The August bank holiday has a different energy to the others. It is the last long weekend of the summer, and there is a quiet determination to make the most of it. Whether that means a proper garden gathering, a spontaneous evening with friends or simply opening something worth savouring while the light fades, your local Wine Rack has the range to match.
This month brings a sparkling selection that stretches from everyday prosecco to a magnum of Whispering Angel, a wave of cocktail-ready new arrivals that take the work out of entertaining, beers at every price point and a cocktail of the month so simple you can make it while holding a conversation. Here is everything worth knowing.
The last bank holiday of the summer deserves something with a bit of fizz, and this month’s sparkling range delivers at every level.
Mionetto Valdobbiadene Prosecco 75cl at £12.99 is a step above standard prosecco. Valdobbiadene is where the best prosecco comes from, a DOCG designation that guarantees quality, and this bottle shows why. Expect fine, persistent bubbles, green apple and white peach notes, and a clean, dry finish that suits an aperitivo as well as a celebration.
Comte De Provence Rosé 75cl at £12.49 is a proper Provençal rosé at a very reasonable price. Pale, dry and elegant, with soft red fruit and a mineral edge that makes it feel more expensive than it is. Chill it properly, serve it outside and let it do the work.
For a statement bottle, Whispering Angel 1.5L Magnum at £37.00 is the one. The most talked about rosé in the country, in a format that says this is an occasion. A magnum holds two standard bottles, pours for a crowd and looks genuinely impressive on any table.
And for champagne, the Champagne Pannier Gift Pack 75cl at £31.99 combines a quality grower champagne with gift-ready presentation. Biscuity, precise and with a long, refined finish, it is the kind of bottle you can give with confidence or open for yourself without needing a reason.
The Flora Dora is the simplest cocktail of the month we have featured all year, and that is exactly why it works. No shaker, no straining, no measuring jigger panic. You build it straight in the glass and it is ready before anyone has time to ask what you are making.
Ingredients
Method
Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the Greenall’s Wild Berry Gin, lime juice and raspberry syrup. Top with ginger beer, stir gently and garnish with fresh berries and a sprig of mint.
The berry gin does a lot of the heavy lifting, bringing natural fruit sweetness and a beautiful pink colour without needing a shelf full of ingredients. The lime sharpens it, the raspberry syrup deepens the berry notes, and the ginger beer adds fizz and a warm spice that ties the whole thing together. It is fruity, refreshing and dangerously easy to drink on a warm evening.
Greenall’s Wild Berry Gin 70cl is available at £15.99, which makes this one of the most affordable cocktails of the month to make at home.
The standout new arrival this month is Jar Tails, a range of ready-to-drink cocktails served in 120ml jars at 2 for £6. Four flavours: Espresso Martini, Amaretto Sour, Pina Colada and Pornstar Martini. Crack the lid, pour over ice, and you have a proper cocktail without any of the prep. They are a when-it’s-gone-it’s-gone line, so stock up while they last.
For something more premium, the De Kuyper range lands with three cocktail bottles at £14.99 each: Espresso Martini, Passionfruit Martini and Pina Colada, all at 14.5% and 50cl. These are pre-mixed cocktails with genuine quality, rich enough to serve neat over ice or shake with fresh ice for a more polished finish. Also WIGIG, so do not wait.
And for gin collectors, Another Hendricks 70cl at £32.99 is a limited edition worth seeking out. A different botanical expression from the Hendricks distillery, it is the kind of bottle that earns its place on the shelf and starts a conversation every time someone spots it. WIGIG and presell only, so it will not be around long.
Four options covering every mood and budget. Budweiser 4x440ml and Cruzcampo 4x440ml, both at £4.99, are the reliable picks for a crowd. Budweiser is the classic, Cruzcampo brings a crisp Spanish edge.
Desperados 3x330ml at £4.99 adds something different, a tequila-flavoured lager that divides opinion but never fails to get a reaction. Serve it ice cold with a wedge of lime.
For a longer session, Birra Moretti 10x330ml at £9.99 is the premium choice. Italian, full-bodied and properly satisfying, it suits a dinner table as much as a garden chair.
The last bank holiday of the summer is the one worth getting right. Whether that means a magnum of Whispering Angel that makes the garden feel like the south of France, a Flora Dora that proves you can make a great cocktail in under two minutes, or a jar of Espresso Martini that does all the work for you, 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.