Ain’t no laws where there’s claws, amirite?

I’ll start by apologising, I am so sorry and I did not mean to create this monstrosity – but we’ve made it this far so let’s keep going. The world is returning to some semblance of normalcy, and with that we crossed the bay bridge to Napa Valley for some classic Californian wine tasting.

• 

• 

This wasn’t my first rodeo with wine tasting (#classy), wine tasting is a standard summer activity for the French in the same way that visiting pumpkin patches is the classic fall activity in the United States. Rows and rows of bright green vines stretching for miles, the sweet and fruity scent of Riesling sticking to the front of your nose and the constant clinking of glasses in the background – wine tasting is an adventure that I would recommend to all.

4 glasses later, the saleslady could not have had an easier time convincing us to pick up a couple of bottles to take home with us. Whilst the French purists would be horrified at the idea, I figured that there had to be more than one way to drink wine that wasn’t just letting it trickle into the a wine glass. Maybe it’s my heart aching for college days but I couldn’t help but wonder – what about a drink that’s like sangria, but with Whiteclaw?

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this notorious college campus staple, Whiteclaw is the drink that starts most of the nights you can’t remember (in a good way!). The pièce de résistance of this sneaky 5% spiked seltzer lies in its refreshing and innocent vigour. This drink does not taste like it has alcohol in it. At all. You may be fooled by the low percentage rating and the fact that there’s no distinguishable difference between this and any other flavoured sparkling juice but beware, this is how it traps you.

I’m dedicating this one to my college kids who are stuck at home and miss the humid, sticky environment of the frat basement, the intoxicating buzzing adrenaline of the tailgate and the comforting embrace of the friend who walks you home. Here’s to you, my friends, we’ll be back soon.

Lawless Blueberry Thyme Sangria Smash

Ingredients:

• ½ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen works)
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• a handful of fresh thyme (plus extra sprigs for decorating)
• 1 bottle white wine (a non-dry variety like Moscato or Pinot Gris is ideal)
• 2 cans of lime Whiteclaw (or really whatever flavour you like)
• Lots of ice because nobody likes a warm drink

Method:

1. Add the blueberries, sugar and thyme to a small bowl and muddle with a muddler (or a large spoon) to release the juices and allow the thyme flavour to be absorbed. Leave to sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the berries to macerate.
2. Throw a couple of thyme sprigs into a large pitcher and pour over the bottle of white wine. Top with the cans of Whiteclaw. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. When serving, ladle 1 tbsp of the berry mix into the bottom of your glasses (or cups, I don’t judge) and top with a couple of ice cubes. Fill the glasses with the wine mixture until ¾ full and throw in a thyme sprig to be decorative. If desired, top with extra soda water. Enjoy!