Weird Food and Drinks Pairings That Taste Great

Everyone loves a good drink that pairs perfectly with their meal, whether in a restaurant or at home. The standard choice of familiar wine with a meal is a wise one, as you are presented with complexity and depth in flavour straight from the bottle, however, there is a whole world of more unexpected pairings that are well worth exploring. 

The act of pairing food and drink together is as much a science as it is an art. There are set recipes of which kinds of drinks pair well with which kinds of food. However, there are ways to be creative within these rules! You can follow the route of complimentary flavours, for example, pairing the salty sweetness of oysters with a high salinity single malt whisky such as Talisker 10-Year-Old, or use the method of contrasting flavours, that when paired together give a well-rounded flavour profile hitting all those flavours - salty, sweet, bitter, acidity, umami and spice.

The pairings we will be looking at in this article may be outside your usual recommendations but hopefully expand your horizons of dreamy food and beverage pairings!

SUBCONTINENTAL BARBECUE + BLANC DE BLANC CHAMPAGNE

Going to a subcontinental barbecue restaurant is almost a parallel experience to going out for tapas. With an array of dishes for the table rather than a dish per person, dish-specific pairings become nearly impossible and we must look at a common theme between all the food at the table. In this scenario, the predominant flavours are the spice blends used, the tang of the yoghurt marination, and the smoke from the fire of the barbecue. These flavours hit the mark with salt (seasonings), bitter (charcoal fire cooked), umami (meats and spinach), and obviously, spice from the spices, meaning we are left without sweetness and acidity.

Suggesting champagne to bring sweetness to a pairing might sound bizarre, but the buttery brioche notes of a 100% Chardonnay Blanc de Blanc contrast with the heat and slight bitterness of the fire-cooked spread bringing an implied sweetness that refreshes the palate and tempers the spice, despite the crisp carbonation. The bright fresh orchard fruit flavours of granny smith apples and stone fruits such as peach bring forth another dimension of sweetness while also offering a sharp malic acidity that rounds out a divine pairing that may seem sacrilegious to some.

Nicolas Feuillatte Blanc de Blancs

The next time you fancy going to your local BYOB curry house, we recommend bringing along a bottle of Nicolas Feuillatte Blanc de Blancs for something cheap and cheerful with no compromise on quality.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £36.99

Champagne PIAFF Blanc de Blancs NV

If you are celebrating an occasion and want to have a brilliant bottle of bubbles to match, we recommend Champagne PIAFF Blanc de Blancs NV from Amathus Wines!

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £69.30

NEW YORK CHEESECAKE + A FRENCH 75

You are out for dinner and have enjoyed your meal over a brilliantly paired bottle of wine with company, and your waiter brings over the dessert menu which contains an incredible-sounding New York-style cheesecake. The only problem is, you feel a little wined out and a full glass seems a little bit too much. Look no further than the most famous Champagne cocktail on the planet!

This pairing looks at complimentary flavours of sweet, acid, and salt. A tangy, sweet cheesecake with a salty-sweet biscuit base is elevated by the botanicals of the gin (ideally a citrus-forward London dry-style gin). The lemon juice boosts the presence of the lactic acidity from the cream cheese, and the champagne with notes of citrus, nuts, and fresh fruits such as peaches, apricots, and pears can even be used in place of garnishing the cheesecake with fresh fruits. The buttery, nutty notes of the champagne interact with the biscuit base in a way that simply sets up the pairing for success!

If you happen to have a cheesecake at home with no gin or lemons, or even if you are feeling cocktailed out, high-acid Champagne will even do the trick in a pinch!

CRAB + AMONTILLADO SHERRY

If you, like myself, are a lover of the fruits of the sea, this pairing is not one to miss! The sweet sea-salty flavours of crab find a surprising match with the nutty dryness of Amontillado sherry.

The pairing I experienced was at Hawksmoor’s beautiful Edinburgh location; their Eyemouth crab on toast was paired with the iconic Lustau Bodega’s Amontillado Sherry. The pairing, however, will work in more than this format. This sherry works incredibly well with a spicy crab fried rice or even a crab cake.

The aromatic notes of the sherry, of hazelnuts, and a mix of fresh and dried herbs season the crab as you sip and bite in conjunction, while the whisper of tobacco on the back palette of the sherry works even more wonders if your plate of crab has been cooked on the grill. It’s not just the sherry that elevates the crab either, as the natural salty-sweet profile of the crab acts as a flavour enhancer making all the nutty, raising flavours of the sherry sing even louder. Truly a pairing that reminds me why I love food and drink.

Lustau Amontillado Sherry

Size: 750ml
ABV: 18.5%
Find here: £26.50

GORDAL OLIVES + CREME DE CACAO BLANC

This savoury sweet pairing is light on the booze and the budget, and is perfect for a summertime post-lunch, pre-dinner snack!

Gordal olives have a meaty texture, with a nice crunch. Their sharp acidity and short finish of chilli spice and seaweed brinyness make an incredible pairing when contrasted by the soft, and delicately layered Creme de Cacao White from Gabriel Boudier. The liqueur has a very delicate nose reminiscent of a more “masculine” cologne that has started to fade with notes of sandalwood, white chocolate, cacao, dark roasted coffee beans, and orchard fruits. On the palate, however, you are hit with a wave of rich white and milk chocolates, followed by heavy cream and hints of red fruit such as strawberries and cherries, before a long buttery finish reminiscent of good vanilla ice cream.

Olives are great on their own, but this pairing truly does end up greater than the sum of its parts. As these two potent flavours fight for the spotlight, they end up enhancing each other and result in a pairing that is light on the stomach yet still jam-packed full of flavour!

Gabriel Boudier Creme De Cacao

Size: 500ml
ABV: 15%
Find here: £16.99

NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN + LISTAN BLANCO

It’s a difficult thing to not love fried chicken. It’s equally difficult to not love a crisp cold glass of white wine, although usually not in conjunction. This pairing makes the exception to this rule as they contrast against each other beautifully.

Nashville Hot and Listan Blanco are not the most popular forms of their base products, as they each bring a signature flavour characteristic that falls under the love-it-or-hate-it category. Nashville Hot is, well, very hot, as the hot oil used to fry the chicken is then poured over cayenne, chile, black pepper, onion powder, paprika, salt, and sugar to form a chilli oil that the chicken is then drenched in.

On the other side of the coin, Listan Blanco has a very sulfurous quality. With fresh-struck matchstick on the nose, alongside curry powder aromatics and a strong minerality that reminds you of bathing in a mud bath. The palate lends itself to being savoury and mineral-forward, with flavours of fresh citrus zest which allows the floral quality of the chilies in the chili oil. The savoury funk of the wine also tempers the spice of the wine and allows more sweetness to come through.

When paired together, these two somewhat polarising forms of long-standing beloved classics become infinitely more approachable as their unique qualities come together for a bite with tempered spice and a sip with tamed sulphur notes.

If you cannot find Listan Blanco on the shelves of your local supermarket or bottle shop, we commend Borja Perez Viticultor, Listan Blanco, Artifice, 2019 from the Justerini & Brooks portfolio.

Listan Blanco

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12.5%
Find here: £19.40

By Fowwaz Ansari

Five English Bacchus to Try This Spring

Image credit: Will Wong

Most wine drinkers know Sauvignon Blanc, but what about Bacchus? He was the Roman god of wine and vegetation, who showed mortals how to cultivate grapevines and make wine. Humanity then took at least three millennia to honour his immortal legacy, by naming a hybrid grape after him.

