In Oregon, we’re used to grey, rainy, and somewhat dismal winters. If you’ve lived here for more than a couple of years, you know what to expect. Though we appreciate it for what it does for our gardens and farms – it doesn’t mean we don’t yearn for the summer sun.

Inspired by a recent trip to the Mojave Desert, we came up with this cocktail as a form of liquid sunshine until the real thing shows up. Refreshing, with just the right amount of bite, it will cheer up even the bleakest of days as we impatiently wait for spring.

The recipe is for one drink – scale up for a party, just watch out for those cacti, they’ll bite.

Cactus Bite – one serving

5 oz Underwood Pinot Gris

4 oz Fresh Grapefruit juice

1 oz Campari

.5 oz Organic Agave Nectar

.5 oz Lime juice

Jacobsen Pure Flake Sea Salt

Lime wheel

Strain grapefruit juice through a fine wire strainer into a pitcher. Measure all ingredients into a metal shaker tin. Add ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Sprinkle salt flake over the top of the drink. Garnish with a lime wheel.

**When scaling up for a party, measure all ingredients into a pitcher or punchbowl, stir, and serve over ice**

Photography by David Reamer