Archive for the ‘Wine’ Category

During occasional random YouTube searches, I'm always surprised (and mostly delighted) by the cool alcohol-related advertising I find that feature big Hollywood stars.

In this case, I stumbled across a couple of very cool Martini vermouth commercials starring George Clooney. Hope they give you a grin, too.

Clooney can really pull off that great silly look when he wants to, much like he did in O Brother, Where Art Thou? Here it is again. This one also features the stunning Shannyn Sossamon.

What's your favourite way to enjoy vermouth?

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I, for one, ate and drank well. But there's no time to waste as the biggest bash of the year is just around the corner. Introducing us to some bubbly New Year's Eve tipples is today's guest blogger: the lovely Donna Pires, also known as The Crafty Bartender and my exceedingly better half. Take it away Donna!
--Kennedy

Looking for the perfect drink to ring in the New Year? Wow your guests with these unique and sensational champagne cocktails. Combine the exotic flavours of elderflowers, ginger, passion fruit or tropical juices with your favourite sparkling white wine to create an unforgettable champagne experience.

1. THE ST-GERMAIN COCKTAIL

The signature drink of St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, the Elderflower Cocktail is a delicious and refreshing champagne cocktail. If you’ve never tried the light and fruity St-Germain, you really are missing out! This drink is best made with a dry champagne, prosecco or sparkling wine. I like to use Tartani, a dry and lovely rosé.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz dry champagne, prosecco, or sparkling wine
• 1-1/2 oz St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
• 2 oz club soda
• Lemon

Mixing instructions:

Add ingredients, in the above order, to a Collins glass filled with ice, stir well and garnish with a lemon twist.

2. BUBBLES 'N BLUE

Everybody loves a blue drink, trust me. If you walk into a room with a tray of blue drinks and a tray of pink drinks, I can assure you the blue drinks will go first. Now make it a bubbly blue drink and no one can resist! Bubbles ‘n Blue combines vodka, natural topical fruit juices and a hint of cognac from Hpnotiq, with the dry and crisp flavours of Giovello Prosecco.

Ingredients:

• 3 oz Hpnotiq
• 3 oz Giovello Prosecco

Mixing instructions:

Combine Hypnotiq and Giovello Prosecco in a champagne flute and serve.

3. BOMBAY BLUSH

This is my own little champagne cocktail based on the French 75 – just as tasty – not quite as lethal. You could use any rosé champagne, prosecco or sparkling wine but my preference is Yellow Tail Bubbles Rosé.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 oz Bombay Sapphire gin
• 1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• Yellow Tail Bubbles Rosé
• Lemon or raspberries

Mixing instructions:

Shake gin, lemon juice and simple syrup over ice, pour into champagne flute, top with Bubbles Rosé and garnish with a lemon twist or raspberries.

4. ALIZÉ GOLD MIMOSA

Give your mimosas a little extra flair with the addition of Alizé Gold Passion – perfect for New Year’s Eve or brunch the next day.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz orange juice
• 1 oz Alizé Gold Passion
• Champagne

Mixing instructions:

Add orange juice and Alizé Gold Passion to a champagne flute and top with champagne, sparkling wine or prosecco.

5. CANTON ROYALE

Domaine de Canton is a combination of fresh baby ginger, VSOP and XO Grande Champagne Cognacs, Tahitian vanilla beans, Provencal honey and Tunisian ginseng. Give your guests the royal treatment by combining Domaine de Canton and champagne.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 oz Domaine de Canton
• 4-1/2 oz champagne
• Lemon or lemon bitters

Mixing instructions:

Combine Domaine de Canton and champagne in a flute. Squeeze in the juice of a lemon wedge or add a dash of lemon bitter.

The Huffington Post has a short and sweet little slideshow going that takes a look at a few of the most argued about topics in the cocktail world. Salt or no salt on your Margarita? Bourbon or rye in a Manhattan? And of course, the classic shaken vs. stirred debate. Check out 8 Iconic Cocktail Debates.