The modern Bacchus grape was born in 1933 when viticulturists Peter Morio and Bernhard Husfeld crossed the Silvaner-Riesling with Müller-Thurgau grapes at the Geilweilerhof Institute for Grape Breeding (now consolidated into the Julius Kühn-Institut, the German Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants) in The Pfalz. The hybrid infant was christened as “Geilweilerhof (Gf) 32-29-133”. However, it was not until 1972 that the German authorities approved it for general cultivation; with its divine rebirth to becoming Bacchus. 

As an early ripening grape, Bacchus does not always achieve high enough acidity to make a single varietal wine in its native Germany. It is often used for blending into Müller-Thurgau, to give the latter more flavour. 

With the cooler climate in England, Bacchus grapes are able to retain higher acidity with lower yield. These conditions result in higher quality wines in a style somewhere between premium French and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. It is no surprise that Bacchus is increasingly hailed as England’s answer to Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. It is now also the fourth most planted grape in the UK after Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the grapes used in making traditional method sparkling wines.

How does Bacchus taste?

The Bacchus grape is often associated with key aromas of hedgerow, elderflower and pear. Some believe that the floral characters of the grape could be more akin to that of its parent, Riesling. 

In the last decade, English winemakers have been experimenting and pushing boundaries with varying styles of Bacchus such as the five examples below. They range from light, floral and zesty, to gooseberry and cut-grass flavours and then the lightly oaked-aged Kit’s Coty Bacchus from Chapel Down, the largest wine producer in England.

What Food Goes with Bacchus?

The aromatic delicate notes and high acidity pair well with Thai green curry, and Vietnamese cuisine, as long as there is no fiery chilli to overpower the wine.

A more traditional pairing would be fresh seafood, or spring vegetables such as English asparagus in season now. You could also serve Bacchus as an apéritif (still or sparkling) with accompanying canapés.

With a little bottle age, preferably under three years, it becomes more gastronomic. Try it with smoked trout, aubergine moussaka, or goat’s cheese.

We now take a tour around southeast England where these five Bacchus are produced, from Essex to Kent and Surrey…

What Bacchus Should I Try?

Tuffon Hall Single Estate Bacchus Amelie 2022, North Essex

Image credit: Will Wong

Angus and Pod Crowther have been running their hundred-year old family farm and vineyard since 2014. Indeed, this very wine is named after their first daughter. It recently won the local conservation farm prize and then the equivalent for the whole of Essex, one of England’s biggest counties. Sustainability is at the heart of their business practices. 

If you are new to Bacchus, the Tuffon Hall is an ideal introduction to a grape that is no poor cousin to Sauvignon Blanc. Cut-grass, asparagus and lemon on the nose. On the palate, there is generous lemon rind and grapefruit with crisp acidity. As the temperature of your wine rises in the glass, its flinty minerality begins to shine with a long finish so best served between 12-14ºC, and not straight out of the fridge.

It pairs well with fresh or smoked seafood. Oysters, crab, prawns, scallops and fresh salmon all work. Try spring vegetables such as English asparagus and broad beans as well as creamy goats cheese.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 11.5%
Find here: £15.99

New Hall Wine Estate Single Estate Bacchus 2022, Crouch Valley, Essex

Image credit: Will Wong

In 1969, the first vines were planted at New Hall Farm by Bill and Sheila Greenwood. Two years later in 1971, the first New Hall Vintage was produced from just over 30kg of fruit.  The wine was made and bottled by Mrs Greenwood in her kitchen - a total of 18 bottles.

Today, New Hall is still family-run under the stewardship of Chris Trembath, keeping it within the Greenwood family with Chris’s daughter Becki as General Manager since 2016. She is now the third generation of the family to be working at the vineyard.

Made by the same former head winemaker for the above Tuffon Hall, Steve Gillham created a very different style here. Still very pale and grassy, this Bacchus is more intense with a big personality on the first sip. The grapefruit then comes through with a flinty and steely finish. 

Size: 750ml
ABV: 11.5%
Find here: £16.50

Yotes Court ‘On the Nod’ Bacchus 2021, Mereworth, Kent

Image credit: Will Wong

Yotes Court is much more than just a vineyard. It boasts an English Heritage Grade 1 listed property originally built for James Masters in 1656, nestled in 20 acres of gardens. It fell into disrepair over time and in 2008, the new owner Susannah Ricci poured her heart and soul into restoring the main house to its former glory, and transformed the other buildings on the Estate: The Clockhouse, Granary and Garden Cottage, which are all Grade 2* listed buildings. 

At 140m above sea level, a former apricot orchard has become one of the highest vineyard block in England. In the early years the fruit was grown exclusively for one of the UK’s leading still and sparkling wine producers, Chapel Down, with 60 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes harvested annually for their Traditional Method sparkling wines. In 2018, Susannah decided to expand the area under vines and planted a further 10 acres with a view to crafting wines under the Yotes Court brand. Their wines are made in collaboration with Defined Wine Ltd outside Canterbury under the guidance of winemaker Nick Lane.

2021 was only the second Bacchus vintage for Yotes Court Vineyard, with 11,000 bottles released. This very vintage was served on board Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class in June 2023, to celebrate English Wine Week. Compared with Tuffon Hall and New Hall above, this has a much more restrained gooseberry nose and on the palate, it’s all Granny Smith apples followed by pink grapefruit once the wine has had a chance to open up in your glass. Zesty with crisp acidity. Balanced and complex. No need to shout.

So again, avoid serving straight out of the fridge. Take the chilled bottle out 20 minutes ahead and you can keep it cool later. It’s perfect with asparagus and it stood up well against mature cheddar which was a surprise. 

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £17

Chapel Down Kit’s Coty Bacchus, Single Vineyard, North Downs, Kent

Image credit: Will Wong

A premium flagship produce from England’s largest wine producer in both sparkling and still wines. Chapel Down is the Official Sparkling Wine of the England & Wales Cricket Board, as well as the Official English Sparkling Wine of Ascot Racecourse and the Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race. They are also Official Supplier to the London Stock Exchange.

The only lightly oaked Bacchus amongst the five, the Kit’s Coty is an understated and refined gem waiting to be discovered. The nose is subtle and restrained. It definitely is not a copycat of Sauvignon. On the palate, crisp acidity is balanced with green apples and elderflower. 

An elegant and delicate gastronomic wine that pairs well with sushi, but go easy on the wasabi in your soy sauce. Lightly dressed salad also works but avoid vinaigrette dressing or lemon juice that could overpower this wine.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £30

Litmus Orange Bacchus 2022, Dorking Surrey

Image credit: Will Wong

Probably the only English Bacchus made from six weeks of skin contact with no added sulphur during fermentation. This historic method of winemaking has become once again en vogue in recent years with the Pét-Nat and natural wine following. 

Despite it being labelled as an orange or amber wine, it is pale lemon in the glass. It has a pronounced herbaceous nose, with a grassy undertone. Bone dry on the palate, with a gripping astringency due to the tannins from prolonged skin contact, it is one of a kind. If you like dry rosé, this could make an interesting alternative.

This orange Bacchus with notes of fennel is a little reminiscent of contemporary Greek retsina. Its bold flavour is able to stand up to oily meat or fish. 

