Red Before Labor Day: Summer’s New Rules

THE weather won’t matter. Dry and bright would be ideal for stoking the grill, but even muggy heat or dispiriting drizzle won’t stanch the joyous sense of letting go that arrives with Memorial Day weekend.
Aside from the holiday’s ceremonial importance — honoring the men and women who have died serving in the armed forces — the weekend means one thing to most: the unofficial start of summer. As with fashion and food, drinking assumes a more casual, easygoing tone.
Yet the old rules no longer hold. Toss aside the stodgy, outmoded dogma of summer as white-wine season, for one thing. Bourbon need not be consigned to the recesses of the closet in favor of rum and vodka.
For too long, seasonal drinking has been considered a matter of color: reds for the cold; rosés and whites for the heat. Similar rules hold with beer. Friends may gasp as I drink a pint of Guinness in my shorts and sunglasses. They assume dark beers are heavy. But I just smile. Little do they know that Irish stout is crisp, dry and low in alcohol.
It’s not color that guides the choice of warm-weather beverages, but weight. Just as woolens give way to cottons and linens, so do heavier wines, beers and spirits yield to beverages with less ballast. What seems robust and warming in the bleak cold now feels ponderous and unwieldy. By contrast, what felt insubstantial back then is now refreshing and energizing.
Punch, for instance, is often associated with fall and winter holidays. Yet it can be made seasonal with the delicate spring sweetness of strawberries, and summery with the tropical tang of limes. Sure, you could settle for a bland base of vodka, but bourbon adds the perfect backbone of vanilla richness.
Red wines have their place, too. Why would anybody assume that in the heat of summer the desire to drink them simply evaporates? You’re not planning to serve a Sancerre with that porterhouse sizzling on the grill, are you? Of course not. A hefty zinfandel or full-bodied cabernet sauvignon would be too much, but a good Chianti, of medium weight with refreshing acidity is just the thing, especially if you chill it ever so lightly.
Commercially, Memorial Day heralds rosé season, a custom I cannot abide because I like rosé year-round. Great rosés — like those from Château Pradeaux and Domaine Tempier in Bandol; Château Simone in Palette; Valentini in Montepulciano; and my current obsession, Domaine Ilarria in Irouléguy — are as fulfilling in the depths of January as in July’s dank heat.
Not all rosés are as versatile, however. Does anybody really want a heavy rosé in the midday heat or while tending the coals before dinner? I don’t think so. In most rosés, a heavy dose of alcohol or a clumsy level of sweetness will unbalance the wine. The rosés to look for are crisp, textured and refreshing.
From Provence, rosé’s spiritual home, I like Château de Roquefort, Domaine du Jas d’Esclans and Peyrassol. But good rosés come from all over, like Spain, including Campos de Enanzo in Navarra and Los Bermejos in the Canary Islands; Shinn Estate on Long Island; and Arnot-Roberts in California, which makes an unusual but delicious rosé from touriga nacional, a leading port grape growing in Lake County.
They make rosé in Champagne, too, many good ones. But nothing is particularly summery about them, and they are often heavier than the usual bruts.
If you want a great summer bubbly, may I suggest Cerdon du Bugey from Renardat-Fâche? This light-bodied pink sparkling wine has noticeable sweetness, but is beautifully balanced and stimulating as an aperitif or refreshing after dinner.
I mentioned a bourbon, strawberry and lime punch earlier. Made with elderberry tea and Angostura bitters, it is wonderful for a crowd: refreshing, tangy and celebratory. But if you don’t plan a big gathering, simply diminish the proportions in the recipe here. It’s offered occasionally at Prime Meats in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, where it was developed by Damon W. Boelte, bar director for the Frankies group of restaurants, who calls it Too Hot to Hoot and describes it as summer in a bowl.
