Posts Categorized: Wine Cocktails

A Perfect Summer Cocktail: The Fruity Sparkling Frozé

July 31, 2020

Well, It took long enough, but it seems that Portland has finally hit its full summertime stride. With temperatures topping off in the 90s for days, we thought it would be the perfect time to introduce you to a simple and delicious frozen cocktail that is not only a cinch to make but employs two fruits that are currently in season right now, peaches and watermelon.

By combining the sweetness of local peaches and watermelon with our Underwood Rosé Bubbles, you get a refreshing cocktail with a perfect balance of flavors. Add in some ice and just a little vodka and you have a slushy, fruity, bubbly glass of refreshment! Let us introduce you to:

The Fruity Frozé

5 oz Underwood Rosé Bubbles

2 oz Vodka (we recommend Tito’s Handmade Vodka)

1 C fresh seedless watermelon

1 Large Peach (pit removed)

1 1/2 C Ice

2 more oz of Rosé Bubbles to add to the finished cocktail

The first step is to set up your blender and chill two glasses. Next, you want to split your peach, remove the pit and chop it into smaller chunks. Then cut and peel your watermelon, measuring out 1 C of fruit. If you happen to get one of those pesky “seedless” watermelons that still have seeds, remove them before proceeding. Put the fruit into your blender.

Next, measure your Rosé Bubbles and Vodka and add it to the blender. Feed free to use the vodka you may have at home, but we recommend our good friends from Austin Texas, Tito’s. If you’ve never tried their vodka, its pretty great and goes well in any cocktail. Add the liquid as well as the ice to the blender.

Blend on a medium to high setting until all the ice is crushed and blended well with the fruit.

Carefully pour the Frozé into two glasses, leaving a little room. Top off each drink with an ounce of the Rosé Bubbles for an added effervescence that will last for the whole cocktail. Just make sure to drink it before it melts!

We hope you and your loved ones enjoy this cocktail as much as we do. From everyone here at the Union family, we hope you are staying cool on these hot days and still staying safe when entertaining.

Please remember to social distance when being social and keep those #pinkiesdown. Happy Summer!

*********

Photography, Text, and Cocktail by David L. Reamer. (@dlreamer)

Strawberries and Cream: A Cooler Cocktail

June 26, 2020

In honor of strawberry season, we decided to make a simple but delicious cocktail using our Underwood Strawberry Cooler. We got to thinking, what goes better with fresh strawberries than some freshly whipped cream? (Just ask anyone who’s had the pleasure of going to Wimbledon where strawberries and cream is the official snack.)

So, we used this flavor combination as inspiration for the cocktail. We present:

Strawberries & Cream

(This will make 2 cocktails)

6 oz Underwood Strawberry Cooler

2 oz heavy cream

3 oz Orange Liquor (we used Combier for this one)

2-3 shakes Orange Bitters

4 C ice

First a note on Combier.

There are many orange liquors on the market to choose from. Often times we will use Cointreau or even Grand Marnier. But for this one, we wanted to introduce those unfamiliar with the French liqueur Combier.

We like Combier for several reasons. First of all, they are employee-owned, which is super cool and worth supporting. Also, Combier actually removes the pith from the orange peels so in the process you get less viscosity and a higher concentration of orange oil. (Just a little random fact for your next cocktail party.)

But let’s not forget the star of the show.

To make the cocktail, just put all ingredients into a large shaker, shake vigorously, and then divide between two glasses.

Hopefully, you will have the opportunity to share this with loved ones, or, now that the weather has turned, in a small outdoor get-together, keeping appropriate social distances of course.

Once again, from the whole Union Family, stay safe out there, keep washing those hands and CHEERS!

(And always keep those #pinkies down!)

Photography, Recipe & Text by David L. Reamer. (@dlreamer)

Sparkling Pink Pimm’s Cup

May 29, 2020

One of my favorite simple spring cocktails is the Pimm’s Cup. I think I had my first one in New Orleans, but since then I have ordered them at cocktail bars all around the country. Unlike many classic cocktails, there isn’t a tried and true unwavering recipe for the drink. I have had them made as simply as combining Pimm’s with ginger ale or lemonade, but probably the best Pimm’s Cup I can remember was at Anvil Bar & Refuge in Houston, Texas. It was so good, I actually asked if they would share the recipe. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much, but they were so gracious that they immediately printed out a full copy of their recipe which included gin, club soda and muddled cucumber.

