A fun new summer sip.

In summer, nothing satisfies like something chilled, quenching and palate-awakening.

That’s what Jardesca delivers. The fortified wine is made in Sonoma by Roger Morrison and Marshall Dawson, who wanted to create a simple apertif suitable to begin any meal.

Recently, I had a chance to try a sample. The beautiful bottle looks right at home in a garden. Not surprising since Jardesca is made with an eau de vie infused with 10 botanicals, as well as a blend of sweet and dry white wines.

It’s designed to be served not only chilled but on the rocks, which is how I tried it. It’s dry and refreshing, with notes of orange peel, peppermint, grapefruit, mint and a whiff of warm baking spices. Even at 18 percent alcohol, it’s quite smooth with none of that fire at the back of the throat of other aperitifs.

Jardesca can be enhanced by adding citrus peel or any number of muddled herbs. In fact, as I sipped it, I couldn’t help but envision how wonderful it might be in a sangria with fresh peaches and basil. As it is, it’s been the perfect drink to enjoy while I prepare dinner each night.

A 750ml bottle is about $29 at K&L Wine Merchants and other stores. You also can find it served at restaurants such as Bistro 29 in Santa Rosa, Absinthe in San Francisco, and Bourbon Steak in San Francisco.