Eve's Wine 101

New Vinotemp Tall Cabinet Wood Wrap Adds Fresh Style That Pairs Perfectly With its Wine Coolers

by

HENDERSON, NEV. (PRWEB) – Vinotemp®, the leading wine storage solutions and appliance provider, launched its Tall Cabinet Wood Wrap, a freestanding shelving unit that offers the versatility to fit a medium or tall Vinotemp wine cooler, or the solid wood shelves can be removed altogether to make room for glassware storage. The modular nature of the Tall Cabinet allows for almost endless combinations that fit any home and can be put together to create a complete mini-bar solution for effortless entertaining.

The versatility of the Tall Cabinet doesn’t stop with the option of wine cooler size, freestanding or built-in. The unit can also be outfitted with a hanging stemware rack so everything needed to enjoy a wine collection is in one place.

#

Also take a look at the Backlit Commerical Wine Coolers:

This showy unit is all about creating a spectacular display for your best bottles. Streamlined patent pending stainless steel wine racks ensure that your bottles are properly secured while maximizing the visibility of wine bottle labels. Its patented interior Backlit™ panel has three different light-emitting diode (LED) options – Heliotrope, Amber and Vinotemp BioBlu™ (which helps reduce the growth of bacteria and mold) – and can be selected at any given time or the interior lighting can be turned off.

For more information on the new Tall Cabinet Wood Wrap and Vinotemp’s full product line, visit http://www.vinotemp.com.

Starting June 3 for One Month: It’s Tiki Time! The Front Yard at Ellis Island Hotel, Casino and Brewery Transforms Second Floor into The Island at Ellis, a Hidden Tiki Bar Pop-Up

by

LAS VEGAS /PRNewswire/ — Prepare to be transported into a one-month-only mid-century tiki dream at The Front Yard at Ellis Island Hotel, Casino & Brewery, where the restaurant’s second floor will be transformed into a delightfully kitschy, tiki bar escape, called The Island at Ellis. The summer soiree will run from June 3 until July 4.

Stepping into this all-day oasis, sponsored by Bacardi, guests will be greeted by a 15-foot swordfish, staff decked out in Hawaiian-themed attire and tiki-style vignettes throughout the space. But no tiki bar is complete without tropical favorites, and The Front Yard’s Tiki Bar will be serving up dishes such as a Teriyaki Chicken Burger, Tiki Quesadilla, and Coconut Shrimp, only available on the second level of the restaurant. Ten boozy island-themed specialty drinks will also be available, with beer cocktails and Ellis Island spins on Tiki classics, multiple served as individual cocktails or in punch bowls for a crowd. For high-res photos of some of the menu items, click HERE.

In addition to the specialty Island at Ellis offerings, The Front Yard’s brunch and dinner menus will be available, with fan favorites like Stuffed Crunch Toast, Salmon and Lox Flatbread, Bacon Mac & Cheese, a Giant Pretzel, and more. All of Ellis Island’s iconic beers will also be on the menu, served in glassware made specifically for the pop-up.

And it would not be Vegas without a little gambling! Two blackjack tables will add some Sin City flare and a variety of slots will be available to play in a lounge area located by the Terrace Bar.

“We can’t wait for the launch of The Island at Ellis,” said Director of Marketing, Christina Ellis. “We have really enjoyed decorating and transforming the restaurant, and we knew now was the perfect time to take it to the next level.”

Starting June 3, the Tiki Bar will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 3pm and 4pm to midnight; Mondays from 10am to 3pm and 4-10pm; and Tuesdays through Thursdays from 4-10pm. Reservations are available through OpenTable and people can follow this special pop-up on Instagram at @islandatellis.

About The Front Yard

The Front Yard is a two-story indoor/outdoor beer garden, providing a casual brewpub atmosphere in the heart of Las Vegas at Ellis Island Hotel, Casino & Brewery. With a premium bar and a full-service restaurant, The Front Yard offers some of the Ellis family’s favorite recipes along with dishes curated by Executive Chef John Ales, providing a little something for everyone.

Retractable ceiling shades, expansive windows, and Instagram-worthy garden walls present a lush outdoor atmosphere where patrons can come together for brunch on the weekend or enjoy a game on the restaurant’s 18-foot big screen.

The Front Yard is open for dinner daily from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. Brunch is served Saturday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Front Yard is located at 4178 Koval Ln, Las Vegas, NV 89109 and can be reached by calling (702) 733-8901. Follow The Front Yard on Instagram and Facebook at @thefrontyardlv.