So, when I was recently tasked with creating a new cocktail using the Underwood Rosé Bubbles, I wanted to create my own interesting take on the classic cocktail. I decided to steal a little bit from the Anvil recipe but expand it in other ways. Pimm’s is a great addition to any at-home liquor cabinet, and you can have a lot of fun with this version or with inventing your own variations. The Rosé Bubbles adds the much-needed bubbles in place of the club soda or ginger ale.

This recipe makes 2 drinks…’cause who wants to drink alone?

Sparkling Pink Pimm’s Cup

6 oz Underwood Rosé Bubbles
2 oz gin (we’ve been loving the locally made Rose City Gin)
1.5 oz Pimms’s No.1
2 oz Grenadine syrup
1.5 oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 inch chunk of cucumber roughly chopped
10-12 fresh mint leaves
2 straws, (preferably not made of plastic!)

*****

STEP ONE:

Put the cucumber and mint in a medium to a large shaker and muddle well.

STEP TWO:

Add the gin, Pimm’s, Grenadine syrup, and lemon juice to the shaker and gently muddle. Add 1-2 cups of ice and shake well.

STEP THREE:

Fill two tall glasses with ice and paper straws. Put 2 oz. Rosé Bubbles in each glass.

STEP FOUR:

Using a cocktail strainer (or small fine mesh colander) divide the liquid in the shaker between the two glasses.

STEP FIVE:

Top off each drink with another ounce or so of the Rosé Bubbles. (This is where the straw comes in very handy. It, more or less, allows the drink to mix as it’s consumed.) You can garnish with extra mint or cucumber if that’s your jam, but I’ve never been one for unnecessary garnishes. I do strongly recommend serving the drinks with a side of cucumber slices with lemon and kosher salt for an extra little treat.

We hope this will brighten up your spring afternoons and impress your friends.

Cheers and keep those #pinkiesdown.

Photography, Text and Recipe by David L. Reamer. (@dlreamer)

The Mei Wine Colada: A Great Cocktail for a Great Cause

May 8, 2020

A few years ago, Union Wine Company Owner and Paterfamilias Ryan Harms sat down with one of his favorite chefs, Mei Lin, and together they set out to collaborate on a wine cooler that employed the approachability of Union’s wine (#pinkiesdown) while evoking all of the flavors that Mei Lin grew up with and currently uses in her recipes.

A little background… Mei Lin was awarded Bravo TV’s Top Chef in Season 12 and honored as one of Eater’s Young Guns in 2014. Since then, she has gone on to open her own restaurant, Nightshade, in Los Angeles. Like most of the restaurants around the country, Nightshade was forced to temporarily close during the pandemic. Currently, the only places to buy Mei Lin’s wine are at her restaurant or through the Union Wine Co. website. In a show of support, not just for Mei, but for all of her employees, Union has decided that through the end of June they will donate 100% of the profits from the sale of her wine to the staff of the restaurant.

So what are you waiting for? How about a delicious cocktail using Mei Wine—as if drinking it alone wasn’t amazing enough! To support this cause and encourage you to order some cans of her wine here, we created a Piña Colada style cocktail that highlights the tropical cooler vibe of Mei Lin’s wine.

As an added bonus, we are going to give you a step-by-step on how to quickly and painlessly skin a whole pineapple for use as a garnish. So without further ado, we present…

The Mei Wine Colada with Charred Pineapple

Here’s what you will need to make 2 drinks:

6 oz or 1/2 can Mei Wine
3 oz Coco Lopez Coconut Cream (the Best!)
2 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice
2 oz white rum (we recommend Cruzan Aged White Rum)
1 C crushed ice
1 pineapple

Measure all the ingredients into a large shaker. Since you will be using crushed ice, we recommend chilling the shaker, the glasses, and the liquid beforehand so that as little of the ice melts as possible.

There are many great rums on the market these days. We really like Cruzan for this recipe because it is not only affordable but has a very balanced flavor that will not overpower the Mei Wine.

But of course, let’s not forget the star of the show, Mei Wine.

For a garnish that is not only delicious but will impress your drinking companions, we recommend charred fresh pineapple. We realize that many people are not familiar with how easy it is to prepare a fresh pineapple, so we decided to present a quick tutorial.

STEP ONE:

Cut the top and bottom off of the pineapple and discard.