“Bourbon and lime is a rare combination,” he said. “It usually goes with lemon, but with all the other ingredients, they really play well together.”
More often than not, this weekend calls out for a beer or a few. I love the dry, snappy bitterness of a pilsner. Excellent versions are made in New York by Sixpoint and Brooklyn Breweries. Other good pilsners include those from Victory, Lakefront, Tröegs and Pilsner Urquell.
I can’t help but reiterate my love of Kölsch, the crisp, slightly bitter golden ale from Cologne, Germany, which I find so brisk and energizing. The three brands seen regularly are Gaffel, Reissdorf and Sünner, and I find a lot to like about each.
Stout is not the only dark beer appropriate for summer. I especially like porter, too. But thoughts of summer beer would not be complete without a nod to Belgian and Bavarian wheat beers — fresh, spicy and intrinsically refreshing. Look for Belgian styles from Allagash, Hoegaarden, Southampton Publick House and Jolly Pumpkin; among the many producers of Bavarian-style hefeweizen, look for Franziskaner, Schneider Weisse, Brooklyn and Ayinger.
After rosés, most wine drinkers reach reflexively at Memorial Day for whites, as if they’re the equivalent of white belts and shoes: enjoyed for the summer and stowed after Labor Day. I hate to say it, but that thinking is as dated as instant coffee; sure, you’ll have something in your glass, but why deprive yourself of so much pleasure?
I especially like reds that are lightly chilled, not to refrigerator temperature, but just enough to feel cool in the glass. Beaujolais, of course, but also Cerasuolo di Vittoria, the lovely, enticing light red from Sicily. Valle dell’Acate, COS and Occhipinti all make excellent versions. Look also for frappato, one of the constituent grapes of Cerasuolo di Vittoria.
Many other Italian reds go beautifully with a light chill, whether Chianti, barbera, dolcetto, Valpolicella or lesser-known grapes like teroldego from Trentino or cornalin from the Valle d’Aoste. And if you need a full-on refrigerator blast, how about an icy cold Lambrusco from a top producer like Lini, Medici Ermete or Vittorio Graziano?
Or perhaps one of the more restrained pinot noirs from the Sonoma Coast of California? Ross Cobb of Cobb Wines makes excellent pinot noirs that are delightful lightly chilled, particularly those from the Emmaline and Coastlands vineyards. From Spain, try the reds from Ribeira Sacra, a stunning site in eastern Galicia. I especially like D. Ventura and Guímaro wines.
Now, just because I’m touting reds doesn’t mean I’m immune to the charms of summer whites. Far from it. I love a crisp Sancerre, especially those that show the terroir rather than simply the fruitiness of the sauvignon grape. Look for producers like Gérard Boulay, Lucien Crochet, Domaine Vacheron and Thomas-Labaille. Rieslings can be superbly refreshing, whether the light off-dry style of a kabinett riesling from the Mosel; the spätlese-style late-harvest riesling of Hermann J. Wiemer in the Finger Lakes; or the dry mineral flavors of Ravines, a Finger Lakes riesling of a totally different style.
For many people, chardonnay remains synonymous with white wine. Summer or winter, I’ll never say no to Chablis, the most distinctive chardonnay in the world, and out in the Santa Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County, Rajat Parr, the Bay Area sommelier, sells deliciously balanced chardonnays under the Sandhi label.
What, you’ve graduated to pinot grigio? Well, I have nothing against good pinot grigio. (Relegate the insipid ones to the mediocre restaurants of the world.) For good ones, producers like Elena Walch and Alois Lageder of Alto Adige have much to offer.
You know, I’m really just getting started. With any luck, it’ll be a long, hot summer.