Vintage Eve Circa 9/2018 – Mutual Trading Show 2018: An Array of Japanese Food and Drink Reviewed

by

This would be the second year of discovery for us: attending the Mutual Trading Japanese Food and Restaurant Expo. While the wide array of Japanese food and beverages takes center stage, I really like to cover the show to learn something new, and I do every time.

If you just want to see the food and drink, my photos are here. Of special note for me:

Japan’s #1 Nama Sake in a CAN: Funaguchi Kikusui Ichibanshibori. It was served to us three ways: fresh and cold from the can, sweetened with citrus juices and with slices of cucumber. Each was quite remarkable.

Masahiro Shuzo, a company that has “been in business for more than 130 years”, Awamori – a distilled 30% ABV (60 proof) that is produced in Okinawa.

The Umepon liqueur was a favorite last year for us so I was happy to see them back and also try a cocktail version. It is orange and plum liqueurs blended with rice shochu.

I had Dassai sake in my WSET level one sake course, also noted that one of the numbered versions is served at our local Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ. (The bottles are numbered and that number correlates with how much the rice grain is milled to. The lower the number the finer the grain, and hence, the finer the sake.) At the show I expected to see the usual 50, but they also had a 23 to sample, which was really delicious.

The brand “Dragon God” sold only to restaurants, had a couple of different sake that I enjoyed. Look for these when you dine out.

Of the displays I was duly impressed by the many award winning beverages, glass and pottery sake serving sets and the array of sashimi, sushi, tofu, sesame seed – from oils to desserts – and noodles. The longest line is always for small servings of ramen. If I were to work with a Japanese restaurant I’d put my money on ramen.

If you want to know what I learned about this year, namely pairing sake with all kinds of food, read on:

Attendees were extremely lucky to have a class offered on food pairing with Antony Moss MW and Chef Nobuo at Teeter House.

Moss is the Director of Strategic Planning for WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) and though he has earned his MW his focus for the last five years has turned more to sake. He said sake pairs easily with food as there are no tannins or acid.

Chef Nobuo said that drinking sake with a meal will “clean whatever stays in the mouth” and the “combination of contrasting things (makes pairings) delightful.”

During the seminar we were given two samples to try: Miyazaki beef and Bluefin tuna. Both were served with a specifically selected cold sake that would enhance the flavor of the dish, and by a show of nods when Moss asked, both pairings succeeded. The selection of a sweeter sake with the beef was truly inspired. Of course both the fish and the beef had been marinated as well as served with a topping, which was all taken into account in the selection of the sake. Long story short, this was just really the beginning of what we would learn about pairing sake with dishes other than sushi.

Moss said that he often enjoys a sparkling sake with English Fish and Chips or an Italian calamari dish. Junmai or Honjozo sake paired better with Bolognese than a Chianti in his educated experience. Moss further explained that during the first half of the 20th century menus had a “wide mix of styles” in European cuisine, especially French cuisine. There were sauternes on the menu that were paired with steaks. This wholly positive experience he believes “dispels the myth of (having to have) red wine with steak.” What may sound “radical” to us is “deeply rooted with both Japanese and European history.”

A couple of questions by the audience that I found interesting:

Did restaurants have to provide a different type of glass if we were going to replace wine with sake at the dinner table? Moss contemplated that Riedel does have glasses for every need…however he said the traditional Japanese cup or glass is fine. And if a wine glass was preferred then a small white wine glass would suffice perfectly. He also said not to feel intimidated by this, and to use your personal preferences as a guide.

A second questions was on temperature. As we had been discussing cold sake pairings would warm sake work as well? While Moss enjoyed sake between 40 degrees and room temperature, he said warming up the sake “can be very satisfying.”

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Flavor First Intuitive Line of Wine Glassware Released in U.S. Market

by

St. Helena, California – For the first time ever, a line of glassware designed around the flavor of wine has been released to trade and consumers in the United States. The set of three glasses corresponds to three key flavor/styles found in wine: Crisp & Fresh™, Creamy & Silky™ and Bold & Powerful™, intuitively putting the power of glass selection in the hands of  wine consumers and  trade professionals.

Liberating and simple in premise, the Flavor First™ line of glassware was meticulously designed over three years by wine expert and lauded author Karen MacNeil in collaboration with Senior Vice President of Design and Creative Director, Paul Gebhardt of The Oneida® Group,  producer since 1880 of fine table and kitchenware to homes and restaurants worldwide.

