often a good idea to pick a glass that keeps them cool and emphasizes the acidity, like the “Riesling” glass described above. They already tend to have very powerful aromas, so the wider, flatter style glasses used to emphasize aromatic wines are not necessary and can even warm the wine too quickly, making it seem flat. Try:Lucaris Bangkok Bliss Riesling https://www.lucariscrystal.com/products/bangkok-bliss-riesling/

Finally, fortified wines are highly aromatic and powerful and need to be given plenty of room to express their personalities. Red fortified wines like vintage port also need oxygen to help mellow their tannins, so a large glass is especially beneficial. However, because the aromas are so intense and the alcohol is higher than normal, a glass with a taller bowl (like a classic “Bordeaux” glass) is a good idea to keep you from accidentally overwhelming your nose. Try:Lucaris Hong Kong Hip Bordeaux https://www.lucariscrystal.com/products/hong-kong-hip-bordeaux/

Whatever your needs, the best approach is always to stick to quality over quantity and just choose one or two shapes that really appeal to you. If you’re anything like me, you’ll often find yourself ignoring the guidance about which glass to match to which wine and simply picking the ones you most enjoy the look and feel of again and again.

Sarah Heller MW, Asia’s Youngest Master of Wine and LUCARIS Brand Ambassador in Thailand and Greater China.

Most people who regularly enjoy wine recognize that using special glasses designed for wine is important. Although you can drink wine out of a glass tumbler or even a plastic cup, the enjoyment is much greater with a tulip shaped crystal wine glass with at least a short stem. For an introduction to the different components of the wine glass and why they matter, please see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npB7tjHrogA If you know that you want to invest in some high-quality glasses but you don’t know where to begin, here are some tips:

What is Your Lifestyle ?

First, think about your overall lifestyle: what is your budget, how much space do you have for storage and how much time are you willing to spend taking care of your glasses? Hand blown glasses are made by highly trained artisans and so they are naturally more expensive than machine blown. If the idea of losing several hundred pieces every time you break a glass breaks your heart, or if you want to have a huge collection of different shapes, I recommend machine blown, which can also be very high in quality.

Second, storage: glasses need to be stored in a well-ventilated space where they will not pick up strange smells or, worse, mold if they don’t dry properly. You need to think about what your storage capacity is given you may need two separate areas to dry and then store your glasses. If you don’t have that much space, consider a hanging rack where the glasses can dry and then be stored until you use them next.

Third, time: many hand blown glasses need to be cleaned by hand and can’t go in the dishwasher. Also, if you live in a place with hard water (i.e. with high levels of minerals), you may need to polish the glasses before using them, so make sure that you pick glasses that you can easily fit your hand inside. If all of this sounds like too much trouble, I recommend picking a glass that will drip-dry easily (usually one with a wider mouth). Try:Lucaris Shanghai Soul Burgundy https://www.lucariscrystal.com/products/shanghai-soul-bordeaux/

How Will You Use Them ?

Next, think about how you’re likely to use the glasses: how frequently, in what setting, and what the format is going to be. If you are planning on using the glasses daily, there are two ways of thinking about it. If you’re a casual everyday drinker, you probably want sturdy glasses so that you don’t have to worry about them too much. Look for glasses with heavier bases, thicker bowls and shorter stems. However, if you aim to become a fine wine connoisseur and frequently drink top quality wine, think of the cost of the glasses as a tiny surcharge on every bottle of wine you enjoy out of them. You owe it to yourself to present your wines properly, just like you would never buy a Matisse Cut-Out then slap it in a frame from Ikea. If you only plan on using the glasses for special occasions, I would pick something in between; something special enough that it feels like a celebration – a top-quality machine blown glass feels like the right balance.

Think about the setting: do you plan on using your glasses only at home for drinking alone, in which case the choice of glass will depend mainly on what kind of wine you like to drink? Or are you planning on using them for guests and parties, in which case maybe you want something more sturdy so that if people break them they don’t feel too guilty? If you’re looking for glasses for using outside, I would even consider a stemless wineglass since the most likely thing to break when you’re transporting them is the stem.

Finally, think about the format: are you likely to stick to just one glass over the course of the evening, in which case you can be free to pick the shape and size you like? Or, do you frequently have many wines on the table at once that require several different glasses? When I go to friends’ houses for dinner we will usually each have 5 or 6 glasses, so it’s sensible to pick a shape and size that isn’t going to cause a traffic jam on the table. Otherwise, think about glasses with bowls at different heights so they can fit together efficiently.

Sarah Heller MW, Asia’s Youngest Master of Wine and LUCARIS Brand Ambassador in Thailand and Greater China.

Most people know that countries like Italy and France are famous for their wines. As you increase your knowledge about wines you begin to know about the different regions within those countries.

All that Burgundy you should know.

