Archives

January 2007

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Thank you!

Kim and I would like to take this time to thank you for your support in 2006. We know that there is an immense amount of choice these days, so it is gratifying to know that many of you are enjoying the wines that we are bringing direct from the vineyards to you. On Saturdays in the Topsham Wine Cellar, at our tastings and wine dinners, at the Festa di San Martino at Michael Caines, in the Pebblebed vineyard, and on our Club Vino trip this past year to Tuscany, we've enjoyed some really fun times with you.

So let's raise a glass to the continued enjoyment of more good and special wines as well as happy times in the wine country in 2007.

Cheers and Happy New Year to all, however and wherever you are celebrating!

Marc and Kim

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Sparkling cocktails

There is no better way to get the New Year celebrations off on the right foot than with sparkling wine cocktails. Making cocktails out of Champagne or Prosecco may seem as necessary as gilding gold, and indeed these great wines are wonderfully enjoyable just on their own. However, in our experience, sparkling wine cocktails always give a very special kick-start to any evening or occasion.

The (Almost) Perfect Bellini

Let's be absolutely pedantic and precise: for the perfect Bellini, you need not just fresh pesche bianche - white peaches - but ideally just-picked white peaches cultivated on the Venetian agricultural island of Sant'Erasmo. Um, er, alternatively, Tesco's currently has a wonderful cheat: pure white peach juice sold in foil containers, ideal at this time of year for making our 'almost perfect' Bellini.

White peach juice

Prosecco Bisol 'Jeio' n/v

Ice

The ratio of white peach juice to Prosecco is a matter of personal taste: I reckon about 1 part juice to 3 parts Prosecco is about right, but vary according to how you like it. First add the peach juice to a cocktail shaker or glass filled with ice. Stir to chill well, then add Prosecco wine. Stir or lightly shake to mix and chill, then carefully strain into either a
martini glass or a Champagne flute.

The Mimosa

Blood oranges from Sicily are now in season and can be used to make this deliciously fresh sparkling wine cocktail.

Oranges (ideally blood oranges from Sicily)

Prosecco Bisol 'Jeio' n/v

Orange peel to garnish

Ice

Make as above, but using the freshly squeezed blood orange juice instead of the peach juice. Twist a long piece of orange peel around a skewer to make a ‘corkscrew’ effect to use as a garnish.

Other variations:

Puccini – use fresh tangerines or clementines

Bucintoro – use fresh strawberries (mix with a little sugar and lemon juice
before pureeing)

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The Champino

A sophisticated champagne-style cocktail with an Italian twist.

1 part Campari

1 part sweet Vermouth

2 parts Prosecco Bisol 'Crede' n/v

Shake the Campari and sweet Vermouth over ice and strain into a cocktail glass or Champagne flute. Top up with Prosecco Bisol 'Crede'. Garnish with an orange twist.

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The Classic Champagne cocktail

1 sugar cube

Dash of Angostura bitters

Dash of Cognac

Champagne Rene Geoffroy Cuvee Empreinte n/v

Place a sugar cube in the bottom of a Champagne flute and add a dash of Angostura bitters and a dash of Cognac. Top up with Champagne Rene Geoffroy Cuvee Empreinte.

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Happy New Year to all and we look forward to seeing you in 2007.

Marc and Kim