Their idea was simple—design wine glasses around wine flavor, not around wine regions or wine varietals. Taking into consideration the architecture of the glass, the nature of the human palate, and the desire of consumers and food service professionals to simplify this complex subject, MacNeil and Gebhardt had an “aha” moment together at a wine training Karen conducted for The Oneida® Group. Why, they asked,  wasn’t there a stem that took the overthinking out of  glassware? Why not focus on the fundamental pleasure and flavor of wine itself?

Trials, tastings, iterations over time, and testing of 40 different design options yielded a simple solution. MacNeil stated, “As a writer and wine teacher who’s taught thousands of people how to taste and evaluate wine, I listen carefully to how people talk about wine and the words they use.  Most people are non-technical; they use ideas  such as ‘bold reds’ or ‘creamy chardonnays’ to describe what they like. In other words, they use flavor words.”

Always academic and thoughtful in her approach, Karen looked at 35 major grape varieties and realized that the glass diameter at the widest part of the glass had the greatest impact on the expression of the wines.  As she states, “Oxygen has a profound effect on wine. For each of our three glasses,  the widest part of the glass is at a different position.”

Gebhardt, said of the collaboration, “Karen and her team are amazing, and together we made the idea a reality. Along with flavor as a driver of form, I wanted to create a line that had as many back-of-the-house operational advantages as possible. The design needed to be easy to live with at home, as well as in a commercial operation, both of which are key audiences for our company.”

Importantly, the vessels were designed for daily life at the table, and as such are dishwasher safe. While each glass is endowed with a precision bowl shape and a thin rim typically reserved for glassware three times the price, the carefully calibrated  “pulled” stem and foot ensure that the glasses will endure through meals and explorations. All three stems are the same height, making a seamless presentation for a wine tasting or meal with different pairings and ease of storage. The glasses are American designed and made in Germany from lead-free crystal.

The core stems include (all sold at retail in sets of four and six): 
Crisp & Fresh™ for champagne, prosecco, sparkling wine, sauvignon blanc, riesling, and pinot grigio plus light rosés and all wines with a fresh, bright quality

Creamy & Silky™ for  chardonnay, chenin blanc, pinot gris plus richer rosé wines and pinot noir, chianti, shiraz and all wines with a round, silky texture

Bold & Powerful™ for very full bodied, oaky chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, Bordeaux, zinfandel, malbec, Barolo, syrah and all wines that feature a bold texture and firm structural backbone

Petite Stem:  Designed for more casual gatherings, a next generation version of the stemless glass but, importantly, with a foot to allow for swirling and easier handling.  It’s also great for beer, iced tea, and select cocktails such as a classic Gin & Tonic.

Available for sale in sets of four and six or as a variety set of six with two stems of each, the glasses are available at a number of retailers such as Amazon, wine.com, Macy’s, Dillard’s, TheBay.com (Canada)  and  are also available at Oneida.com and KarenMacNeil.com.   Priced at $74.99 per set of six, the per stem price averages $12.50, extremely affordable when compared to other similar quality wine glasses on the market today.

About Karen MacNeil
Noted writer, author, and educator Karen MacNeil is the only American to have won every major wine award given in the English language. These include the James Beard award for Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year, the Louis Roederer award for Best Consumer Wine Writing, and the International Wine and Spirits award as the Global Wine Communicator of the Year.  In a full-page profile on her, TIME Magazine called Karen “America’s Missionary of the Vine.” In 2018, Karen was named one of the “100 Most Influential People in Wine.”  Karen’s firm, Karen MacNeil & Company, creates customized corporate events  for companies and individual groups. Among Karen’s clients are Lexus, Merrill Lynch, Disney, General Electric, UBS, and Singapore Airlines, as well as numerous law, banking, and biotech firms.

Karen is the co-creator and Chair Emerita of the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America in the Napa Valley, which has been called “the Harvard of wine education.” More information about Karen can be found at  www.karenmacneil.com.

About The Oneida® Group
The Oneida® Group is a leading global marketer of tabletop and food preparation products for the consumer and foodservice markets. With a comprehensive line of tabletop and food preparation products, they market their products globally under a broad range of consumer brands.   Karen MacNeil’s range of stemware falls under both the consumer facing Oneida and the trade focused SAPORUS brand of food service.  Customers range from Fortune 500 companies to medium and small-sized companies in the consumer, foodservice, business-to-business, and E-commerce channels. The company operates two glass manufacturing plants in the U.S. and sources a variety of proprietary designed tableware products. Visit  https://www.oneida.com/ for more information.