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £20

Why Bacchus?

England made headlines with outstanding sparkling wines that rival some of the best Champagnes. And now with the warmer climate, the quality and quantity of still wines such as Bacchus are on the rise. 

If you are a fan of the steely Pouilly-Fumé or Sancerre from the Loire in France, or the aromatic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, it is really worth trying English Bacchus that share some of the citrusy and herbaceous characteristics. It is an understated grape that awaits your discovery and appreciation; with lower carbon footprint too.

If you are based in the UK, why not visit your favourite producers this spring and summer? Many have cellar doors and tasting rooms, with open days and guided tours for you to learn more about the people and places behind their labels. Go explore!

By Will Wong

The Science, Art and History of Hot Cocktails

For centuries, humans in colder climates have sought healing, warmth, and comfort through heated alcoholic beverages. In drinking cultures, hot cocktails have long been associated with communal gatherings and hospitality while being served and enjoyed in taverns, homes, or festive markets. This is a short, short history of this hot, hot category and some cool science-based tips on taste buds and techniques! 

The exact origin of hot cocktails was not one single moment but a development over time, continents, and cultures. Widely documented during the Middle Ages, hot spiced wine was consumed during winter festivals and celebrations, and occasionally sought after as a medicinal remedy. The spread of distillation led to the production of spirits which became integral components of Hot Toddies and Corrected Coffees in subsequent centuries. From these early versions of mulled wines to modern and elaborate variations, hot cocktails continue to evolve with cultural creativity, traditions, ingredient innovations, and the timeless human desire for convivial cosiness. 

When creating your own hot concoction, one of the most important aspects to remember is: hot drinks are perceived differently on the taste buds! Studies have shown perceived sweetness, bitterness, and umami intensify in warmer beverages. Though sour and salt have been found to remain similar due to different taste receptors, you should be aware of the increase of the other three flavour sensations. Because of this, your sweetening agent will need to be less per serving than cold cocktails, your spice choice can heavily impact perceived bitter flavours, and any umami ingredients will rise in prominence as well. 

Aromatic ingredients will also be stronger in hot cocktails. Higher temperatures directly affect the volatility (movement/airborne-ness) of the aroma molecules which enter our nasal and oral passages and bind to our aroma receptors. Using ingredients with already powerful aromas (e.g. peat, rose, lavender, cumin, etc) could become overwhelming and unpleasant.

Once you’ve considered these factors, you’re ready to heat things up! Here is a guide to the most popular hot drinks and some often overlooked tips to help you maximise deliciousness: 

MULLED DRINKS

The ancestor to all hot cocktails, a mulled wine, cider, or beer remains a solid staple of hot drinks to this day. The word mulled possibly comes from mulsed which means to mingle with honey but since the 1700s has meant to make into a hot drink with added sugar, spices, and fruit. The key to a great mulled beverage is to start with a good-quality, full-bodied base you would enjoy drinking on its own. Avoid overheating, which can cause the alcohol to evaporate and the base to over-oxidise resulting in harsh, astringent, unpleasant, or unintended flavours. Slowly simmering the beverage with your spices, sweetener, and fruit allows the flavours to infuse fully. Feel free to experiment with different spice combinations to make it your own as mulled drinks are more forgiving than their more spirituous descendants.

Mixtures like this are made by many cultures with slight variations in ingredient, strength, or traditions and they go by many names including but not limited to: Gluhwein, Vin Chaud, Vin Brule, Gløgg, Ponche de Vino, Høtvin, Quentão, Svařák, Bisschopswijn, etc.

BEER FLIP

The Beer Flip is a historic beverage dating back to the 17th century. This hot cocktail could potentially fit into other categories below but gains its own because of the traditional preparation ritual. It was typically made by combining beer, rum or brandy, eggs, sugar, and spices. It would then be rapidly heated by plunging a red-hot iron poker or loggerhead into the mixture, causing it to froth and caramelising the sugars inside. While the use of the hot poker has understandably diminished over time, modern adaptations can still be found in some bars and restaurants. The main tip for combining alcohol and a red-hot poker is this: Please be careful!

HOT TODDIES

With plausible linguistic origins in both Scottish and Irish Gaelic, "tod's hot" cocktails originated as colloquial or regional terms for a warming beverage enjoyed during hunting expeditions or cold fireside winter nights. They are most commonly made with whisk(e)y, lemon, sugar, and hot water spiced with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise. But all spirits can work in a Toddy, including gin which has been used to make Hot Gin Punch in the UK or rum to make a Caribbean Spiced Rum Punch. For the stretching element, many people are excited to remember that spices in water is just another way of saying tea, which means your options are as diverse as the innumerable types of tea offered in your go-to grocer or anything you want to dream up and infuse! Your sugar choice can also transform your Hot Toddy, so experiment with lesser utilised sweeteners like barley syrup, pomegranate molasses, sucanat sugar, date syrup, maple syrup, or brown rice sugar. Switch out the citrus with other tart fruits to bring some tropicality into your chilly evening. Adding a pinch of salt is a tastebud science trick to lessen bitterness accentuated by the heat or spice infusions. 

BOOZY COFFEES

From the beloved Irish Coffee to the simple and effective “Corrected Coffees” of the Mediterranean, there are thousands of variations on this heater. Boozy coffees combine hot coffee with spirit, sugar, and often a layer of cream floated on top. A tip for maximum enjoyment of this hot cocktail is serving temperature. A 2007 study by researchers Fredericka Brown & Kenneth R. Diller calculates ideal coffee temperature the following way:

The preferred drinking temperature of coffee is specified in the literature as 140 ± 15 °F (60 ± 8.3 °C) for a population of 300 subjects. A linear (with respect to temperature) figure of merit merged the two effects to identify an optimal drinking temperature of approximately 136 °F (57.8 °C).

Temperature along with quality will greatly affect the flavours in your boozy coffee. Since hot beverages accentuate bitterness, extra care should be taken to ensure a bitterness-prone drink like coffee doesn’t overpower and ruin the whole drink. Test the coffee and brew styles before serving it to anyone you’re needing to impress, including yourself. 

BUTTERED & BATTERED

This category is a catchall for the inarguably popular cocktails in North America during the winter months, namely: Hot Buttered Rum and Tom & Jerry. A Hot Buttered beverage is a spirit - traditionally rum or brandy - or beer heated directly or with water in a vessel with spices, sugar, and butter. This gives the drink an indulgent and comforting velvety texture for warm moments on cold nights. The Tom & Jerry is a rare batter-based cocktail. The batter is prepared with eggs, sugar, and warming spices, which is then mixed with hot milk or water and added into a cup with rum or brandy. A tip for this category concerns their heavy use of the warming spice nutmeg. Nutmeg has a compound called myristicin which, in large quantities, can induce feelings of euphoria and a numbing spicy sensation in the mouth and throat. Amounts in this concentration can be toxic and should be avoided, but in small quantities it adds a toasted flavour, a comforting aroma, and a cosy tingling sensation on the palette. 

From the comforting embrace of an Irish Coffee to the dangerous theatrics of a Beer Flip, each hot cocktail tells a story of tradition and creativity across continents and cultures. Although, crafting the perfect hot cocktail requires more than just ingredients in an online recipe, but an understanding of taste perception and aroma dynamics. As we heat up our creations, we unlock a symphony of intensified flavours and scents, heightening the sensory experience, and inviting us to savour our cosiest moments with our most celebrated loved ones.

