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Dear Kelly,
Happy February, and welcome to another edition of
Kelly's Grape Times! I'd like to take a minute to give a
warm hello to my new subscribers, and thank those of
you who return each month for my wine and spirits
sips and tips.
Ok, so that groundhog in my native state of
Pennyslvania saw his shadow, spelling out six more
weeks of winter. (Does he ever NOT see his
shadow??? It's not rocket science anyway to count the
days and see that six weeks from February 2 takes us
to mid-March...right before spring starts anyway. But I
digress...)
This month's issue has a little something for
everyone, whether or not you celebrate Valentine's
Day, or cringe at the sight of all that pink and red. You
can read up about one of the latest trends behind the
bar--wine cocktails--complete with recipes so you can
uncork a few bottles, grab the cocktail shaker and mix
up a batch. If you are looking for some attention-
grabbing bottles that will announce your intentions on
Hearts Day, check out the section on suggestively-
named wines. And as always, you can catch up on my
latest articles, including ones about tea cocktails,
other warm libations, and Italian wines off the beaten
path.
Enjoy the rest of the month, and I'll see you in March!
Cheers--
Kelly
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Cocktail Corner
Wine cocktails
When you hear the term "wine cocktail," you may think
of a Champagne cocktail, fruity Sangria or a cinnamon
stick-adorned, warm mug of mulled wine. While those
are delicious (and very popular!), there is another
category of wine cocktails--ones made with "regular"
still wines such as Sauvignon Blanc or Cabernet
Sauvignon, used as a base and blended with spirits,
juices, bitters and other ingredients.
I recently wrote an article that will be featured in an
upcoming issue of Nightclub & Bar Magazine about
this type of cocktail. There are a lot of mixologists
around the country creating great wine-based drinks,
including Robert Heugel of Anvil Bar and
Refuge in
Houston, TX. His Uphill Climb is a twist on the classic
Italian wine cocktail called the Bicicletta, which is a
mixture of Campari and Sauvignon Blanc. Heugel
adds some gin, and mint leaves, and says the
resulting cocktail "has a lot of complexity, but it is very
refreshing at the same time--sometimes it is hard to
get both." The Uphill Climb is fruity and fresh, and
while you may be apt to save it for warmer weather,
Campari's briliant red color makes it a fun choice for
Valentine's Day:
Uphill Climb
Courtesy of Robert Heugel, Anvil Bar and Refuge,
Houston, TX
1.5 oz. gin
1.5 oz. Campari
1 oz. Sauvignon Blanc
.5 oz lemon juice
.5 oz simple syrup
8 mint leaves
Muddle the mint in the base of a pint glass with the
simple syrup. Combine the remaining ingredients
with ice. Shake and strain into an ice-filled Collins
glass. Garnish with an orange slice and mint sprig.
If you crave something a bit heavier, bar manager
Kevin Rogers of DC's Urbana created
the King Cab
Cocktail. The muddled fruit and bitters make it akin to
a wine-based Old Fashioned, and the ginger ale gives
it a nice kick and some spritz:
King Cab Cocktail
Courtesy of Kevin Rogers, Urbana, Washington,
DC
2 oz. Cabernet Sauvignon
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
2 Brown Sugar Cubes
Orange Slice
Lemon Slice
Maraschino Cherry
Ginger Ale
In the bottom of the an old-fashioned glass, muddle
fruit slices and cherry with brown sugar cubes, bitters,
and splash of ginger ale. Add wine, ice, then top with
ginger ale. Stir briefly. Garnish with flamed orange
peel.
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Suggestive Sips
Try these not-so-subtle love notes in a bottle
If you are trying to give someone a not-so-
subtle hint of your intentions, try one of these
whimsically-named bottles
on Valentine's Day:
Syrahtica
Orange flames flicker on the label, but turn the bottle
upside down and you get an altogether different
image: a shapely pair of women's legs. The aptly
name X Winery's
Syrahtica is a blend of 99% Syrah and 1% Petite
Sirah, sourced from California's Paso Robles and
Carneros regions. The wine is full of blackberry and
black currant flavors, nicely rounded out with a bit of
spice and just enough tannin to provide a backbone to
go with those gorgeous gams.
"Wine in the Sack"
Chile's Colchagua Valley is the home to these three varietal
wines (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah),
whose bottles are actually wrapped in burlap sacks.
This tradition dates back to the eighteenth century,
when the sacks protected the wines from sunlight,
and the bottles from breakage, during transport. Of
course, whether you choose to sip the wines in bed is
entirely up to you.
MÈnage ý Trois
"Shared fantasies" is the French translation for Folie
ý Deux,
the Napa Valley-based winery that produces these
wines, each (of course) a blend of three grapes.
Moscato, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc combine in
the luscious and floral white, while Zinfandel,
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have an encounter in
the full and fruity red blend. RosÈ, the winery's newest
offering, pairs Merlot, Syrah and Gew¸rztraminer in a
bright, playful and aromatic way. Grab a bottle (or all
three), and enjoy with two of your favorite imbibers.
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Kelly Magyarics Wine Consulting will make your next
event special. If you are planning a private or corporate
gathering,
whether it is a wedding shower, birthday party, get-
together with
friends, or a business promotional or employee
motivational event, consider
Kelly Magyarics Wine Consulting. Our interactive,
educational wine tastings
and classes
are a memorable and unique option for your next
gathering. Kelly
holds an Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits from
the WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust), and she
has been offering wine tastings for private and
corporate events in the DC area for over seven years.
Just
see what our clients are saying about us.
Check
out www.trywine.net
for more information, email us
at trywine@gmail.com, or call us at
703.203.9463.
Feel free to pass this along to
other wine lovers you know!
And don't forget about Kelly's other services. She is
available for freelance writing, wine list creation and
management, and wine and food pairing consultation.
Cheers, and happy sipping!
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