Heineken finalized its brand redesign this week, by launching its new look bottle design. The folks at beernews.org have the story.

Today's sign of the apocalypse. For those of you whose tastes, ahem, run to the more risqué, check this out: Ron de Jeremy. 'Nuff said.

The Intoxicologist has put together over two dozen Manhattan recipe variations in her post Make Mine a Manhattan Holiday. There's sure to be something (or two) for everyone. For my part, it's going to take me at least a couple of days to try them all

Today's sign of the apocalypse, part 2: Alcohol-infused whipped cream.

If wine snobbery – an altogether too common characteristic  IMO – drives you crazy, make a stand with Wino Magazine's Seven Ways to Puncture a Wine Windbag.

The White Oaks Resort & Spa in Niagara-on-the-Lake recently hosted the 2010 InterVin International Wine Awards.

“Value is always front of mind for wine lovers,” says Christopher Waters, editor of VINES Magazine and head judge of the InterVin International Wine Awards. “For casual consumers and connoisseurs alike, there’s endless interest in knowing which wines are both amazing and affordable.”

With that remark in mind, the following is for those of you interested in diving into something new but without a hefty price tag. Here are the 28 winners of the Best Value Award, in alphabetical order for your convenience. All of them retail for $15 or less.

Montecillo 2006 Crianza, LCBO 144493, 750 mL, $14.95

Aliança 2006 Vista TR Tinta Roriz, Portugal

Barefoot Cellars Pinot Grigio, California, United States

Barefoot Cellars Moscato, California, United States

Bodegas Montecillo 2006 Crianza, Rioja, Spain

Bodegas Osborne 2007 Solaz Tempranillo/Cabernet Sauvignon, Castilla, Spain

Calona Vineyards 2009 Artist Series Gewürztraminer, British Columbia, Canada

Castillo de Monseran 2008 Garnacha, Aragon, Spain

Chivite 2009 Gran Feudo Rosado, Navarra, Spain

Creekside Estate Winery 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Ontario, Canada

Coyote’s Run Estate Winery 2009 Unoaked Chardonnay, Niagara Peninsula, Canada

Gustav Adolf Schmitt 2008 Niersteiner Spätlese Late Harvest, Rheinhessen, Germany

Hernder Estate Winery Iced Raspberry, Ontario, Canada

Hillebrand Winery 2009 Trius Sauvignon Blanc, Niagara Peninsula, Canada

Hob Nob Cellars 2008 Pinot Noir Vin de Pays d’Oc, France

J. Garcia Carrion 2007 Antaño Crianza, Rioja, Spain

Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate 2009 Black Series Sauvignon Blanc, Niagara Peninsula, Canada

Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate 2008 Proprietors’ Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Okanagan Valley, Canada

Loron & Fils 2009 Montvallon Bourgogne Blanc Chardonnay, Burgundy, France

McWilliam’s 2009 Hanwood Estate Pinot Grigio, South Eastern Australia, Australia

McWilliam’s 2009 J.J. McWilliam Shiraz Cabernet, South Eastern Australia, Australia

McWilliam’s 2008 Hanwood Estate Shiraz, South Eastern Australia, Australia

Muskoka Lakes Winery 2009 Cranberry Wine, Ontario, Canada

Nugan Estate 2008 Cookoothama Shiraz, Darlington Point, Australia

Remy Pannier 2009 Anjou, Loire Valley, France

Stoney Ridge Estate Winery 2009 Charlotte’s Chardonnay Unoaked, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula

Viña Concha y Toro 2009 Casillero del Diablo Shiraz Reserva, Rapel Valley, Chile

Viña Concha y Toro 2009 Frontera Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile

Yalumba 2007 Y Series Shiraz Viognier, South Australia, Australia

Watch for The National Post’s special InterVin feature section, Drinks Quarterly, on Saturday, Nov. 13. Full results will be posted online at intervin.ca on the same day.