Wine cocktails to try

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 upcoming London Cocktail Week and extra tips from 28-50's Clement Robert MS.

Clement Robert, Master Sommelier at 28°-50° Maddox St, where they have launched a menu of wine cocktails, 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.’

Related article:

‘Frosé’ becomes latest summer wine trend

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

Dolce Tocco Martinez

Home made blackberry infused Langley’s gin, coffee infused Antica Formula vermouth, Kirsch, Valpolicella wine and a Maraschino liqueur rinse

50ml Blackberry infused Langley’s No.8 Gin

10ml Coffee infused Antica Formula

15ml Kirsch

15ml Valpolicella

Maraschino rinse

£5 @ 214 Bermondsey with a LCW Festival Pass

Lemon Twist

Staibano lemon liqueur, Malbec wine, apple liqueur and a dash of rose water syrup

40 ml Staibano original lemon liquor

40 ml Malbec

20 ml Apple liquor

Dash rose water syrup

£5 @ Paternoster Chop House with a LCW Festival Pass

The Colonial Cooler

Gin, Gancia extra dry vermouth, orange curacao, Amer Picon and Angostura bitters

30ml Martin Millers Westbourne Gin

25ml Extra Dry Vermouth

10ml Briottet Orange Curacao

10ml Amer Picon

2 drops Angostura

Garnish with 1 long slice of pineapple and mint tip

£5 @ Palm Court with a LCW Festival Pass

Navy Grog

Rum, Averna liqueur, home made red wine syrup and lime juice

30ml El Dorado 5 Y.O.

20ml Averna

30ml Red Wine Syrup

25ml Lime Juice.

£5 @ Little Bat with a LCW Festival Pass

St John Cobbler

Rum, Averna liqueur, homemade red wine syrup and lime juice

10 ml Genever

20 ml Peach Gabriel Boudier

20ml Peach Puree

15ml Lime juice

10ml Gomme

75ml Rose Wine

3 drops Orange Blossom water

£5 @ Le Pont de La Tour with a LCW Festival Pass

London Cocktail Week was 3 – 9th October 2016. Festival Passes are £10 and available from DrinkUp.London.

Translated by Sylvia Wu / 吴嘉溦