Switchback Ridge, Grand Reserves Reward, Grassl Glass and More!

by

What do you know about Calistoga’s Switchback Ridge Winery? How about the new Mastercard, the “Grand Reserves Reward” card, that’s just for wine enthusiasts? Have you handled any Grassl glassware? Visited Liquid Assets Cellars? Let me give you a taste of each, with a special focus on the wine of course!

It started like this: Grand Reserve members were “invited by our partner winery Switchback Ridge to a special private tasting event. They will be pouring their 2015/2016 Merlot, 2015/2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2014 Petite Sirah…and one new, not yet released wine for something extra fun! The event will take place at Liquid Assets Cellars in North Hollywood…Pierson Ryan from Switchback Ridge” will lead the tasting.

Learning About Switchback Ridge

Ryan explained that the winery is run by a mother/daughter team Kelly and Ashley Peterson. Ryan said, “This is fantastic wine but the people are better.” The family has owned the land for 106 years, 1999 was their first vintage, they only make about 3 thousand cases per year, they hold all reds four years in bottle after barrel aging and have 21 acres under vine. Winemaker Bob Foley is known as the “Mount Rushmore winemaker’, aka Mr. Merlot, and a very iconic winemaker (not related to Bill Foley).

About 80 percent of their wine is allocated to club members and the remaining 20 percent to wine bars and restaurants. Liquid Assets owner Kevin Jones chimed in, basically saying this is a perfect time to get in on winery allocation lists as due to Covid some members have had to drop off.

Tasting (my notes are in italics)

2015 SWITCHBACK RIDGE MERLOT 92% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon

This is what Merlot should be! Ripe aromas and flavors of red cherry and cassis coat the palate with a rich, round middle. A framework of soft tannin delivers a beautiful finish with hints of mocha. 1008 CASES | $58/750ML (This was the first wine I tasted and stayed my favorite throughout. I found more dark cherry over red, the cassis and a finish that just wouldn’t quit! The 16 months it spent in French oak was perfect for my palate.)

 

2016 SWITCHBACK RIDGE MERLOT 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Enticing red fruit bowl aromas of raspberry, red cherry and cassis are graced with just a hint of savory spice. These flavors flood the palate with a rich mouthful of deliciousness that brings on espresso-like nuances. The structure and balance resolve in a mouth-coating finish that seems to go on forever. 1144 CASES | $60/750ML (Had to agree with the “flood the palate” and the length of the finish noted by the winery above. Jeb Dunnuck gave this one 94 points. This one was a bit tighter than the 2015 for me, I would decant or lay it down for a bit.)

 

2015 SWITCHBACK RIDGE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Intoxicating aromas of Bing Cherry and black currant. Delicious mid-palate sweetness, gently gripping tannin, finishing with hints of espresso and vanilla bean. A thoroughly ripe vintage with great aging potential. 829 CASES | $95/750ML (Purely Domestic Wine Report awarded this wine 95 points. Ryan said they had a very low yield. I thought it fine to drink now, with dark black cherry, balsamic as well as the espresso and vanilla noted above. My second favorite wine in the tasting.)

 

2016 SWITCHBACK RIDGE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Intense dark fruit aromas of black cherry and black currant indicate the ripeness and purity of this beautiful Cabernet. The structural framework is sturdy, while tannin grips very gently, carrying the fruit flavors with a trace of vanilla into a long, graceful finish. 1071 CASES | $96/750ML (Jeb Dunnuck really liked this one, giving it a whopping 96+. Beautiful fruit and tannin structure.)

 

2014 SWITCHBACK RIDGE PETITE SIRAH 100% Petite Sirah (33% Old Vine Block)

You might have to tap on the bottom of the bottle a few times to get this wine out! Incredibly dark and impenetrable with wild berry and boysenberry fruit. The wine coats your palate from beginning to end. Chewy tannins are well integrated and nicely balanced by ripe, jammy fruit and lifted by ample natural juicy acidity. 717 CASES | $62/750ML (I had to use one of my favorite lines, “There’s a lot going on in this glass” to describe this Petite Sirah. Lots of thick jam and strong tannins; Ryan mentioned a great age ability and that it only needed a ribeye steak!)

A note on the not yet released wine – stay tuned to Switchback Ridge as though we were one of the few that have sampled it, we can’t share anything about it publicly until it’s released, possibly by November!