For more cosy serves, check out our special guide on great boozy coffee and hot chocolates here!

By Zach Sapato

Coffee Connoisseur's Delight: 8 Irresistible Coffee Liqueurs You Need to Try

Coffee cocktails thrive all year round with respective summer and winter favourites - the Espresso Martini and Irish Coffee. Often overlooked are the coffee liqueurs that mix so well into not just these, but all varieties of coffee cocktails, shots/shooters and even just as sippers over ice. Today, we’ve carefully curated a selection of the finest coffee liqueurs, and even one or two coffee spirits for the sake of variety (and because they’re too good to leave out).

If you love artisan coffee, don’t miss out on these eight irresistible coffee liqueurs, in no particular order…

Thomas Green’s Specialty Coffee Liqueur 

When legendary Leeds bars Domino Club and Rolands had to close their doors due to Covid in 2020, brothers and bar masterminds Alex and Johnathon began crafting their own high quality spirits and liqueurs. Thomas Green’s (named after one of Leeds’ first coffee shops) is the result of this now highly successful venture. Perfect for an Espresso Martini or just sipping over ice. They achieve their deep rich coffee flavour from local coffee roasters Shilo, who use a cold brew extraction that the brothers mix with their own vodka. 

ABV: 25%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £20.55

Cazcabel Coffee Liqueur

Multi-award winning tequila masters, Cazcabel have their very own coffee liqueur. You’ll find this at bars all over the country, best served neat and straight from the freezer. This coffee liqueur is particularly rich, decedent and heavy on the chocolate notes of coffee. Their liqueur is made from their Blanco Tequila, crafted in Jalisco Mexico, which shines through the sweetness of this bartender’s choice liqueur. Use this as a sipper, or maybe try it in a Coffee Margarita - the blend of citrus and coffee is exquisite! 

ABV: 34%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £25.99

Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur

Mr Black have been at the forefront of coffee liqueur innovation since their conception in 2013, crafted by their lead distiller, Philip Moore. This premium bottle boasts rich coffee flavour and less sugar, making it perfect for balancing an amazing espresso martini. Their Australian distillery doubles as their very own coffee roastery, which sources beans from Ethiopia and Brazil. The attention to detail in each bottle of Mr Black Coffee Liqueur makes this a worthy addition to any mixologist's collection. Cocktails aren’t your thing? Mr Black will be perfect over ice on a hot day for any true coffee lover. Pro zero waste tip: this bottle makes a particularly beautiful DIY lamp or decoration when you inevitably finish every last drop.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 23%
Find here: £29.89

Mouse Kingdom Coffee Liqueur

Manchester’s own Mouse Kingdom define themselves as an ethical, considerate and bartender led brand. Their beans (sourced from various countries and roasted in local roastery “heart and graft”) are extracted in a French press for over 48 hours to create an immensely potent and characterful coffee that they blend with their own English wheat vodka. 

The label on this bottle changes every 1500 sold, and they pay local bartender artists to feature on their new label. Everything from the balance of their liqueur to the actual bottle itself is designed to be perfect for bartenders mixing up hundreds of Espresso Martinis a day. 

Size: 700ml
ABV: 20%
Find here: £29.89

Luxardo Espresso Liqueur

It takes 30 whole days to infuse the flavour of Arabica coffee into Luxardo’s Espresso Liqueur. Luxardo has a huge influence on the wider drinks industry, and is still a family owned business operating out of Italy. If there's one thing Italy is known for, it is a history and expertise with coffee, and this local passion shines through in Luxardo’s Espresso Liqueur. This coffee liqueur is also vegan friendly and comes in at a higher ABV than many of its competitors, making for a punchier coffee note in a classic Espresso Martini.  

Size: 700ml 
ABV: 27%
Find here: £21.75

Masons Espresso Vodka

Now for something very different - Masons Espresso Vodka offers a dry alternative to the traditionally sweet coffee liqueur. This is a perfect coffee spirit for sippers who want all of the coffee flavour, without any of the sugar. The vodka is “vapour infused” (often used to infuse botanicals into gin) using beans from El Salvador, and works as the perfect base spirit for an espresso martini. Sub the regular vodka for this and see your classic cocktail elevated to new heights! 

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £27.44

St. George Spirits’ Nola Coffee Liqueur

Image credit: Karl Steuk

California based purveyor of great spirits, St. George offers up this fantastic coffee liqueur, potent on the nose with notes of plum and dates, and a profound, modern tartness on the palette that you may find in most high end coffee shops. Beyond the coffee, Nola blend their coffee with chicory root and Madagascan vanilla to balance out the more bitter flavours and create a rounded, luscious and almost herbal coffee liqueur. This is a truly unique liqueur and one for the lovers of slightly more tart, herbal coffee. 

Size: 700ml
ABV: 25%
Find here: £36.95

(One to Watch!) Black Gold Coffee Cafe XO

This soon-to-be-launched coffee tequila won the gold award at the recent Spirits Business Tequila & Mezcal awards and it’s easy to see why! We managed to get our hands on a bottle and can confirm the hype! Mexico is a global coffee powerhouse and all that heritage is here, combined with their most famous spirit. It’s so warming, with heavy toasted coffee notes that coat the tongue. We always welcome more sustainable brands on the market, and with their all recycled bottles, Black Gold is sure to impress. 

Size: 700ml
ABV: 34%
Where to Find: Black Gold Cafe XO will be available on Amazon, retailing at £30

You’ve got the best coffee liqueurs, but what about the best vodka for the most famous coffee cocktail - the Espresso Martini! Make the ultimate cocktail with these great vodka recommendations.

By Miley Kendrick

Elevating Cocktails With Tea

In the modern realm of craft cocktail bartending, bartenders are always looking for ways to impart complex flavour profiles with real depth into their signature slings. From organic produce such as fresh fruit and vegetables to specialist ingredients such as acid powders and thickening and emulsifying agents, anything that can add complexity in flavour and texture can and will be employed.

To understand how to use tea effectively, we must first understand the variations of tea. The two major categories are herbal teas made using various herbs and spices steeped in hot water and include chamomile, ginger, and peppermint teas, and tea coming from the tea plant, Camellia Sinensis, which has six further subcategories; green, white, yellow, oolong, black and dark. The difference between these six types of tea is how the raw leaves are processed post-harvest.

Tea has versatility in not only breadth but also depth. When using tea in a cocktail there are two main questions to ask yourself before starting your process - What kind of tea do I want to use? And what kind of flavours do I want to extract from the tea leaves? The answer to these questions will determine what kind of tea leaves to use and how to impart their flavours into your libation.

With this knowledge, we will explore some of the delicious brew-based cocktails created by bartenders worldwide and the various techniques they employ!

SPIRIT INFUSION

The Earl Grey Marteani was created by legendary New York City bartender Audrey Saunders for the opening menu of her bar Pegu Club. This gin-sour serve is a brilliant introduction to tea, cocktails, and both in combination, owing to its ease of replicability and the fact that it is just damn delicious.

The recipe calls for Earl Grey tea-infused gin, which may seem daunting to a beginner but requires no speciality equipment and minimal active time. Simply add ¼ cup or 8 grams of loose leaf earl grey tea to 750ml of London Dry Gin and leave to steep for at least 2 and up to 8 hours, before straining through a coffee filter and bottling.

