Bottoms up
For Christmas and New Year, indulge in a festive cocktail or fine wine. We’ve asked the experts for their favourite tipples and star concoctions to enjoy this season.
Portuguese gin & tonic
Serves 1
Ingredients
40ml white port
25ml gin
10ml fresh lime juice
Good quality tonic water, to top
Method
Combine the port, gin and lime juice in a highball glass filled with ice cubes and stir until chilled. Top with tonic water and garnish.
Garnish: Fresh bay leaf
Glass: Highball, Toyo Sasaki’s casts a sleek silhouette
Blush 75
Serves 1
Ingredients
40ml rhubarb gin
20ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
12.5ml sugar syrup
Chilled sparkling rosé, to top
Method
Combine everything but the sparkling rosé in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until well mixed. Strain into a champagne flute and top with chilled sparkling rosé to taste. Garnish.
Garnish: Rhubarb ribbons or lemon peel
Glass: Champagne flute, Riedel’s is a tender-stemmed delight
Negroni Sbagliato
Serves 1
Ingredients
25ml Campari
12.5ml Martini Rosso
10ml Antica Formula, or any sweet red vermouth
25ml chilled lambrusco, or any Italian sparkling wine, such as prosecco, to top
Method
Fill a mixing glass with ice and add the Campari, Martini Rosso and Antica Formula. Stir and strain into a tumbler; top with lambrusco. Twist orange peel over the glass to release aromatic oils.
Garnish: Orange twist
Glass: Tumbler, ours is from Shotoku Usuhari
Boulevardier
Serves 1
Ingredients
40ml bourbon
25ml Campari
25ml sweet red vermouth or, for a fruity twist, cherry liqueur
Method
Stir ingredients with ice in a mixing glass and the strain into a chilled glass. Garnish.
Garnish: Orange slice, lemon twist or cocktail cherry
Glass: Tumbler by J Hill’s Standard
Use one large ice cube: smaller cubes melt quicker and add more water to the drink
Our one-stop festive wine list
Plonk for any occasion or company – our tidy selection of buys to keep the cellar stocked this Yuletide.
1.
White
Zalze bush vine chenin blanc 2016
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Notes: Fresh, light, aromatic, delicious; South Africa at its understated best.
Cost: About €10
2.
White
Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner 2015
Kamptal, Austria
Notes: Dry, fruity, round: this is the grape that those in the know are supping.
Cost: About €25
3.
White
Puligny-Montrachet Joseph Drouhin 2012
Burgundy, France
Notes: One of the great white Burgundies by one of Burgundy’s best.
Cost: About €65
4.
Red
Ravenswood old vine Zinfandel 2013
Lodi, California
Notes: Just like Christmas itself: big, fruity and deeply satisfying.
Cost: About €15
5.
Red
La Rioja Alta rioja gran reserva 904, 2007
Haro, Spain
Notes: A storied rioja-producer with a wine that’s more elegant than assertive.
Cost: About €35
6.
Red
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Chateau Beaucastel 2007
Rhône Valley, France
Notes: Deep, dark, smoky and a star of the southern Rhône.
Cost: About €80
7.
Champagne
Pol Roger brut reserve
Epernay, France
Notes: Dry, crisp, long-lasting (thank the small bubbles) and a favourite of Winston Churchill.
Cost: About €60
8.
Rosé
Domaine Tempier Bandol rosé 2016
Le Castellet, France
Notes: The rosé for those who think the pink stuff is beneath them.
Cost: About €30
Drinks recipes: Charlotte O’Connell
Wine recommendations: Kathleen Burk
