Category Archives: Cocktails

8 Spring Cocktail Ideas

Spring Cocktail Recipe Ideas

Happy springtime! The cocktail experts at Bottles have concocted an enticing group of fresh, bright drinks to celebrate the arrival of spring. Find these ingredients featured in-store on our spirits display, which includes Campari, Lillet, Pimm’s, Fernet Branca, and more interesting, flavorful liqueurs. With only 2 to 3 ingredients each, these recipes are ridiculously quick to mix up for enjoying on your patio, or to share at your next party. Cheers!

Swing by the store for free recipe cards!

Find more cocktail recipes here >

Rumpus Cocktail - White Rum, Aperol, lime juice

Rumpus

Ingredients
1.5 oz White Rum
½ oz Aperol
Juice of ½ of a lime

Directions
Stir all ingredients over ice, garnish with lime.

One bottle of rum can make 15 Rumpus, and a bottle of Aperol can make 30! Aperol is a bright orange aperitif with a unique sweet-bitter taste, and an alcohol content of only 11 percent. Its fresh and versatile taste makes it perfect for mixing.

Hanky Panky Cocktail Recipe

Hanky Panky

Ingredients
2 oz Gin (St. George Dry Rye Gin)
2 oz Lillet Rouge
1 oz Fernet Branca
Orange

Directions
Shake all ingredients over ice, strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with Orange twist. A bottle of Gin can make 13 Hanky Pankies!

A combination of Lillet Rouge, craft gin, and a splash of bitter, herbal Fernet Branca, the Hanky Panky is fresh variation on the classic Negroni cocktail.

The Perfect Guest Cocktail - Lillet, Vodka, St. Germain

The Perfect Guest

Ingredients
1 ½ oz Vodka (Purus Vodka)
2/3 oz Lillet Blanc
½ oz St. Germain
Optional: dash of celery bitters

Directions
Fill shaker half way with ice, pour ingredients in and stir. Strain and serve straight up in a martini glass. A bottle of Vodka, Lillet, & small bottle of St. Germain can make 15 Perfect Guests! (with extra Lillet left over). Source

Fernet and Coke cocktail recipe

Fernando (Fernet & Coke)

Directions
Mix Coca-Cola & Fernet Branca to taste in a glass with ice. Drink it!

This is the national drink of Argentina, called the “Fernando”. Fernet is a type of amaro, an Italian digestif, and is made from a combination of different herbs and spices for a licorice-type flavor. To make the Fernando, try to use sugar based Coca-Cola instead of corn syrup based Coca-Cola.

Aperol Spritz with Prosecco

Aperol Spritz

Ingredients
Aperol
Prosecco
Perfect Cube Trays
*One bottle of Aperol and one bottle of Prosecco will make 16 Aperol Spritz.

Directions
1. Take your Perfect Cube trays. Fill your tray with Aperol, straight from the bottle! Place in your freezer for a minimum of 18 hours. Add a tiny bit of water if you need the cubes to freeze quicker.
2. Pour your guests a flute of Prosecco. Leave a little room at the top.
3. Drop an Aperol ice cube in the spritz. Enjoy! 

Lillet Blanc and Rosé cocktail recipe

Lillet & Orange (or Lemon!)

Directions
Garnish well-chilled Lillet with strip or 2 of lemon or orange zest. Yep, it’s that simple! The perfect springtime refreshment.

Grumpy Cup recipe with Pimms and Crabbie's Ginger Beer

Grumpy Cup (Our own recipe!)

Ingredients
1.5 oz. Pimm’s
½ Btl of Crabbie’s Ginger Beer
Wedge of lemon

Directions
Fill a glass with ice, pour over 2 oz. Pimms, fill with Crabbies. Stir. Squeeze a lemon wedge over the top & enjoy. A bottle of Pimm’s can make 15 Grumpy Cups.

It’s just like a classic Pimm’s Cup, but with Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer! You’ll love it.

Campari and Club Soda Cocktail Recipe

Campari & Soda

An essential Campari cocktail! Load a glass with ice, and add Campari and soda. If you’ve never had Campari, it’s a bitter-sweet liqueur that’s super refreshing with soda water.

The Easiest Oscar Punch Recipe

Oscar Champagne Punch Recipe

Having an Oscars party? Take it up a notch with a champagne punch! There are many variations on the champagne cocktail; think of this recipe as a wild departure from a mimosa. We’ve combined Framboise Lambic, sparkling wine, and a splash of orange juice to create a brilliant, delicious punch that will take only five minutes to make.

Champagne Punch Idea

Refreshing and fizzy, this Oscar punch gets its tart-fruit flavor and lovely red-pink color from Framboise Lambic, an ale which is flavored with raspberries instead of hops. Grandial Brut is one of our new favorite sparkling wines. A tremendous value at $9.99, this dry style Brut loves to party! Swing by Bottles for the ingredients you need!

