Summertime cocktails don’t need to be pretentious

You don’t have to seek out a specialty cocktail bar in order to experience some of the very best summer cocktails. With so many award-winning restaurants in our city, drinks aren’t an afterthought even when the food is the main attraction.

One example is West Loop restaurant Monteverde’s cocktail menu. James Beard Award winner Chef Sarah Grueneberg’s take on Italian cuisine is the inspiration behind bar manager Jennifer Knott’s drink creations.

“We’re not a cocktail bar, so I don’t need to keep on top of all of the latest … cocktail trends that are happening,” said Knott. “But we want to make sure everything is … modern and up-to-date.”

Knott’s cocktail list highlights several seasonal trends, is approachable, and less intimidating than you may find in a dedicated cocktail bar.

Her main goal is to keep options lighter, simpler and accessible for diners who want to start or end their meal with a great drink.

A riff on the classic Negroni, lightened up with a white vermouth to visually appear clear, is aptly named the “Invisible Negroni.” She omits the traditional ingredient of Campari, and the resulting colorless cocktail seems brighter and whimsical.

Jennifer Knott, the bar manager at Monteverde restaurant, gets her cocktails inspiration from the menu of chef Sarah Grueneberg.

Knott’s cocktail expertise also showcases the use of wine — whether a fortified variety or table wine — as a mixer.

“We all have wine at home,” she said. “[It’s] as simple as that. Add a couple of easy ingredients. [You] can throw in fruit, sugar and/or soda water. It’s easy and fun.”

She uses a Lambrusco from the Emilia Romagna region of Italy in one version of “The Rhuby Slippa”— a take on the Italian daiquiri — with a 3 and 5 year rum, Caffo Aperitivo, lime juice, and rhubarb rosé reduction topped with Lambrusco.

The rhubarb rosé reduction is a reflection of the kitchen’s focus on seasonal ingredients.

“With the amazing food program here, I want the cocktail program to be able to compliment that,” said Knott.

“Chef Sarah [draws inspiration from] many different [regions] of Italy… so that’s really nice because I can utilize different sorts of cocktail styles that come out of different areas,” said Knott of sourcing regional Italian wines, liqueurs, aperitifs and digestifs.

Along with bountiful produce, summer brings about a shift in attitudes about imbibing.

“For summer, it’s about what’s easy to drink — that means all day sippers that are low ABV (alcohol by volume),” said Knott.

She recommends drinks that are easy to make, easy to drink and easy to batch for summer barbecues and parties.

“Spring Forward” is Monteverde’s take on the ubiquitous spritz. Their version is made with white vermouth, Italicus (Italian black tea liqueur made with bergamot), grapefruit juice, tonic water, and basil leaves as a garnish.

Want to simplify a picnic or a patio day even further, all you need is vermouth, soda and ice.

“Vermouths are so wide varying and you can do so much with them,” said Knott, suggesting vermouth on ice with a splash of soda water or Prosecco makes for easy drinking on hot summer days.

Make Monteverde Cocktails at Home:

The Rhuby Slippa

• .75 oz El Dorado 3 yr Rum
• .5 oz El Dorado 5 yr Rum
• 1 oz Caffo Aperitivo
• .5 Rhubard Rosé reduction
• .5 oz Lime
• 1 oz Lambrusco Float

Glass: Large goblet or red wine glass

Garnish: Lambrusco Float, Rhubarb knot

Combine all ingredients, except the Lambrusco, with ice into a shaker.

Shake and strain into a red wine glass or large goblet or nick and nora glass.

Add the 1 oz Lambrusco on top.

Garnish with a slice of Rhubarb tied into a knot.

The Spring Forward

• 1.5 oz Alessio bianco vermouth
• 1 oz Italicus
• .5 oz Grapefruit
• 3 oz Fever tree tonic
• 3 Basil leaves

Glass: White wine glass

Garnish: 2 basil leaves and 2 grapefruit peels

Combine all ingredients with ice, except the tonic, into a shaker and shake.

Double-strain (pouring through shaker strainer as well as a strainer placed on top of your glass) into the white wine glass.

Add fresh ice to the glass and then top with tonic water.

Garnish with 2 basil leaves and 2 grapefruit peels around the inside of the glass.

The Invisible Negroni

The “Invisible Negroni” served at Monteverde restaurant is made with Malfy Gin con Limone, Luxardo Bitter Bianco, and Alessio Vermouth Bianco.

• 1 oz Luxardo bitter bianco
• .5 oz Bianco vermouth
• 1.5 oz Malfy lemon gin
• Orange Bitters

Glass: rocks

Garnish: fire stick flower

Combine ingredients into a cocktail mixing glass with ice.

Stir all ingredients until well chilled and strain over a large cube in a rocks glass.

Garnish with a fire stick flower.