It’s about that time to start thinking about the holidays, planning parties, meals, and of course, cocktails! My favorite libation is sparkling wine and I especially love to add seasonal flavors to spice things up! I chose my favorite brand of sparkling wine, Iron Horse Vineyards in Sebastopol, CA. Iron Horse is a small, family-owned winery founded in 1976. They helped pioneer the coveted Green Valley region for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Their sparkling wines are second to none, and have been poured in the White House at special events going all the way back to the Reagan administration!
I used both their Classic Brut and Russian Cuvée for these recipes, but any Brut will do. I’ve also used prosecco many times when making sparkling cocktails. (It’s delicious and cheap!) These recipes are measured for two standard size flutes and all ingredients used are organic.
*Note that when mixing sparkling with other juices, your glass will foam up much more than normal. Pour extremely slow and mix lightly as you pour to make sure all ingredients are thoroughly distributed.
ORANGE + GINGER + CLASSIC BRUT
50ml of freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp of fresh ginger juiced with a garlic press
25 ml of Cointreau
Orange twist to garnish
STRAWBERRY + ROSEMARY + RUSSIAN CUVÉE
100ml of blended strawberries (Add a sprig of rosemary to the blender)
20ml of simple syrup
Sprig of rosemary to garnish
*You can also add a squirt of fresh lemon juice for a more citrusy cocktail.
APPLE + CINNAMON +RUSSIAN CUVÉE
100 ml of organic, unfiltered apple juice
1/4 tsp of cinnamon, another sprinkle on top
Cinnamon stick to float as garnish
*This cocktail tastes like Thanksgiving!
Thank you to Iron Horse Vineyards for letting us create delicious cocktails with your wines. We appreciate the gift. Cheers!
