I love this concept because I know so many of us can relate. We have that one guest/family member that doesn’t care for Red Wine. In my case, it’s my brother. That’s why I love this beverage. It’s a chance for him to be a part of the dining experience, in a way that may be more approachable then straight red wine. Plus, the wine is delicious on its own and supports our Local Ontario Wine Makers. Say hello to Our Story Wines.
Curious to see how this live segment went? Check out the video on CTV by clicking on the photo below.
Choosing Your Red for this Red Wine Cocktail
Now you should always be choosing a Red based on your preference and your food pairing! If you’re always stuck on trying to figure out how to pair certain dishes or wines with food, I highly recommend THIS BOOK HERE for great professional help. With that said, I went with the local Our Story Wines from Niagara because not only does their wine work perfectly with this cocktail and food pairing, but so does their ethos. They are a brand that’s all about wanting to create lasting memories and traditions with family and loved ones with their wines. It connected with the concept of me trying to create a unique experience with my brother this holiday season.
The Red Blend from Our Story Wines is a Cabernet Merlot Blend. It’s bold, with a ton of body, which goes perfectly with my holiday meal and this drink. We’re building something that’s similar to a Sangria, but not really. It’s what I like to call the Original Sangria which is a Cobbler, which includes crushed ice and plenty of fresh fruit.
Building the Cocktail
There are two other key components to this Red Wine Cocktail. For one, we’ve got the crushed ice. This is important because quick dilution plays a key role in the overall taste and enjoyment of this cocktail. Plus it is meant to be refreshing and a “quick” drink. It’s not much of a sipping cocktail, which for my Red Wine Haters, this works out in their favour.
Next is the Hayman’s Sloe Gin. I need to reiterate that this is not a Gin, but a Liqueur instead. Spiced with a lot of the holiday flavours we love from plums, cloves, nutmeg and of course the Sloe Berries that’s steeped in this liqueur. I added this in because it’s one of my favourite bottles to have around during the holidays, plus it’s an easy way to incorporate the flavour without me telling you to make another syrup (I get it, it can be a lot).
And that’s the main components. Fresh Orange, Pomegranate and spices are dressed on top to add more drama to the glass, which I know my brother will love and I hope your family will too.
HOLIDAY WINE TALE
For any Red Wine Haters, this is the drink for you, combining Hayman's Sloe Gin, Our Story's Cabernet Merlot Blend with holiday fruits, herbs and spices!
– Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 4 oz Red Wine Our Story Cabernet Merlot used here
- 1 oz Hayman’s Sloe Gin
- ½ – 1 tbsp Brown Sugar or 1 oz Brown Sugar Simple Syrup
- 1 Orange Wheel sliced in half
- 1 inch thinly sliced Ginger (approximate 3 thin pieces)
- For Garnish you can be creative but I recommend the following: Sprig of Rosemary, Orange, Nutmeg, Pomegranate.
- Instructions:
Instructions
- Muddle an Orange Wheel and Ginger vigorously and place into your glass. Add the rest of your ingredients. Fill your
- glass with Crushed Ice. Garnish with suggested fruit, herbs and spiced toppings.
- For quick execution, have all ingredients inside the glass and when ready to serve, add in the crushed ice and let guests
- dress it up how they’d like!