Looking at Saunders’ choice of process is intriguing here as an infusion into the spirit allows the alcohol to leech out the flavour faster than cold brewing it before turning the cold brewed tea into a syrup, as well as allowing for a more shelf stable product than a tea syrup!

With these pros, however, always comes a con. As alcohol leeches out flavours a lot faster than water, it also pulls out the bitter tannic profile contained in all kinds of teas. To combat this, Saunders added egg white to the drink to soften the bitter, tannic finish of the drink.

While infusing the tea into spirit was ideal for Saunders’ application, infusing tea into a whole bottle of gin may not be the most ideal for home bartending use, so let’s turn our heads to the alternative of tea syrups!

SYRUP INFUSION

Image credit: 1820rooftopbar on Instagram

When infusing tea into syrup, your choice between hot or cold brewing the tea will determine the flavours you extract from the tea. A cold brewed tea will be a more delicate extraction with the predominant flavour coming from the process used to preserve the tea leaf post-harvest, whereas, a hot brew will give you a more tannic profile a lot more akin to your regular cuppa.

A great example of hot brewed tea syrup in a cocktail is the Apricot + Dragon Ball Tea from the 1820 Rooftop Bar in Edinburgh, which uses a blend of 5 different teas to mimic the flavour profile of Johnnie Walker Black Label!

We spoke with the creative lead on the project Connor Norris on his thought process for the choice of teas and method of extraction:

“The cordial made a lot of sense in this serve, and the blend of teas chosen was based on the tasting notes of Johnnie Walker Black label that were perceived by the team. Rooibos tea was the backbone of the blend, providing the malty base and bridging the gap between the flavours of tea, and single-grain whisky. Lapsang tea offered the smoke that Caol Ila brings, while Hibiscus brought the fruity notes of Cardhu and the floral profile of Glenkinchie. Earl Grey mimicked some of the tropical notes found in Clynelish, and to round it out, Breakfast Tea added the classic tannic flavours that are brought to whisky through their cask aging.”

Connor’s method of infusion was a hot brew using the sous vide, which allowed a quicker infusion for the high-volume purposes of the venue but also allowed the tannic dryness of the tea to contrast against the sweetness of the apricot jam used in the cordial.

It is an all-around delicious beverage so we suggest it as a fantastic example of what a tea cocktail can be if you get the chance to visit.

COLD DISTILLATION

This one is for my fellow cocktail bartenders who stepped into the prep space of their new venue and saw a rotary evaporator (rotovap) for the first time and wondered what exactly they had gotten themselves into - a feeling I have known all too well.

Fear not! As while a rotovap is an expensive and intricate piece of equipment, the theory behind its use is far simpler than the column and pot still distillation processes used in the making of spirits. Applying the same logic of hot versus cold brewing of tea to the vigor of your boil in your distillation chamber, you can achieve an incredible variance of end product while starting with the same raw materials. A few things to note first:

• As pressure drops, so does the boiling point of the liquid.

• As alcohol by volume increases, the boiling point of the liquid drops.

• A rotovap is by no means necessary in making great drinks, with tea or otherwise.

• For the sake of example, we will look at making a tea liqueur using distillation.

If the main goal of the extraction was to pull out the bitter tannins from the tea, then keeping the pressure relatively high and boiling aggressively at a higher temperature is the way to go. Whereas if you want to extract the flavours of the tea leaf and how it was processed, drop the pressure very low and keep the temperature low to keep the liquid on a simmer.

An old head bartender of mine once said that using a rotovap is very similar to using a barbecue - learning to read the fire and use that to your advantage is one of the keys to good barbecues. In the case of a rotovap, learning to read the boil and pressure and adjusting those to achieve the flavours that you want from them is the key to good rotovapped cocktails!

With this new-found knowledge of tea and infusion methods, you can sling yourself up a delicious tea cocktail with minimal faff for the home bartender, or go all the way to distillation for the professionals! An exciting world awaits…

By Fowwaz Ansari

5 Stunning Pink Cocktails to Make at Home

Think of pink and perhaps the girly ‘life in plastic, it’s fantastic’ fuchsia of Barbieland comes to mind. Or pretty pastel pink cardigans lovingly knitted by granny for a baby girl. Did you know, it’s only in the past 100 years that pink was first associated with femininity. Before that it was simply a colour. What changed? After the war, several companies latched onto a novel marketing idea to categorise pink for girls and blue for boys. It caught on, eventually causing human perceptions in the West to shift which still bears influence over many people’s beliefs today. 

There now exists an ‘International Day of Pink’ every 10th of April to raise awareness against bullying and discrimination in the world. To show support for diversity, we are invited to wear pink. That’s it. Perhaps you already wear pink? Good decision, because it's believed pink can psychologically uplift us and make us feel happy and bubbly. 

Our focus is, of course, on the drinks and what better occasion to bring happiness and bubbliness to your drinking in the form of pink cocktails. Don’t be misled into thinking all of them are sugary sweet. either, because the recipes below have all been chosen for their harmonious balance of sour, bitter and sweetness.

PINK PALOMA 

A TEQUILA-BASED COCKTAIL THAT’S SIMPLE TO MAKE. STRONG, FRUITY AND BITTER.

The Pink Paloma (a lengthened Margarita) is one of the most popular drinks in Mexico. Tequila, pink grapefruit and a pinch of sea salt make an irresistible creation to balance sour and sweet. This amount of freshness and tartness all in one glass will momentarily carry you off into holiday mode, even on a school night. Even if you’re not into grapefruit, I urge you to try a Pink Paloma: the sweetness of the agave offsets the bitter citrus well.

Ingredients
50ml blanco tequila
25ml grapefruit juice
12.5ml lime juice
7.5ml agave nectar/syrup
50ml soda (grapefruit or ordinary)

Method
Pour salt onto a small plate. Rub the rim of a Collins glass with lime wedge, then dip into salt, turning to coat. Shake the tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice and agave syrup with ice until well chilled. Pour/strain into glass with or without ice and top with soda. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge or slice. 
For a non-alcoholic version, leave out the tequila but still include agave syrup (also known as agave nectar) which is alcohol free and will give lovely cactusy notes.

PINK VODKA LEMONADE COCKTAIL

AN EASY TO MAKE, BABY PINK DRINK THAT’S A REFRESHING BLEND OF SWEET AND TANGY.

Are you a vodka drinker looking to jazz up a regular vodka and lemonade? Try adding a splash of Malibu, cranberry juice and sparkling Sprite instead of regular lemonade. Most grown up girls have known a time in life when only cranberry juice can put things right. So if life gives you limes and you’ve got cranberry juice to hand - turn to this cocktail. The bitter tang of the pink cranberry is balanced by tropical coconut and pineapple hints in the Malibu and the fizz of added lemon and lime from the Sprite has never knowingly undersold anyone’s happiness. There’s also a zero sugar option for those watching the calories.

Ingredients
45ml vodka
15ml Coconut Flavoured Rum (like Malibu)
10ml lime juice (or 15ml tablespoon if using regular lemonade)
20ml cranberry juice
Lemonade (Sprite or Sprite Zero Sugar works great)

Method
Combine all the ingredients in a glass, add ice and give it a good stir. La voilà! Lovely without any garnish but if you’d like to infuse some earthy tones, add a sprig of thyme.
For a non-alcoholic version give Sprite, cranberry juice and lime a try. You can easily determine the vibrancy of colour yourself by adding more cranberry juice if you like. You’re the boss.

