July is the month summer stops being something you hope for and starts being something you plan around. Gardens earn their keep, evenings stretch past nine, and the instinct to reach for something cold, light and worth savouring takes over entirely. Your local Wine Rack is ready for it.
This month brings a sparkling line-up that ranges from accessible prosecco to serious champagne savings, a set of products of the month worth building a week around, fresh new arrivals in the chiller and a cocktail of the month that tastes like a Barbados sunset feels. Whether you are hosting, gifting or simply treating yourself, it all starts here.
Each month Wine Rack picks three products that deserve a spotlight, and July’s selection is one of the strongest yet.
Beer of the Month: Budvar 500ml, 3 for £6 (mix and match). Czech lager brewed slowly, with proper malt depth and a clean, dry finish that most mainstream lagers cannot match. It is the kind of beer that rewards you for paying attention. Serve it cold but not frozen, around 6 degrees, and give it a proper glass if you have one. At 3 for £6 with mix and match across the range, it is exceptional value for a beer of this calibre.
Spirit of the Month: Sipsmith London Dry Gin 70cl at £22.99 (save £13.50). Sipsmith is one of the bottles that helped restart London’s craft gin movement, and it remains one of the best expressions of a classic London Dry. Juniper-forward, citrus-bright, with a clean peppery finish that makes for an outstanding G&T and a beautiful Martini. At nearly half price, this is the kind of deal that does not come round often.
Wine of the Month: Belles Lettres Côtes du Rhône 75cl at £9.99. Full-bodied with bramble fruit from the Grenache Noir and a savoury spice on the finish, this is a southern French red that drinks well above its price point. It pairs naturally with grilled lamb, ratatouille, charcuterie or a slow evening with a good cheeseboard. A versatile bottle that earns its place in any kitchen rack.
Whether the occasion is a birthday, an anniversary, a long-overdue catch-up or simply a Thursday that deserves upgrading, this month’s sparkling range covers every tier from casual fizz to statement bottles.
Kylie Prosecco Rosé 75cl at £10.99 (was £13.49) is bright, berry-forward and effortlessly charming, a crowd-pleasing pour that works as well at brunch as it does at a garden party. For something with a bit more complexity, Cave de Turckheim Cremant d’Alsace 75cl at £10.99 (was £12.99) offers fine, persistent bubbles and an elegant citrus character that punches well above its price. Cremant is one of the best kept secrets in sparkling wine, and this is a brilliant introduction.
Moving into champagne, Champagne Brut Pannier 75cl at £31.99 (was £43.99) is a serious saving on a house that consistently delivers precision, biscuity richness and a long, refined finish. It is the kind of champagne you open and immediately wonder why it is not more famous.
For a statement bottle, the choice this month is remarkable. Moët et Chandon Brut Rosé NV 75cl at £44.99 (was £63.99) brings the elegance and summer-berry freshness that has made it one of the most recognisable rosé champagnes in the world. And Taittinger Prestige Rosé NV 75cl at £45.99 (was £59.99) is its quieter, arguably more refined counterpart, with delicate red fruit, fine mousse and a lingering finish that rewards slower drinking. Both represent savings of nearly £15 to £19, which is genuinely rare at this level.
July’s cocktail of the month is the Eclipse Barbados Sunset, and it is everything a summer serve should be. Light, citrusy, long and impossibly easy to drink in the garden as the evening cools.
Ingredients
Method
Add the Mount Gay Rum, grapefruit juice, lime juice and mint leaves to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well for 10 to 12 seconds until properly chilled. Double strain into a tall glass filled with fresh ice. Top with soda water, stir gently and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
The grapefruit gives it a bittersweet backbone that stops it tipping into sweetness, while the mint lifts the whole thing into something bright and aromatic. It is the kind of cocktail that makes a Tuesday evening feel like a holiday, and it comes together in under five minutes.
The beer chiller is stacked for summer. Carling Black Label 10x440ml at £11.99 (was £13.49) covers the crowd, while Doom Bar 10x440ml at £11.99 (was £16.25) is a standout deal on one of Britain’s best-loved amber ales, smooth, malty and a genuine step up from standard lager.
Strongbow Dark Fruit 10x440ml at £12.99 (was £15.99) is the fruit cider that keeps finding new fans, sweet enough to be easy drinking but balanced enough to hold its own all afternoon.
For something with a Continental edge, Peroni Nastro Azzurro 10x330ml at £12.99 brings Italian crispness in a slim bottle that suits a dinner table as much as a garden chair. Peroni 10x440ml and Staropramen 10x440ml, both at £12.99, round out the European tier, with Staropramen’s rich Czech pedigree offering a slightly deeper malt character for anyone who wants to explore beyond the usual.
Two names making their Wine Rack debut this month.
White Claw arrives in Black Cherry, Raspberry and Green Apple, all at 3 for £6. Clean, light and genuinely refreshing, it has earned its place as the default seltzer for anyone who wants something low calorie and easy drinking without sacrificing flavour. Serve them ice cold and let people pick their favourite.
Alongside it, El Jimador Lime Margarita and Mango Margarita 250ml, also 3 for £6. Proper tequila cocktails in a can, with enough agave character to feel authentic and enough citrus to make them dangerously sessionable. They are a smart addition to any drinks table, particularly for guests who want a cocktail without the fuss.
July is the month for long evenings, spontaneous gatherings and drinks that match the mood. Whether that means a bottle of Sipsmith for the best G&T of the summer, a Cremant d’Alsace that surprises everyone at the table, a Budvar that reminds you what good lager tastes like, or an Eclipse Barbados Sunset that turns the garden into a bar, Wine Rack has it covered.
Pop into your local store, explore what is new and discover more with Wine Rack.
Discover more with Wine Rack.