With the arrival of summer, there’s bound to be plenty of beach trips, picnics in the park, and gatherings of friends to enjoy the sunshine. Nothing says summertime fun quite like a tote bag filled with snacks, a captivating book, and fantastic, gulpable wine. With that in mind, we’re pairing four of our favorite summery wines and mixed cocktails with some of our favorite reads.

Hula by Jasmin Iolani Hakes
Taylor Fladgate Chip Dry Port & Tonic Cocktail

Hi'i is proud to be a Naupaka, a family renowned for its contributions to hula and her hometown of Hilo, Hawaii, but there’s a lot she doesn’t understand. She’s never met her legendary grandmother and her mother has never revealed the identity of her father. In hula, Hi'i sees a chance to live up to her name and solidify her place within her family legacy. But in order to win the next Miss Aloha Hula competition, she will have to turn her back on everything she’s been taught, and maybe even lose the very thing she’s fighting for. Hula is a sweeping saga of tradition, culture, family, history, and connection that unfolds through the lives of three generations of women—a tale of mothers and daughters, dance and destiny. Likewise, Taylor Fladgate follows a long and unbroken family tradition, which has provided continuity and clarity in the purpose and their products like this refreshing and elegant Chip Dry Port &Tonic cocktail. With crisp notes of lemon and mint, this canned cocktail is easy to carry, versatile, and ready to be enjoyed anywhere!

The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand
Maison Noir P-Oui Pinot Noir 2020

After Hollis Shaw’s husband dies in a tragic car accident, her picture-perfect life starts to fall apart. So when Hollis hears about something called a “Five-Star Weekend”—one woman organizes a trip for her best friend from each phase of her life: her teenage years, her twenties, her thirties, and midlife—she decides to host her own Five-Star Weekend on Nantucket. But the weekend doesn’t turn out to be a joyful Hallmark movie like she hoped. A surprising and captivating story about friendship, love, and self-discovery, much like André Hueston Mack’s wines, where he incorporates his love of hip-hop, street culture, and the philosophy of “wine for all,” while showcasing the unique terroirs of the Willamette Valley region. P-Oui, or Yes Pinot, is the celebration of Pinot Noir taken from a cross section of vineyards throughout the Willamette Valley to make "One Pinot Under a Groove". This delicious red wine is complex and soulful with notes of funky strawberry. Only bottled in half bottles, this wine is perfect for sharing a glass with a friend or taking it on the go. 

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
Spritzatto Aperitivo Originale

Clementine forms a plan to keep her heart safe: work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. The last one is silly and obviously metaphorical, but her aunt always told her that you needed at least one big dream to keep going. And for the last year, that plan has gone off without a hitch. Mostly. And then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt’s apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies. The kind of man that, before it all, she would’ve fallen head-over-heels for. Except, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. Her aunt always said the apartment was a pinch in time, a place where moments blended together like watercolors. And Clementine knows that if she lets her heart fall, she’ll be doomed. A cocktail that captures the essence of Roman summers, this blend of sparkling white wine, Italian aperitivo, and soda water is full of beautiful notes fresh citrus, herbs, and ripe tropical fruit balanced by just the right amount of bitterness. All you have to do is twist, pour over ice, and enjoy wherever friends and good times gather.

You Know Her by Meagan Jennett
Terroir Sonoro El Impostor Sparkling Cinsault Rose 2021

Two hours before he vanished, Mark Dixon stole a glass of wine. That’s what bartender Sophie Braam tells the cops when they question her about the customer whose mutilated body has just been found. What she doesn’t tell them is that she’s the one who killed him. Officer Nora Martin is new to the Bellair Police Department and is trying very hard to learn the ropes from Detective Murphy while ignoring all her male colleagues griping about a diversity hire. When she meets Sophie, they build an uneasy camaraderie over shared frustrations. As bodies start piling up, Nora begins to suspect that something’s not quite right with the enigmatic bartender. But will she be able to convince Murph that the serial killer haunting their little town is a woman? You Know Her probes the boundaries of female friendship and the deadly consequences of frustration fermenting into rage. El Impostor is a dry, organic, sparkling Cinsault that's tart and tangy with a sour cherry note that is similar in flavor to a sour beer or a piquette. This absolutely delicious wine is perfect for picnics in the park with a good book and a group of friends.