Why white port and tonic is set to be the new G&T this summer

It's the perfect sun-soothing tipple

The recent craze to hit our drink-loving nation is the sumptuous P&T

There’s been a whole lot of talk surrounding White Port lately and while some people scratch their heads in complete bewilderment, I can promise you white port is not only a real thing but has been around for a very long time.

In fact, the only major difference between red and white port is that white grapes are used to make white port and red grapes for all other port (but you knew that already).

The recent craze to hit our drink-loving nation is the sumptuous P&T. You guessed it, white port and tonic with a simple citrus garnish.

The notion of P&T is by no means a stranger to the world and the people of Porto, Portugal (the birth ground of port) have been drinking this for decades, especially the younger generations.

Containing a similar level of sweetness to our beloved gin, white port provides the perfect taste and texture to create a sun-soothing tipple that will keep you refreshed - perfect for the welcomed weather we’ve been receiving as of late (sorry if I just jinxed it).

If you like G&T’s then you really should give this a go, the other bonus being that you can save a little money in the process, as white port is typically a lot cheaper than gin. It’s also crucial that you get yourself a decent tonic, some of my personal favourites include Tesco Finest Tonic, Fever Tree, Franklin & Sons and 1724.

How to make a thirst-quenching P&T:

- Fill the glass ¾ full with ice

- Add 1 part port

- Add 2 parts good quality tonic (think Fever Tree, Tesco Finest or Franklin & Sons)

- Gently stir about 5 times to ensure a good mix in the glass

- Add a twist of lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit as a garnish

- Optional: Sprig of mint or some edible flowers if you want to get all fancy

- Optional: Swap out the tonic for sparkling elderflower, Ooooo!

Note: The above is a simple guide as to how to put together a standard P&T, but never feel the need to stick to the exact recipe (we’d never discover new things if people did that all the time). Feel free to branch out with tonic flavours, garnishes and white ports, as each P&T you create will be vastly different from the other.

5 White Ports To Try

There’s a lot of white ports out there, but here are some of the best I’ve come across for P&T’s. Remember, it’s important to explore, so once you’ve conquered this list find some discoveries of your own!

Calem White & Dry – Buy it from Amathus Drinks for £13.75

Barros White Port – Buy it from Great Wines Direct for £13.68

Kopke 10 year Old White Port – Buy it from Oddbins for £22

Graham’s White Port – Buy it from Amazon for £13

Portal Fine White Port – Buy it from Bin21 for £16