RASPBERRY GIMLET

IF HAPPINESS WAS A DRINK… THIS IS THE ONE TO SIP.

Image credit: Gin Squares

A Gimlet is a simple cocktail - two parts gin, one part lime juice. This vivid cerise riff on a Gimlet has the tart sweetness of raspberries added, muddled in to make that glorious colour. This beauty tastes as good as it looks. Barbie would definitely approve and it’s so simple, even Ken could (probably) make it.

Ingredients
50ml gin
25ml lime juice
15ml simple syrup or raspberry syrup
Raspberries to muddle
3 good raspberries for the garnish

Method
Muddle and shake with ice and double strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with three fresh raspberries on a cocktail stick or skewer.
For a non-alcoholic raspberry fizz, leave gin out, muddle the fruit in lime juice and raspberry syrup, double strain and top with a splash of soda. 

LUCIEN GAUDIN COCKTAIL

A VINTAGE FRENCH RIFF ON A CARDINALE (NEGRONI WITH DRY VERMOUTH). VERMILLION IN COLOUR, ELEGANT AND SUPER TASTY.

Image credit: Julian Vallis

Can’t decide between a Martini and a Negroni? This is a Negroni inspired drink with a citric orange riff! The colour is pink and fun. Lucien Gaudin was a French champion fencer who competed in several consecutive Olympics in the 1920s. He was described as ‘poetry in motion’ for his strength and seemingly effortless control. The cocktail named in his honour dates back to 1929. It’s a strong one that amplifies the bitter orange aspect with the addition of dry vermouth and orange liqueur. The proportions below are true to the original recipe that won the Honorary Cup at the Professional Bartender’s Championship in Paris in 1929.

Ingredients
60ml Gin (Hepple is nice for it)
20ml Campari
20ml Cointreau
20ml Noilly Prat Original Dry Vermouth 

Method
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill. Strain into a chilled Nick and Nora glass and garnish with an orange twist. As this is such a spirit-forward cocktail there is no non-alcoholic equivalent! Serve on-the-rocks. Use bigger ice if you are unsure if you will like the dilution.

THE WIBBLE

CREATED IN 1999 BY DICK BRADSELL, THE GODFATHER OF THE LONDON COCKTAIL REVIVAL. A MODERN BRITISH CLASSIC.

Image credit: Zach Sapato

Fellow #DRINKLUSIVE mentee Zach Sapato, US and UK National Champion Bartender, got the opportunity to make this cocktail for Bea Bradsell when she wanted to honour the anniversary of the passing of her father Dick. If you didn’t know, Dick Bradsell was the inventor of the Espresso Martini and The Bramble, two of the most popular cocktails of our time. Here’s how Zach made it:

Ingredients
25ml Sloe gin
25ml Beefeater Gin
25ml grapefruit juice
5ml lemon juice
5ml mure
5ml sugar syrup

Method
Shake ingredients with rock ice. Strain into a chilled coupette glass. Garnish with a lemon twist!

That’s five, but are you ready for a bonus cocktail? Don’t say we don’t treat you…

CHAMBORD ROYALE

ROMANTIC PINK FIZZ FOR CELEBRATIONS LIKE ENGAGEMENTS, WEDDINGS AND WETTING THE BABY’S HEAD. (IRRELEVANT OF GENDER OBVIOUSLY).

Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur is crafted with 100% natural ingredients including blackberries, raspberries and blackcurrants and infused with XO Cognac and other botanicals. It’s noted for its unique flavour, unmatched quality and distinctive orb-shaped bottle. It’s a special bottle to keep in your drinks cabinet should an occasion for celebration arise unexpectedly. To make a Chambord Royale, simply serve 120ml of Brut Champagne in a flute or coupe glass, add 15ml of Chambord. It turns your bubbly pink which can then either be garnished with a raspberry if you wish or just leave it as nature intended. 
Prosecco, ‘Nosecco’, Cava and Sparkling Wine work just as well, if you’re watching the pennies or not drinking alcohol. It’s the Chambord that makes this so special. Why? Because it turns your bubbly pink. That’s something to feel happy and bubbly about. A perfect cocktail for all who care to Think Pink, Drink Pink.

By Robbie Jerram

Wine Lovers Must-Know: The Ideal Serving Temperatures for Every Bottle!

Photo Credit: Will Wong

Whether it’s a weeknight after a hard day’s work, or you have been planning to open that bottle on a special occasion, there is nothing more important than serving your wine at the ‘right’ temperature. Whites well chilled. Reds at room temperature. Sorted, right? Yes and no.

There is a tendency for white wines to be served too cold, and red wines too warm - even in some bars and restaurants. We wouldn’t go so far as dipping a thermometer in every glass but being aware of it makes a surprisingly big difference to your enjoyment of the wine.

The average temperature of a domestic fridge is 4-6ºC, which is too cold for most whites or Rosé. But have you heard some seasoned drinkers even lightly chill their reds? The wines below are examples of the most commonly drunk categories in the UK; with the suggested temperature range as general guidelines. Our palate is highly personal so trust what works for you and your drinking companions. It is more art than science!

Sparkling and Sweet Wines

Photo Credit: Will Wong

The basic rule is, the lighter or sweeter the wine, the cooler the serving temperature – around 5-10°C. Too cool is better than too warm as a cold glass of wine will quickly warm up indoors or outside in the summer. 

A fine sparkling wine such as the Busi Jacobsohn Blanc de Noirs 2018 or Champagne equivalents are best served straight out of the fridge (4-6ºC) and kept cool in a bucket with ice and water, or wrapped in a rapid Champagne cooler you keep in your freezer. Remember that as the bubbles dissipate, your glass of fizz is warming up too. When served too warm, the sparkler can lose its sparkle and taste flat, if not totally lifeless. Vintage champagnes would benefit from a slightly warmer range between 8-10ºC to help its subtle nuances emerge. 

The Royal Tokaji Blue Label Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2014 is a delicate and refined sweet wine from Hungary which goes down a treat with blue cheeses and fruit desserts. It is best served between 7-10ºC but experiment with even warmer temperatures as the honey nectar opens up in your glass. 

Rosé and Light-bodied Young Whites (e.g. Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio)

Photo Credit: Will Wong

A typical Provençal Rosé such as the Miraval Sainte Victoire and aromatic dry whites such as the Faustino Rivero Ulecia Albariño from Rías Baixas, Galicia in Spain and the Shaw+Smith Sauvignon Blanc from Adelaide Hills, South Australia will all benefit from 20 minutes out of the fridge before serving. The three wines above have very different characteristics so experiment between 10-14ºC. Should you find the second glass begin to feel a touch warm, you can put the bottle back in the fridge for 10 minutes, or wrap a rapid wine cooler around the bottle and it will regain its freshness within minutes. 

What happens to a bottle of fine white served too cold?

Photo Credit: Will Wong

Forgetting to heed my own advice, this scrumptious LDNCRU Bacchus 2021 was immediately served straight out of the fridge (6ºC) when dinner was ready. There was hardly any nose. Was it over the hill? The first glass was bland with none of the tasting profile suggested on its back label: grapefruit, gooseberry and lemon zest aromatics with a herbaceous finish! By the second glass with the bottle left at room temperature (18ºC), the grapefruit flavours became evident with underlying minerality which is not so common with English wines. When the third glass was poured, oh my, there was a steely and complex salinity that would have worked so well with the food at about 15ºC. Too late as there was hardly any wine left in my only bottle! Lesson learnt.