STEP TWO:

Now that the pineapple has a flat edge to sit on, use a large kitchen knife to cut around the sides of the pineapple, following the natural curve and trying to remove as little of the flesh as possible.

STEP THREE:

Once you have gone all the way around the fruit, you can slice rings or cut chunks from each side, discarding the woody center.

You can char your pineapple on the grill or over the flame of a gas stove. Cut the charred pineapple into pieces and skewer them for garnish on the drink. This can be done ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Finally, put all liquid ingredients and the crushed ice into the chilled shaker. Shake vigorously and then divide equally between two glasses. Garnish with the charred pineapple and Enjoy!

Please consider ordering some Mei Wine before the end of June and help us help Mei’s restaurant staff. You’ll have the chance to create an amazing cocktail in the process!

Cheers and #pinkiesdown.

Photography, Recipe, and Text by David L. Reamer. (@dlreamer)

Virtual Happy Hour: The Newest Way to Stay Connected

April 10, 2020

In these crazy times of social distancing and isolation, it’s as important as ever to stay connected any way you can. Thus, the advent of the virtual happy hour. This is the newest trend that has caught on not just between family and friends, but workmates as well. Now, happy hour used to be a firm 5 PM, but with co-workers and family often times being all around the country, that rule has had to loosen up a bit. If we choose to join in from the West Coast with our East Coast compatriots, we might find ourselves having a drink around 3 pm.

So we decided to create a light cocktail using our Underwood Pinot Gris for when you need to start the party a little earlier than expected. We also wanted to try and use ingredients that most people have around the house since as we all know, running out to the supermarket just isn’t as easy as it used to be. This is a perfect time to remind everyone that the Union Wine Co. shipping team is working tirelessly to get wine sent out to homes across the country. A four-pack of cans equals 2 full bottles in volume and is easily shipped without the hassle of all the extra packaging to protect the glass. You can order cans for yourself or surprise a friend or family member with an unexpected gift right HERE.

OK, back to the cocktail. We created a sort of amalgamation of two classic cocktails, the Moscow Mule and the Salty Dog, and replaced the liquor with our Pinot Gris. We call this one The Salty Underwood Mule. We figure most people are keeping their vitamin C levels up, so you might have grapefruits at your house, and many people have fresh mint growing in the yard already. So, all you need is fresh ginger and you are most of the way to the cocktail.

The Salty Underwood Mule

2 oz fresh grapefruit juice
1.5 oz Underwood Pinot Gris
.5 oz Ginger Mint Syrup (recipe to follow)
Club Soda
1 lime
Salt for the rim of the glass

The first thing you will need to do is make the ginger mint syrup. At best you have some mint growing in your yard (or maybe a neighbor does who wouldn’t mind sharing.)

STEP ONE:

In a sauté pan, put 3/4 C of water, 1 C of sugar and 2 good sized pieced of fresh ginger (its not necessary to peel the ginger) and bring to a boil. Allow this to cool completely.

STEP TWO:

Remove the ginger, pour the liquid into a glass jar and add 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh mint. Allow this to sit overnight. By adding the mint after the liquid has cooled prevents it from turning black and also adds a great subtle fresh mint flavor to the syrup which strengthens over time.

Once this is done, you are just about ready to make your cocktail. But first you have to salt the rim. This can be a bit more challenging than you would think. One trick I learned from my bartender friends is to run a lime wedge around the edge of the glass as opposed to dipping it in water (which is what I used to do). I’m not sure why, but using citrus ensures a much more even coating of salt to remain on the rim.

Next, pour some salt into a shallow bowl and press the glass firmly into the salt for an even coating.

And voilá…

Add a few ice cubes, the grapefruit juice, Pinot Gris and Ginger Mint syrup. Give a gentle stir, top off with a splash of club soda and garnish with a lime wedge.

And there you have a deliciously light afternoon cocktail to virtually toast with friends and family.

We hope you will enjoy this new cocktail creation while staying safe out there! Keep washing your hands and don’t forget to keep those #pinkiesdown.

Photography, Text and Recipe by David L. Reamer. (@dlreamer)

Posts Categorized: Wine Cocktails

A Perfect Summer Cocktail: The Fruity Sparkling Frozé

Strawberries and Cream: A Cooler Cocktail

Sparkling Pink Pimm’s Cup

The Mei Wine Colada: A Great Cocktail for a Great Cause

Virtual Happy Hour: The Newest Way to Stay Connected

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