08/16/05 White Port in the summer time

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. There are so many great wine based beverages for the summertime  and one that I especially enjoy is a white port cocktail. I want to share a recipe that is so refreshing that I think it should be named summertime. Most of us aren't familiar with white port  we think of port as the sweet fortified red wine that's served after dinner in front of a roaring fire. Well that is red port  but port is also made with white grapes. If the producer wants a drier style of white port they will simply ferment the wine longer. It's traditionally served as an aperitif. And although I don't drink much white port by itself I do love to have it in a special summer time cocktail. It's really nice if you have crushed ice available -Nothing that a heavy plastic bag and a hammer can't create. It's simple to prepare. I like Ramos Pintos white port the best and I believe that you can buy it on line, or at least find out where it's sold. Now Pour 1 ½ oz of white port into a large rocks glass of crushed ice, add to that 4 oz. of tonic water and a squeeze of lime. If this is too sweet for you then you might want to try a drier port or perhaps use club soda and a lemon instead of tonic and lime. These drinks are very refreshing and go well with parmesan chips, assorted olives, melon wrapped in prosciutto and toasted almonds. Introduce your friends to something new this summer, have a white port cocktail! And thanks for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.