Light Reds, Fortified wine and Fine Whites (e.g. Beaujolais, Darker Sherries and Best White Burgundies)

Photo Credit: Will Wong

German Pinot Noir or Spätburgunder tends to be lighter than their New World counterparts (e.g. California, New Zealand and Oregon); and most Burgundy reds. If you wish to taste the wine at room temperature and find it a little flat or even lifeless, when it is too warm in the summer, it is indeed advisable to lightly chill your bottle in the fridge for 20 minutes. Pinot Noir is very sensitive to temperature change, and you should be able to taste the difference from a previously missing freshness. Try between 11-14ºC.

There is a wide range of sherries from Andaucía, Spain. The above On the QT Oloroso lies somewhere between the palest and driest Manzanilla (best drunk well chilled at 6-8ºC) and the sweetest Pedro Ximénez (PX) served at room temperature. Our palate also changes if the wine is drunk with hopefully complementary food rather than on its own. Oloroso can be served lightly chilled (12-14ºC) or at room temperature (18ºC) according to your preference.

The Domaine Jean Monnier & Fils Meursault is a fine Burgundy white that deserves care and respect. Such whites or their New World equivalents such as some Californian Chardonnay or South African Chenin Blanc are best served not too cold (14-15ºC).

Aged and Fine Reds (e.g. Barolo, Finest Bordeaux and Red Burgundies)

Photo Credit: Will Wong

You might have heard of suggestions to open your aged or fine red and let the wine “breathe”. That is true but it does little to nothing as the surface area of the wine in contact with oxygen is so small.

The above Brunello di Montalcino 2016 and Château Saint-Ange St-Émilion Grand Cru 2015 are two fine reds best decanted at least two hours ahead of serving, to avoid sediment in your glass and let the wine aerate to release the aroma and unlock its full potential at room temperature. By that, we mean 18ºC and not full-blast central heating or the average Australian summer.

So if necessary, you can also lightly chill your finest reds before decanting. They will warm up rapidly with a large surface area exposed in a typical decanter, letting you discover the dark fruits, spice and tannins in harmony or not.

Photo Credit: Will Wong

There is no precise temperature to serve any particular wine but avoid anything over 20ºC. We hope you experiment with the above general guidelines, and through trial and error, you will find that sweet spot where your tasting experience is greatly enhanced. But on your next summer holiday, will you ask for an ice-bucket for that bottle of fine red you ordered?

By WIll Wong

What is Crémant and What Should I Try?

Sparkling wine tends to come to many of our minds during springtime, encouraged by the warmer weather and the celebratory period as wedding season beckons. Sparkling French wine is perfect for these occasions, but did you know there’s so much more out there than just Champagne? We're talking about Crémant which has enjoyed increased popularity lately, so you might be keen to know what it is and why Crémant sparks such interest. Let's delve further into the world of Crémant to find out more!

What is crémant?

First of all. Crémant is a sparkling wine variety, which is quality wine that can be either white or Rosé, produced within 8 specific regions in France (also referenced as appellations) – we will come back to those specific regions later. As the French treat Crémant as seriously as they do Champagne, the production of Crémant is protected, which is known as being AOC classified (controlled origin appellation) and the appellations are authorised by the INAO (France’s regulatory body for appellations). This means that not any old sparkling wine produced in France can just call itself a Crémant! Crémant is made by the traditional method production (similar to Champagne) and this specific production type binds all 8 appellations. There is even a National Federation of Crémant Growers and Producers that was founded in 1982!

Where does crémant come from?

Coming back to those 8 regions mentioned above, Crémant is produced in Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Die, Jura, Limoux, Loire and Savoie – these regions cover most of the corners of France, so this sounds like the perfect excuse for a spot of wine tourism with a French road trip following this wine route! Some of these regions, such as Bordeaux, may already be known to you for their still white and red wines and now you can also combine the usual wine tasting visit with tasting some bubbles too! The Crémant name is protected by the National Federation of Crémant Growers and Producers which encourages the knowledge and promotion of their beloved wine on a national and international scale.

What is the difference between champagne and crémant?

This is a good question as these are both sparkling wine varieties produced in France but the key difference is that Champagne can only be produced in the Champagne region, whereas there are other regions to choose from that produce Crémant. Plus, of course there is the price difference with Crémant being a cost effective solution without reducing the taste quality as it’s produced in the same way to Champagne. Crémant can use different grape varieties (Champagne only uses Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) and can also have a higher PH level than Champagne.

Does crémant differ depending on the region (appellation) that it is made from?

Again, this is a very good question as a 2009 community regulation contains the requisites that all Crémant wines must adhere to and yet there are also regional differences. What is common to all Crémant wines is that there is secondary fermentation in the bottle (this is where the delightful bubbles are created due to carbon dioxide). The rules for Crémant also mean that the wines are aged in the bottle for at least 9 additional months, which is where that yeasty smell and taste may be apparent, as there is that contact with the lees (dead yeast cells) when the wine is stirred. Crémant must also be sold only 12 months after the bottling process. Furthermore, the other rules for Crémant are quite stringent; they must be manually harvested, the wine needs to come from specifically squeezed grapes, and there are restrictions on the amount of sulphur chemicals and the level of sugar content too! Let’s explore France some more to truly get to know Crémant!

Alsace

Within the Alsace region, vineyards are planted close to the local villages and it is therefore not surprising that the region is the largest producer of Crémant with around 32.9 million bottles sold per year! According to the Alsace regional tourism board, those sales fall second to that of Champagne in the sparkling wine production, which is a very impressive statistic! Crémant d’Alsace accounts for approximately 24% of Alsace’s wine production and there are regional stipulations governing Alsace’s Crémants, so let’s talk about those!

In 1976, Crémant d’Alsace received its AOC classification but the wine producers from Alsace employed the traditional method for their sparkling wines since the late 19th century! Some of the Alsace Crémants will involve a blend of grape varieties but others may be a single grape variety. But, Pinot Noir tends to be the main grape variety which provides that delicate taste. However, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay may also be present and Pinot Noir is the only variety used for the rosé version. As another tip, you can access the online directory for the Alsace wine route when in France!

Bordeaux

Bordeaux may be renowned for its delicious red wines but it is also a producer of quality Crémant sparkling wines! However, it was only in 1990 that the Crémant de Bordeaux received its AOC ranking. Similar to the Alsace region, Bordeaux also uses the traditional method for its crémant production and what you can expect from these Crémants, as indicated by the Bordeaux regional tourism board, are fine bubbles and aromatic wines. Crémant only accounts for 1% of the wine production in Bordeaux, making it one of the smaller Crémant producers but these typically use the same Bordeaux grapes as their still wines. Therefore, the main grape varieties you will see in a Crémant de Bordeaux are Sémillion and Sauvignon. For the Rosé Crémants, these might have a blend of Cabernet and Merlot.

