Thankful for Wine – Fall wine Cocktails!
- Oct 5, 2017
The time of being thankful, gathering with friends and stuffing our faces is almost upon us. Sure, Thanksgiving is fun, but it is also a lot of work. Knowing what to cook for all your guests, knowing how to entertain them, or trying to come up with new ideas of creative dishes and cocktails can all be daunting tasks. We want to cut out some of the work for you with some amazing, creative, and most importantly, delicious wine cocktails that will have your guests raving about them until the next Turkey. Be it an aperitif, a dinner cocktail or a nightcap, these drinks are proseccond to none.
Here are our top 3 cocktails to make this thanksgiving.
Spiced Pear Collins
A crisp and woody autumnal cocktail with a hint of sour effervescence.
Image and recipe from SAVEUR[/caption]
For the cocktail:
1 1⁄2 oz. gin
1 1⁄2 oz. pear purée (see below)
3⁄4 oz. rosemary-clove simple syrup
3⁄4 oz. lemon juice
Sparkling wine - we recommend our Riondo prosecco
1 sprig rosemary, to garnish
For the pear puree:
2 pears, such as Bosch or Bartlett, peeled and pitted
1 1⁄2 oz. lemon juice
1 1⁄2 tsp. fresh rosemary
1⁄2 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup water
1 oz. whole cloves
3 sprigs rosemary
Instructions:
- To make the pear purée: Slice the pears and combine with lemon juice and rosemary in a blender. Blend until smooth; gently strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve and discard any solids. You will have roughly 1 cup of purée. If not using right away, the purée can be frozen in an ice cube tray and then stored in an airtight contained in the freezer to be used for individual cocktails in the future.
- To make the simple syrup: Combine the sugar, water, cloves, and rosemary in a saucepan over low heat. When it reaches a boil, remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes. Strain into a jar and store in the refrigerator until use.
- To make the cocktail: Combine the purée, syrup, lemon juice, and gin in a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake vigorously until chilled. Pour into a High Ball or Rocks glass and top with a small splash of sparkling wine or soda water. Garnish with rosemary to serve.
Sparkling White Cranberry Sangria:
A fall twist on a summer classic.
Recipe and image from Kitchn[/caption]
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup rum, like Selvarey or another high-quality white rum
1 cup diced red apple
1 cup diced green apple
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 bottle Chardonnay, un-oaked or lightly oaked, such as McGuigan Signature Chardonnay
1 cup white cranberry juice, chilled
2 cups club soda, chilled
Lemon twist for garnish
Instructions:
In a large pitcher, combine the sugar and rum and stir to dissolve. Add the apples, cranberries, Chardonnay, and white cranberry juice. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
When ready to serve, add the club soda and stir to combine. Pour into ice-filled glasses and scoop in some of the fruit. Top each glass with a lemon twist.
Red Wine Hot Chocolate
There is no intro needed for this delicious night cap. Chocolate and red wine… what more could you ask for?
Image and recipe from Kitchn
Ingredients
5 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 quart (4 cups) whole milk
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups fruity red wine, such as Merlot, Shiraz, or Zinfandel - Try the Powder Keg Zinfandel
Cinnamon sticks and additional cocoa powder, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Whisk the chocolate, cocoa powder, sugar, and cinnamon together in a large saucepan. Add the milk and bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until hot and smooth, about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt.
Remove from the heat and add the wine. Divide among 8 small glasses or mugs, garnish with a cinnamon stick and a dusting of cocoa powder, if desired, and serve.
BONUS COCKTAIL: Don’t have time to make your own creative cocktail? Try our Warm and Fuzzy Mulled Wine! Just heat, add a cinnamon stick and orange slice! We won’t tell anyone.
Image from Watchfit