Framboise Lambic and Sparkling Wine Cocktail

 

The Easiest Oscar Punch Recipe

Ingredients
1 small bottle Framboise Lambic (355mL small bottle)
1 bottle Grandial Brut sparkling wine
Splash of orange juice
Ice
Orange slices and wedges for a garnish

Directions
Combine Framboise Lambic, Grandial, and a splash of orange juice in a punch bowl or pitcher with plenty of ice. Garnish with orange slices. Serve with plenty of ice and an orange wedge. Makes about 6-8 champagne flute sized servings.

Sparkling WIne Punch Recipe
Cheers!
 

Oaxaca Tequila Hot Chocolate & Bourbon Latte!

It’s cold outside today so we took a trip (do we really need an excuse?) to New Harvest Coffee & Spirits located in the newly restored Arcade in downtown Providence, RI. We met with Assistant Manager, Erick Ambrust who mixed up a couple of delicious hot cocktails to warm us up; Bourbon Latte and Oaxaca Tequila Hot Chocolate. (Pronunciation video here>)If you’re ever wandering around DownCity in the cold then definitely drop in and give these a try!Check out their recipes below and stop by our store to grab all the ingredients you need when those single-digit temperatures get truly terrifying…

new harvest coffee, bottles fine wine, winter cocktails, bourbon latte, tequila hot chocolate, bourbon, tequila, oaxaca
new harvest coffee, bottles fine wine, winter cocktails, bourbon latte, tequila hot chocolate, bourbon, tequila, oaxaca
Oaxaca Tequila Hot Chocolate 
 
8 oz Steamed milk
1.5 oz Dark chocolate syrup
1.5 oz Casamigas Blanco Tequila
Top with whipped cream (homemade & delicious at New Harvest!)
Garnish with chili powder and dark chocolate shavings
new harvest coffee, bottles fine wine, winter cocktails, bourbon latte, tequila hot chocolate, bourbon, tequila, oaxaca
new harvest coffee, bottles fine wine, winter cocktails, bourbon latte, tequila hot chocolate, bourbon, tequila, oaxaca
Bourbon Latte
8 oz Steamed Milk
2 oz Espresso
.5 oz Cinnamon simple syrup
1.5 oz Your Favorite Bourbon
*We used Evan Williams Single Barrel, but also recommend Redemption High Rye!

new harvest coffee, bottles fine wine, winter cocktails, bourbon latte, tequila hot chocolate, bourbon, tequila, oaxaca
Their artisanal coffee beans are harvested, milled, roasted and brewed sustainably.
new harvest coffee, bottles fine wine, winter cocktails, bourbon latte, tequila hot chocolate, bourbon, tequila, oaxaca

Mixing up their homemade whipped cream!

new harvest coffee, bottles fine wine, winter cocktails, bourbon latte, tequila hot chocolate, bourbon, tequila, oaxaca
new harvest coffee, bottles fine wine, winter cocktails, bourbon latte, tequila hot chocolate, bourbon, tequila, oaxaca
Stay warm, folks!
Bottles Fine Wine – 141 Pitman Street, Providence, RI
www.bottlesfinewine.com

New Harvest Coffee & Spirits – The Arcade Providence 130 Westminster Street, Providence, RI
www.newharvestcoffee.com

 

Holiday Party Idea: Self-Serve Bubbly Bar! Free Printable Sign!

When we think of New Year’s, we think of bubbly! A festive way to ring in the New Year with family and friends is to set up a self-serve sparkling wine bar at home. Let your guests have fun creating their own sparkling cocktails! Your guests can choose a simple Kir Royale, or play mixologist as they combine flavors to create a multi-layered concoction. We’ve even made a free printable sign for you to download and place at the bar for the party!

FREE PRINTABLE BUBBY BAR SIGN >

Click the link above to download and print this Bubbly Bar sign!
After you’ve printed it, simple cut out the sign, fold in half, and place at the bar.

THE BUBBLY BAR SHOPPING LIST >

Click the link above to download and print the list of everything you’ll need. Stop by Bottles for all of these ingredients!

 

What You’ll Need for a Bubbly Bar
  • Ice Bucket
  • Jar of spoons (Pouring the mixers straight into your glass will cause the mixer and sparkling wine to combine too quickly. The best way to create a sparkling cocktail is to turn a spoon upside down and let the liquid slowly run over the spoon into your glass. SCIENCE!)
  • Champagne Flutes (check to make sure you have enough for all your guests!)
 
Our Favorite Sparkling Wines
We’ve drawn up a list of our favorite sparkling wines, Cavas, and Champagnes for you to choose from. Chill them beforehand, and place them at a the Bubbly Bar table.

