Had this excellent cocktail at Mooncloud in the Berkshires, where the drinks are only rivaled by the great 90s soundtrack. The Battle of Jalisco has: Lunazul tequila is 100% Blue Weber agave, meant to be a pure representation of the agave. It’s clean, citrus, peppery—and great for cocktails. Want to be the first to get the monthly … Continue reading
Was in Venice recently and learned about Select—described as something between bitter Campari and sweet orangey Aperol, but to me was extremely close to Campari. The slight differences: Select was created in 1920 in Venice (not Milan, where Campari is from), has 17.5% alcohol (not Campari’s 24.5%), and is a proprietary blend of 30 botanicals like juniper and rhubarb which … Continue reading
I was expecting the hyper-colorful doors, bountiful flowers pouring over balconies, and rustic beaches. But I was not expecting the incredible cocktail scene in Cartagena! In general, Cartagena had an impressive design aesthetic, with bold interiors and amazing attention to detail in shops, hotels, and restaurants. Given that, it made sense that would travel into … Continue reading
In Etna, they produce spumante that has notes of lime pith than volcanic minerality. Sales have increased with the rise of the spritz—they currently make up 33% of all Etna sales in the US. I think I helped the domestic sales while I was there, as I drank Campari spritzes every day at aperitivo. Given spumante … Continue reading
Although my true love is wine, I love the gift-ability of whiskey since it will last way longer than just one night. It makes people think of you throughout the year. Here are some ways to go: Want to be the first to get the monthly newsletter recommendations? Woo hoo, sign up here! Continue reading
Some great summer cocktails involve vermouth, which is made from a neutral base wine and lots of botanicals. A common misperception is that red vermouth is made with a base of red wine, but actually the color just comes from different botanicals. Lustau, a prominent sherry house in Jerez, Spain, even makes a “rosé” vermouth. … Continue reading
Or did it ever end? With the ridiculous explosion of Aperol spritzes forming seas of orange in piazzas and bars worldwide, these all-in-one Almare Spritz cocktails are fantastic to have on hand. Comes in three flavors: Classico is your typical Aperol style with lots of bittersweet orange; Hugo which has very pretty elderflower in it; and our … Continue reading
I made up a cocktail. Basically, it was end-of-summer bounty but when you throw it all together and it’s so good! And it’s perfect timing for National Port Wine Day on September 10. Most people think ruby or tawny when they think of port, but white port is excellent for cocktails. Like this one, which I … Continue reading
New fave cocktail: Lillet rosé with a splash of soda. Lillet is an aperitif from Bordeaux, made from Sauvignon Blanc and Muscatel grapes flavored with herbs, spices, and citrus and fortified with citrus liqueur. It’s light and bright with notes of raspberries and white florals. Fantastic summer sipper. Want to be the first to get the monthly newsletter … Continue reading
New summer/TikTok trend alert: spicy rosé. It’s simply throwing some jalapeño slices and some ice into your rosé. Usually I’m not into putting stuff in my wine, but with a non-fussy rosé there isn’t much harm. Grapefriend tip: I definitely wouldn’t use a light, Provençal-style rosé which would get completely overwhelmed by the spice. A good Tempranillo-based Spanish rosato holds … Continue reading