##

Grassl Glass (Excerpted From Brochure)

Every Grassl Glass is handmade by artisans with over 30 years of glass blowing experience. The result of their skill is a glass with remarkable precision, highest quality materials and unbelievable thinness that feels weightless in your hand. All shapes were developed with the feedback of world renowned winemakers to establish a clear benchmark for how their wines should unfold and be enjoyed by everyone.

Final Words

So, become a card holder, earn some bonus points and you will be invited to tastings with wineries like Switchback Ridge, and other “experiences”. Visit Liquid Assets Cellars, in nearby North Hollywood about 20 minutes from Santa Clarita, for your chance to handle the delicately made GrassL glassware – I swear the decanter weighed a mere ounce – and see the custom cellars where you can also store your wine!  Make friends with the owner Kevin Jones and he’ll walk you over to his sister shop, Epicurus Gourmet (I felt like we were in a French grocery!) and maybe also sample his new Kindred Rose wine.

Links

https://switchbackridge.com

https://www.instagram.com/switchbackridge/

##

 

https://www.instagram.com/grandreserverewards/

https://linktr.ee/GrandReserveRewards

##

 

https://grasslglass.com/

https://www.facebook.com/grasslglass/

Watch 20 seconds or so of how the glassware is made here:

https://grasslglass.com/assets/video/manufacture_low.mp4

##

 

https://www.lacellars.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Liquid-Assets-Cellars-103946499846

##

 

Epicurus Gourmet

https://epicurusgourmet.com/

https://www.facebook.com/EpicurusGourmet

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Second Annual International Canned Wine Competition Gives Gold to Aluminum

by

BOONVILLE, Calif. /PRNewswire/ — In the only event of its kind in the world, over two hundred canned wines flexed their aluminum muscles at the second annual International Canned Wine Competition held July 21-23 at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville, California. Seventy producers from around the globe sent in a total of 226 entries.  Wines were submitted from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Chile, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, and Spain as well as from many parts of the U.S.A. While California and Oregon producers took their share of honors, many of the 96 gold medals went to wines from less prominent regions.

Best of Show White Wine honors went to Archer McRae Beverages’ Joiy Wine “Savvy Society” Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand.  Best Rosé was Hall Wines’ BACA 2019 “Ring Around the Rosé” from California, and Best Red was Fourth Wave Wine’s “Take it to the Grave” 2018 Shiraz, Langhorne Creek, Australia.

Erosion Wine Co. from Napa took home five gold medals and a package design award for their exquisite jewel-like can designs.  The Uncommon sent four wines from England; all four won gold medals and the series won package design recognition for their charming illustrations.

According to competition founder Allan Green, it was notable that 30% of the entries were Rosé wines: “Rosé has become so popular in the last few years, and it lends itself to cans: people take Rosé along for a picnic or drink it sitting by the pool.”

The competition judges came from academia, marketing and the wine trade.  Professional judge Mark Bowery noted that he has, “been judging wine professionally for 36 years, but this was my first foray into the canned category. And I’ve got to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality, across the board. I was especially impressed by the varietal accuracy and deep satisfaction delivered in the Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc submissions.“

Handley Cellars’ winemaker Randy Schock said, “It was amazing to see the improvement in quality across the board compared to the first International Canned Wine Competition last year.  Not just with the products oriented to the pop “seltzer” market, which were fun and refreshing, but the wines that expressed traditional bottled varietal expressions exceeded my expectations.”

Because of the Covid 19 virus, the organizers of the competition scheduled the judging over three days, with three judges on each daily panel socially distanced in a large exhibition hall.  Judges had individual sets of glassware and bussed their own samples after each flight.

Plans are already in the works for the third annual International Canned Wine Competition, to be held in July 20-22, 2021. Competition director Allan Green promises it will be “aluminating!”

Complete results and photographs are available at www.cannedwinecompetition.com.     

More Fall Cocktails from DeLeón Tequila

by

Two Fall Cocktails:

ImageCollectionBg

Spiked Cranberry Brew

1.5oz DeLeon™ Platinum Tequila

6oz of Hot Cranberry Batch

Preparation Ritual: Build ingredients in glass mug.

Garnish: Thin Pear Slice dusted with Cinnamon

Glassware: Café Glass

 

Midnight Harvest

1.5oz DeLeon™ Reposado Tequila

.5oz Lemon Juice

.25oz Orange Juice

.5oz Honey Ginger Syrup

Preparation Ritual: Add all ingredients into a martini glass with ice. Shake. Strain into rocks glass.