Bourgogne

It was in the early 19th century that Champagne knowledge, via the village Rully, was imported to Bourgogne (Burgundy in English). But, the AOC classification for Crémant de Bourgogne was only received in 1975! Again, this Crémant uses the traditional method (méthode champenoise) and with Crémant de Bourgogne you can also find a Blanc de Blanc and Blanc des Noirs as well as the usual white and red varieties. You can expect to find the grapes of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir within these Crémants. There are approximately 19.2 million bottles sold each year which amounts to 10% of the wine produced in the Bourgogne region! Plus, there is the further segregation within Crémants from Bourgogne with the ‘eminent’ Crémants, aged for at least 24 months and the ‘grand eminent’ Crémants aged for 36 months or more!

Die (the Rhône)

From the Drôme Valley vineyards comes the Crémant de Die with its special location between the Alps and Provence. The vineyards therefore occupy some of France’s highest altitudes at nearly 700 metres! Die is approximately two hours away from Lyon in the south east of France and is one of the smallest Crémant producers. The appellation was received in 1993 and approximately 700,000 bottles of Crémant de Die are sold each year. The grape varieties typically used are Clairette, Aligoté and Muscat which create that green fruits aroma. Crémant de Die could also be combined with chestnut liqueur for a Kir which sounds like a very tempting cocktail to us!

Jura

Whilst this sparkling wine production dates back to the late 18th century, the AOC classification was only received in 1995! This appellation region is also connected with the Côtes du Jura, Arbois, Château-Chalon and L’Étoile. Crémant du Jura differs from some of the other appellations as there are five authorised grape varieties! These are Poulsard, Pinot Noir, Trousseau, Chardonnay and Savagnin. For white Crémants du Jura, there must be at least 70% of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Trousseau. At least 50% of Pinot Noir, Poulsard and Trousseau must be utilised for the Rosé and the grapes are hand harvested too! There are approximately 1.7 million bottles sold per year which accounts for around 16% of the total Jura AOC production. A fun fact is that there is also a specific Crémant du Jura flute glass specially designed to get the best out of your Crémant du Jura!

Limoux

Situated in the south of France and in the middle of the Languedoc, Crémant de Limoux was first mentioned in a document dating back to 1544 starting with the ancestral method of production. However, the AOC label was only granted to Crémant de Limoux in 1990, but it’s just one of five AOC classifications in the region. The AOC Crémant de Limoux typically consists of two main grape varieties being Chardonnay and Chenin with at least 90% of these varieties having to be used. Additionally, the other varieties Mauzac and Pinot Noir would use 40% maximum of the variety, of which 20% must be Mauzac. Like we said, it can be strict and precise! The grapes will be hand picked and the Crémants produced by the traditional method. The Crémants de Limoux are typically Brut with a floral aroma and the region sells approximately 5.8 million bottles per year. What is also exciting, as mentioned by the Limoux regional tourism board, is that the 33rd edition of the National Crémant Competition will take place in Limoux in April 2024 - keep an eye out for the winners!

Loire

The production area of Crémant de Loire covers the villages of Drain to Cheverny and therefore includes AOC classified regions such as Anjou and Saumur. Crémant de Loire received its appellation in 1975 and its northern location means that there is a diversity of climates impacting the grapes production. The main grape varieties used are Chenin and Cabernet Franc, but there may be blends using Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Grolleau Noir, Grolleau Gris and Orbois to add more flavour! The Crémants de Loire will therefore typically be quite fresh and subtle on the nose and approximately 17 million bottles are sold each year.

Savoie

In the steep valleys of the Alps, the Crémant de Savoie is the newest region to receive its appellation, which was only granted in 2015! The AOC Crémants de Savoie use a multitude of grape varieties but there are restrictions, as usual, for production! The main grape varieties used are the Savoyard Jacquère and Altesse grapes of which 60% must be used - the other 40% being from the Jacquère grapes. Other grape varieties include Chasselas, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gamay for the other 40% but there must be a maximum 20% of grape varieties used. You should therefore expect fresh and citrus aromas from the Crémants de Savoie given the cool climate and there are approximately 350,000 bottles sold each year. It would therefore be ideal to combine your skiing with wine tasting in the Savoie region!

Which crémants should I try?

Now that you are armed with all of this Crémant knowledge about the appellations, here are some bottles of Crémant that we think you will love!

Gratien & Meyer Crémant de Loire Rosé

This is a smooth drinkable Rosé with a pale pink salmon colour. It is bursting full of strawberries with a light aroma, a dry flavour and medium finish. It offers a subtle elegance that makes it ideal to drink by itself as an after work treat! This one is a definite crowd pleaser!

Size: 75cl
ABV: 12%
Price: £12.50

Louis Vallon Crémant De Bordeaux Blanc De Noirs

A medium bodied Crémant with a light texture, this is an easy drinking elegant bottle. There are citrus, peaches and apple aromas on the nose with a slight detection of yeast and almonds. This Crémant pairs well with almonds as an aperitif.

Size: 75cl
ABV: 12%
Price: £14.75

Cave De Turckheim NV - ALSACE AOC

This is a balanced Crémant from Alsace with a pale lemon colour and fine bubbles and tastes just like a Champagne! There are peach and floral aromas on the nose with a medium intensity and strong finish which pairs quite well with popcorn for a film night!

Size: 75cl
ABV: 12%
Price: £12.75

N.V. Crémant de Bourgogne, Dufouleur Pere et Fils

This is Brut Crémant with a slightly golden colour and is from the Nuit St George’s area. There is a fruity aroma with green apple and peach with a creamy biscuits taste on the palate and medium intensity as a good all rounder.

Size: 75cl
ABV: 12%
Price: £17.75

Waitrose Cuvée Royale Brut Crémant de Limoux

This is a fresh tasting Crémant with big bubbles from the Limoux region. It has a medium complexity with an aroma of floral pears to provide a light but dry wine with a biscuity taste. This would pair very well with salmon blinis for those celebrations!

Size: 75cl
ABV: 12.5%
Price: £13.99

Aldi Specially Selected Crémant du Jura

This Crémant is very popular and keeps flying off the shelves - we can see why! It is a flavourful, aromatic Crémant packed with a fruit forward profile which is also fresh with green apple and a creamy secondary aroma with medium intensity and finish. This would be the ideal Crémant to have with brunch with friends!

Size: 75cl
ABV: 12%
Price: £8.99

Château de l'aulée Crémant NV - Crémant de Loire

This is a dry Crémant that surprisingly tastes just like a Champagne and is very quaffable! It uses Chenin Blanc as its single grape and has a golden colour with rich primary and secondary aromas of apple, brioche and biscuits. This will appeal to many palates and would work well with sea food.

Size: 75cl
ABV: 12.5%
Price: £18.99

Benjamin Darnault Vignerons Wife Crémant de Bourgogne Brut

A very smooth, easy drinking Crémant which is a Chardonnay blend. This is ideal for those who enjoy a lighter, subtle sparkling wine with aromas of green apple, floral and a crisp taste. This will be ideal for sitting in the garden with a picnic.

Size: 75cl
ABV: 12%
Price: £19.99

Sainsburys Taste the Difference Crémant d’Alsace

This is a dry tasting Alsace Crémant with hints of green apple, citrus flavours and secondary flavours of brioche. It has a medium intensity with high acidity and a creamy texture to provide that balanced profile and can be drunk by itself for that spa day!

Size: 75cl
ABV: 12%
Price: £11.50

We would love to hear which Crémants you have tried as they make such a good alternative to Champagne and there is often not that much difference in the taste, depending on the region! Crémant will be great for those spring and summer special occasions or a perfect excuse to treat yourself - what are you waiting for? Santé!

By Latoya Austin