You’re in luck if you don’t like mint juleps.

It seems that many variations on the traditional cocktail are available, at least in New York and probably in other big cities, far beyond Derby Day. You can get a champagne julep, a gin julep and all manner of fruity juleps. So there is a kind of julep for everyone (kind of like what happened with martinis — apologies to the purists among us). Read the brief NYT item to see who’s pouring these new-fangled juleps.

On the complete flip-side is this great Washington Post piece on how juleps oughta’ be. Spirits reporter Jason Wilson even makes us a little list, so we know what’s most important in making a good and tasty julep (ice!).

Wilson visits Washington’s famous Round Robin Bar in the Williard Hotel and drinks juleps made by bartender Jim Hewes, who “crafts beautiful mint juleps based on what reputedly was Henry Clay’s original 19th-century recipe.” How’s that for traditional? Some other arguments Wilson makes: The julep shouldn’t be consumed after sunset; don’t try to pair it with food; and if you’re a southerner in a northern city, set the expectation bar low.

For you non-julep people, there are items to look at on beer and wine. The L.A. Times touts a beer it says is an “impressive” and “broad-shouldered sort of lager.” Made by Victory Brewing in Pennsylvania, Prima Pils “has balance and delicacy, it’s maltier and hoppier than the Pilsener designation might lead you to expect.”

This next item is way high on the list of Wines We Love here at Hot Plates: Cabernet Franc. There’s an L.A. Times feature about this varietal which we fell for in Virginia wine country, and then again in Long Island wine country. It isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s the kind of thing where if you like it, you love it.

Patrick Comiskey opens his article in a literary way, comparing Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab Franc to comic book characters: “Cabernet Sauvignon is the beefy, muscle-bound brute … Merlot is rather willowy by comparison but pleasingly so … (and) Somewhere between Cabernet Sauvignon’s intestinal fortitude and Merlot’s all-purpose weeniness a third variety lurks, a tween called Cabernet Franc.”

So, what’s to like about this wine? As Comiskey says, “an herbal aromatic imprint is common.” The best Cab Franc has some fruit, but also has the “savory notes” that come from its “green edge.” Check out Washington state for some good ones, Comiskey says.

Attention, eaters and makers of shrimp-and-grits: Here are some suggestions for wines to match with this southern treat. The tasting panel at The Dallas Morning News “sampled 14 wines: two sparklers, eight whites and four reds.” They conclude that this classic dish pairs well with a lot of different wines — check out their list.

Lastly, S. Irene Virbila gives us a good barbecue wine in her LAT Wine of the Week pick: Clos de los Siete, an inexpensive, “juicy, young” Argentine red blend from the Mendoza region. “Smooth and deep, it tastes of dark plums and sweet vanilla. Inky and very dry, with soft, supple tannins lurking beneath the fruit.” This with a plate of ribs, eaten outdoors? A true springtime delight.