Camping is one of the popular outdoor activities that take place in Clearwater Resort which is generally regarded as one of the best hotels in Clark Philippines. Here in this popular resort in Pampanga there is a safe and clean campsite that comes also with a private campfire ground for a complete camping experience outside of Manila. Guests and families camping at this private resort in Pampanga often enjoy outdoor facilities by the lake, the beach and picnic grounds also. Clearwater Resort is considered by schools, event organizers and social groups as one of the best campsites in the Philippines.

Philippines wedding planners and wedding reception caterers recommend Clark Philippines as this year’s premier destination for beach weddings and garden receptions. Wedding couples in Philippines no longer prefer traditional indoor venues and hotel ballrooms for wedding receptions in Manila, Angeles City, Subic and Clark Freeport.

Selecting a good and safe event venue in Philippines for team building and company outings is not that easy. Many public event venues in resort hotels in Philippines can’t deliver assurances of safety and security for a good team building event outside Manila. This exposes corporate and private events to risks that are not acceptable to event organizers in Philippines.

Visitors coming from Manila will be looking for beautiful places to relax and unwind because that is something that people living in the city hope to do when they get out of town. Clark is one of the popular holiday destinations because it offers that peaceful ambience for visitors to enjoy a day without stress. Of the good places to visit in Clark, Clearwater Resort is most frequently visited and highly recommended by travel guides as the best resort in Pampanga. This hotel in Clark is well regarded for its vast outdoor picnic grounds as well as the lake and swim spots that are in the largest resort. Situated in the central business of Clark, this holiday hotel is conveniently located within walking distance to shopping malls also.

One of the favorite things to do for tourists staying in Clark Philippines is to engage in leisure outdoor activities in a good resort in Pampanga. These safe, clean and secure outdoor facilities of this resort in Clark are what bring visitors from Manila and tourists from crowded Asian cities to the best resort in Clark Pampanga. Clearwater Resort is one of the more frequently visited deluxe hotels near Angeles City, Subic and Clark Philippines.

Best resort in Pampanga offers more than hotel accommodation near Angeles City, Subic and Clark Philippines, but good outdoor facilities for kids to enjoy when family travelers go out of town from Manila on getaway to the north to visit Subic and Clark Freeport. Event organizers regularly hold team building and company outings in the event venue of this resort in Pampanga.

Garden style wedding reception can take place within a few meters from the beach of this hotel in Clark Philippines so guests and observe the ceremony at the comfort of their seats on the table.

Clearwater is a highly recommended and most frequently visited private resort in Pampanga. This Clark hotel is a famous private resort outside Manila for corporate planning because of its exclusivity.

It is important to visitor that the family feels safe in a hotel in Angeles Philippines. That is a main reasons that we choose to stay in this hotel in Clark Pampanga outside of Manila Philippines. Many don’t like the hotels in Subic or some of the hotel in Angeles City Pampanga. This highly recommended hotel in Angeles city Clark Philippines does not make them comfortable and secure.

For inquiries and bookings, Please click here to contact Clearwater Resort for inquiries and reservations now

Clearwater Resort and Country Club, Clark Pampanga
Creekside Road near Centennial Expo,
Clark Freeport, Pampanga Philippines 2023
(045) 889-5151 0917-520-4403 0922-870-5177
Joanne or Jeremy or Loydha

Getting to this lake and beach resort in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Philippines

After entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway MA Roxas, passing the stand-along wine shop called Clark Wine Center on the right, continue to bear right making no turns at all, go past Mimosa Leisure Estate on the opposite side of the road, one will hit a major intersection. Go straight and the road becomes Creekside Road. YATS Clearwater Resort and Country Club is on the right just 200m down.

Family Bonding by the famous lake of Clark Pampanga

http://www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com

Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 Rea or Chay

Email: Inquiry@ClearwaterPhilippines.com

Please click here to contact Clearwater Resort to reserve a venue for your upcoming event now

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

While in Clark, one might as well add to the itinerary a visit to the famous Clark Wine Center, the largest wine shop in Philippines which offers over 2000 selections of fine vintage wine from all wine regions, vintages spanning over 50 years covering all price ranges.
http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com

http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

For jobs and business investment opportunities in the Philippines please visit http://www.yilp.com

Hot Line for what’s happening in Clark: 045 889-5151 or 0927-940-2669 ask for Loydha

0915-542-6250 (Jeramie)