Garnish: Ginger Candy

Glassware: Rocks

Eve Wine 101: Bar Supplies

by

Everyone that drinks spirits at home has some sort of home bar. Whether it’s an old fashioned wheeling cart or a locked cabinet in their kitchen, it’s a necessity. So the question is, what do you put in your home bar? I’ve covered some of my favorites below; maybe I can make some of these your new favorites as well:

Martini Shaker

Lots of cocktails, including an actual Martini, require a shaker to make. The motion causes the ice to melt a little and the ingredients to fully mix. Bartenders sometimes choose long bar spoons and mixing glasses to lessen the “bruising” of the spirit. It’s your personal choice which to use and when, in my opinion, but either or both are necessities for blending.

Shot glass

Photo from Cocktail Kingdom

Please don’t make the mistake of collecting them as you will never finish – you just need one! Either a jigger (with a different measurement on each end) or a shot glass will work when you need to measure out the proper number of ounces for your cocktail. The easiest for me is the metal shot glass used as a stopper on my martini shaker. Unless you are an experienced bartender and can gauge an ounce, you’ll need the proper device.

Bitters and Simple Syrup

I was intimidated about using bitters and syrup until two things happened: They were in many cocktails I wanted to try, and they were easily found in either my own grocery store or online via Cocktail Kingdom. I was amazed by the flavor such a small “dash” could make.

Ice Ball Maker or Large Trays

I covered the need for an Ice Ball Maker in this previous article: (http://evewine101.com/2015/02/20/wine-101-ice-ball-maker) and different types of large ice cube trays here: http://evewine101.com/2014/02/07/eve-discusses-rock. I use both, but it’s really just your own personal preference what to choose based on your own aesthetics, and how much you want your cocktail diluted.

Old Fashioned, High Ball, Nosing Glass and Martini Glasses

An Old Fashioned glass, aka a Low Ball or Rocks Glass, is best suited for cocktails that will be served on the rocks. The “nosing glass” is for sipping single malt scotch without ice, but maybe a splash of water. The Martini glass (or rounded “Coupe” glass) suits any spirit, clear to brown, that is served without ice.

Cocktail Recipe Book

I found an old Trader Vic’s Cocktail book at a sale, and I have the standard Bartender’s Guide. Get one, or be satisfied looking your drink recipes up online and bookmarking them for further use. You can certainly wing it and experiment, but unless you are planning a career in mixology, don’t waste your spirits by sending them down the drain.

Photo from Cocktail Kingdom

Photo from Cocktail Kingdom

Juicer

There is a HUGE difference using fresh juice in a craft cocktail over bottled juice. If you happen to have one already, use that. If not look at the heavy metal press juicers that are meant to squeeze (and filter out pulp and seeds) one half of a lemon or lime at a time. They are very quick and efficient.

Muddler

For fruit that can’t be juiced such as apples, raspberries and strawberries, as well as leaves, whole nutmeg, cloves or cinnamon sticks, you must muddle. I prefer a wooden muddle but there are metal spoons with muddlers affixed to them as well you can try.

It’s one more piece of equipment you can incorporate to make your cocktail with fresh ingredients stand out.

Rum Runners

I couldn’t help but mention these handy plastic pouches for the bar on-the-go:

http://www.rumrunnerflasks.com/flasks.aspx Pack them in your luggage when traveling on cruise ships if you like, filled with your favorite spirit, as that is their intention.

The Booze Staples List

Vodka (I’m on a Tito’s kick at the moment.)

Gin (Hendricks, found at the supermarket, is infused with juniper, cucumber and rose petals among other things.)

Bourbon (Buffalo Trace, again found at the supermarket)

Blended Scotch (Dewars, for cocktails not for sipping, in my opinion.)

Single Malt Scotch (Our every day choice is either Balvenie and Aberlour, not for cocktails.)

Rye (I personally like Templeton and you can purchase that at the supermarket.)

Aperol and Campari (Both have bitter orange flavors that lends to many cocktails including the Aperol Spritz and the Negroni, Campari is the stronger flavored of the two)

Lillet (An apéritif wine used instead of vermouth in a Martini. The “blanc” is slightly orange flavored while the “rouge” is a stronger flavor of both orange and berry.)

Vermouth (Get both sweet and dry, I’ve not a noticed a difference among brands.)

Check out www.CocktailKingdom.com for more ideas for your home bar. (Disclosure: I was not paid by, nor do I have any affiliation to, Cocktail Kingdom.)

Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years.  She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition.  You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com