Wine cocktails to try and tips for making them

Wine cocktails to try and how to make them

It's not for everyone, but wine has its place in the cocktail culture that has grown up in major cities over the past few years. Here's some recipes from the organisers of London Cocktail Week and extra tips from 28-50's Clement Robert MS.

Clement Robert, Master Sommelier at 28°-50° Maddox St says there are many advantages to using wine, rather than sprits.

‘The aromas are natural, they are lower in alcohol and more easy to digest.’

‘For example we serve an PXpresso Martini where we essentially replace the coffee liquor by some Pedro Ximenez wine, it gives the cocktail more freshness, higher complexity and it has less alcohol than a traditional Espresso Martini.’

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Choosing wine for a wine cocktail

‘Don’t use your Château Pétrus 1982,’ said Robert.

‘I like to use fortified wines, they are lighter than liqueurs and spirits but they have the necessary strength to give the whole drink a delicious lift.

‘For example, we use tawny Port in our Douro Breeze cocktail ; made of Graham’s tawny Port 10 years, grape juice, lemon and amaretto.

‘The taste reminds me of a Negroni cocktail with a wine and almond twist.’

Champagne cocktails

Robert recommends Champagne cocktails as the easiest to try making yourself.

‘You know roughly the result you are going to obtain as Champagne is brilliant at bringing out aromas and adds sparkle to the base ingredients you are using.

‘Try a Kir Imperial: Chambord, raspberry purée and Champagne.’

Wine cocktail recipes from London Cocktail Week

The Fino Collins

Fino Collins:

75ml Tio Pepe Fino,
15ml elderflower cordial
25ml Cucumber
dash of lemon
Top with soda , garnish with a lemon wheel and cucumber slice
Available throughout LCW17 at Sack – 9 Christopher St, London EC2A 2BS

Tokyo Negroni:

35ml gin
20ml choya
15ml cocchi americano
2x dash white soy
Grated Tonka bean
Stirred and served in a rocks with ice

Available throughout LCW17 at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen – 15 Westland Pl, London N1 7LP

Tokyo Negroni

Scapigliato:

20 ml Campari bitter
15 ml Stolichnaya vodka
15 ml Fiorente Italian elderflower liqueur
10 ml red wine reduction with cloves, cinnamon, star anise
Topped with Franciacorta and garnish with a flamed lemon peel

Available throughout LCW17 at Ritorno – 442 King’s Rd, Chelsea, London SW10 0LQ

Belle Helene:

40 ml of Camut Calvados
15 ml Manzana Verde
20 ml Lemon Juice
10 ml of sugar syrup
Egg white
Top up Gewürztraminer wine and serve with a crystal pear garnish in a Riesling glass