France has many wine regions such as Bordeaux and Champagne, but few are as famous as Burgundy, or Bourgogne in French. This region is well known for the delicious wines that have been emanating from this blessed

fertile earth since the time of the monks and monasteries. Throughout many centuries, the region has been producing some of the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Burgundy wines – some of the most coveted wine in the world

The quality of Burgundy wines comes from what the monks identified as terroir, the combination of soil, climate, altitude, rainfall and drainage. Each of these affect the quality of the grape. In Burgundy, the terroir is ideal for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Burgundy wines can exhibit medium-full body, scents of raspberries, blackberries, and cherry. The Pinot Noir grapes offer complex flavor, while the Chardonnay reflects refreshing fruit and other more complex buttery and vanilla notes.

Burgundy glass for Burgundy wine

Wine experts and other related professionals say that although you master uncorking a wine bottle or perfectly pouring a glass if you use the wrong glassware, you may miss a wine’s potential. Hence, the creation of glassware developed to bring out the unique characteristics and taste of each wine and improve the overall drinking experience.

A Burgundy wine glass for Pinot Noir has a rounder bowl and is a bit shorter in height compared to other wine glasses. The large bowl allows the full aroma to emerge but the narrower rim of the wine glass keeps the aroma inside the bowl to revel the drinker. The unique shape of a Burgundy wine glass allows the wine to come into contact with the tip of the tongue thereby revealing its delicate flavors.

Explore the LUCARIS crystal Burgundy wine glass collection which are specially created with premium craftsmanship to bring the full experience of a wine to your senses.

The Cabernet Sauvignon grape is widely grown around the world making it one of the most well-known grape varieties for red wine.

Did you know? Cabernet Sauvignon has relatives.

The origin of the Cab Sav grape can be traced back to Bordeaux, France in the 16th century. At that time, there were already the Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Through the magic of cross-pollination a fortuitous accidental breeding occurred between a red Cabernet Franc grape plant and a white Sauvignon Blanc grape. Thus, the birth of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Looking Under the Grape Skin

In addition to the Cabernet Franc, one of Bordeaux’s oldest grape varietals, and the Sauvignon Blanc, exploring the grape’s DNA reveals that Cabernet Sauvignon has inherited a natural mix of other species, including Carmenere, Morenoa, Hondarribi Beltza and Merlot. In other words, they are all related in one big happy family.

This unique genetic makeup has made Cabernet Sauvignon a versatile red grape varietal. The grape is known for its thick, durable skin, and the vine’s resistance to the elements. It is praised for being durable and easier to grow than other varietals, thus its ubiquity.

Ladies, we all know that wine is a symbol of sophistication and a great social lubricant at elegant events. But we can all take it to the next level by equipping ourselves with some basic knowledge on fine wines.

Wine knowledge will help you to know good wine from bad, maintain wine etiquette, and give you some talking points at sophisticated events and parties. Your first step to becoming a wine connoisseur starts here…

Read the label wisely

First, make sure you study the wine bottle carefully. All wine bottles have a unique label which tells you about the grape, country of origin, month and date and production, taste and grade of the wine. Reading wine labels is a good way to build up robust knowledge on the most popular grapes and wine-producing regions.

Color matters

All wines have a unique color palette, with each bottle exhibiting very slight differences in shade once poured into a glass. A good red wine will be a beautifully natural ruby red or pink color and will leave a clear red mark on the napkin, signifying a high level of purity.

Rosé has many different shades, from peach to something close to red. White wines, on the other hand, have a more restricted color profile. Lighter-bodied wines like pinot grigio should have a pale-yellow tinge to show they are bursting with freshness. Other varieties like Chardonnay will be a little darker because they are treated with oak.

Smell like a pro

One of the things many people love most about wine is the smell! Usually, a fruity scent can be noted immediately after opening any bottle of wine. If it smells sour, chances are it has gone bad. So, trust your nose!

Hold the glass correctly

Holding a wine glass in your hand might seem simple, but it’s an easy way for people to slip up in terms of wine etiquette. Make sure you grip lightly on the stem, never the bowl, which will allow you to swirl the glass easily. This technique also avoids transferring the warmth of your hands into the wine. Here’s a handy illustration of the correct way to hold a wine glass.

Time to Swirl!

Swirling wine is the best way to observe its color, purity, and depth. It also helps to release the aroma compounds into your nose. But how should you swirl correctly!? Gently swirl the wine clockwise with a soft wrist action, just like this…

Of course, it takes time to become an expert. However, a good tool that will help bring out the full qualities of your wine is the right wine glass! Especially when you’re a wine novice, high-quality wine glasses can help to bring the complex tastes and aromas of wine to the forefront, helping you to learn about color, taste, and aroma more easily. So, grab some LUCARIS stemware today and start learning!

Cheers!