As someone who is interested in cocktails, after a while you tend to assume that trends and recipes are predictable. You take a classic drink, then add an ingredient, or infuse something into the spirit, or swap out the base. That’s a whole world of fun and flavor to explore, but it’s rare that you’ll truly be surprised by a recipe.
That’s why I had to take a moment to consider a new recipe which I saw for this first time this week, which involves a combination I have never in my life imagined: gin and red wine. The Gin & Cabernet Sour, from wine brand WSJ Wine, pairs up the juniper, bitter notes of gin with the rich, heavy flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon, balanced with Cointreau, simple syrup, and lemon juice.
I can certainly see the logic, as it’s a twist on the New York Sour, which is itself a twist on the whiskey sour. So why not add the red wine float to the original gin sour? I can see the tannins of the wine adding a really interesting note to the drink, for those of us who love drinks which are hefty, flavorful, and unusual.
Gin & Cabernet Sour
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz. Gin
- 0.75 oz. Cointreau
- 0.75 oz. Simple syrup
- 0.75 oz. Lemon juice
- 0.75 oz. Shroud Mountain Cabernet
- Lemon peel
Method:
Mix all of your ingredients, except for the Cabernet, in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain mixture into your glass. Slowly pour the Cabernet over the back of a spoon (preferably a bar spoon) and let it slide onto the top of your drink.
