Archives

June 2007

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Summertime, Prosecco time!

Prosecco, I'm sure you've heard me say, is truly a wine for all seasons. We love it any time of year - it's a favourite for Christmas morning breakfast, and in the depths of winter, we like nothing more than freshly squeezing some Sicilian blood oranges then mixing with chilled Prosecco to make a coloured, delightful, slightly tart and sparkling cocktail that definitely banishes the winter blues.

Prosecco, however, really comes into its own in the summertime. It's such a softly gentle fizz, with its fresh and exhilarating green apple fruit, ridiculously easy to drink and enjoy, especially when the sun is shining. Prosecco also makes the base for some simply stunning cocktails, the most famous of which is the Bellini.

So, to celebrate the start of summer (well, that sentence pretty well guarantees the return of the Devon monsoons), here are some recipes for Prosecco cocktails - delicious when the sun is shining, but equally good, I assure you, sat under an umbrella or inside watching the rain lash against the windows. Prosecco: a wine for all seasons and anything the British climate throws at us!

The Perfect Bellini

Ripe white peaches
Prosecco Bisol Jeio
A little sugar if necessary
A little lemon juice
Ice

Peel the ripe white peaches, cut into segments, and sprinkle with sugar and a little lemon juice. Only purée at the moment before serving. Purée the peaches, and add to a cocktail mixing glass filled with ice. Stir to chill well, then add Prosecco wine. The ratio should be one part peach juice to two or three parts Prosecco. Stir to mix and chill well, then carefully strain into either a martini glass or a Champagne flute.

The Mimosa

Blood oranges make the best Mimosa in winter months but in-season sweet summer oranges are also excellent for this deliciously fresh sparkling wine cocktail.

Oranges (the juiciest, sweetest you can find)
Prosecco Bisol Crede (richer, more complex than Jeio)
Orange peel to garnish
Ice

Make as above, but using the freshly squeezed 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 Prosecco cocktail variations

Puccini – use fresh tangerines

Bucintoro – use fresh strawberries (head out to the Boyces Fruit Farm at Shillingford St George to pick your own, then mix with a little sugar and lemon juice before pureeing)

The Champino

A Champagne-style cocktail with an Italian twist

1 part Campari
1 part sweet Vermouth
2 parts Prosecco Bisol Jeio
Orange peel to garnish

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

The Classico

1 sugar cube
Dash of Angostura bitters
Dash of Vecchia Romagna or other Italian brandy
Prosecco Bisol Crede

Place a sugar cube in the bottom of a Champagne flûte and add a dash of Angostura bitters and a dash of Vecchia Romagna brandy. Allow the sugar to dissolve. Top up with Prosecco Bisol Crede.

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Here's to summer, happy times and the enjoyment of summer wines.

Best to all,

Marc and Kim