 

  • Grandial – Light and bright, this Blanc de Blancs Brut is made from 100% Chardonnay that gives this sparkling treat a lovely note of green apple on the finish. $9.99
  • Mercat Cava – Wonderfully balanced and complex Cava from Catalonia, Spain.  Notes of lemon and peach meet with an undertone of minerals to create a spectacularly dry sparkling. $16.99
  • Gruet Brut – Sparkling wine from New Mexico? No way! Thank goodness French winemaker, Gilbert Gruet, travelled through New Mexico in the 1980’s and found European winemakers planting grapes in this inexpensive location. He promptly moved his sparkling wine operation from Bethon, France to Albuquerque, New Mexico! $19.99
  • Meinklang Rosé Frizzante – Bio-dynamic, organic and absolutely fun, this Pinot Noir sparkling style has less effervesce than others on this list but makes up for it in the most splendid strawberry notes. $21.99 
  • Mumm Napa – French Champagne house G.H. Mumm found a new home in Napa Valley in the early 1980’s. Notes of melon and vanilla are abundant in this rich and balanced California sparkling. Classic Californian sparkling, bright. $29.99 
  • Charles Heidsick Brut Reserve – From the house nicknamed ‘Baby Krug’ comes the most spectacular champagne I have had in recent memory. Delicate hints of nectarine and peach first come into play followed by a creamy, honeyed finish. Complex and rich, this is a non-vintage champagne that drinks like a vintage bottle twice the price. A fantastic way to ring in the New Year! $69.99
 
Not sure how many bottles of sparkling wine to get for your party?
 
Meinklang Rosé Frizzante
An Assortment of Mixers
Here’s our hand-picked selection of syrups and liqueurs for guests to mix with bubbly.
 
Giffard Crème de Cassis Noir de Bourgogne – $34.99
A dash of Cassis over a glass of champagne = a classic Kir Royale! While a Kir cocktail is a French cocktail with white wine and blackcurrant liqueur, a Kir Royal is a variation that uses bubbly instead.
Pama Pomegranate Liqueur – $14.99
Add a rosy glow to your glass of sparkling wine! Pama has the complex, sweet, yet tart taste of pomegranates.
Giffard Pamplemousse (Grapefruit) – $24.99

 

100% natural fruit crème that makes a great aperitif cocktail when mixed with bubbly.

Quince & Apple Rhubarb Hops Syrup – $11.99

Quince & Apple Tart Cherry Grenadine – $11.99

Quince & Apple syrups are all natural, hand crafted syrups from Madison, Wisconsin. Quince & Apple syrups rely on the best local produce to create a smooth, not too sugary syrup that can be combined with sparkling wine, liquor or club soda to provide a refreshing, non-alcoholic drink.

Let’s talk Champagne!

Champagne is a region in France, home to some of the best Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes in the world that create delicate, complex and heart stopping wines. Buying Champagne to stock a bubbly bar can get pricey fairly quickly, but there are plenty of other sparkling wines made outside of Champagne that will impress your guests with their grace and balance. Featuring sparkling wines made from different countries and different regions is a great way to have an educational moment in the midst of good, old-fashioned bacchanal.

However, as the clock is about to reach midnight, I pull a few bottles of Champagne from the back of the vegetable crisper, underneath the Swiss Chard and grapes (don’t tell my friends about my hiding spot) and pop the piece de resistance as the clock strikes midnight!

Happy New Year!
– Joanna
Bottles Fine Wine

Your Heirloom Eggnog Recipe

Christmas parties call for one classic drink: Eggnog. There are plenty of good pre-mixed eggnog options, but don’t you think there’s something special about food and drinks lovingly made from scratch? Edible Rhody Magazine has provided us with an easy but delicious homemade Eggnog recipe that will please all you guests. You’ll just need a few basic ingredients, brandy, rum, and a blender.

We recommend that you adjust this basic recipe to your taste buds. Don’t like nutmeg? Try using cinnamon, clove, allspice, or a combination of these spices. Need variety in your life, and want to explore other liquors other than brandy or dark rum? Applejack, bourbon, or madeira are interesting flavor twists. Experiment, enjoy, and create a tradition!

Your Heirloom Eggnog

by Chris Amirault, Cook & Brown Public House

INGREDIENTS
2 large, fresh farm eggs
3 ounces (by volume) white sugar
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3 ounces brandy
3 ounces dark rum
6 ounces whole Rhody Fresh milk
4 ounces heavy cream

DIRECTIONS
Beat eggs in blender for 1 full minute on medium. Sprinkle in sugar while blending for another minute, then add remaining ingredients while blending thoroughly. Chill completely in the refrigerator and serve with additional nutmeg grated on top. Serves 2 generously, or 4 in moderation.

VISIT

Cheers! Swing by Bottles for all your cocktail ingredients! www.bottlesfinewine.com

3 Delicious Amari for Thanksgiving

 

Since Thanksgiving is a day that our stomachs get a full workout, I wanted to share some of my favorite Amari from our selection here at Bottles. Amaro is a digestif; an herbal liqueur invented by doctors, chemists, pharmacists, laymen hundreds of years ago to serve one purpose – settle the stomach.

These pragmatic folks chose to preserve medicinal herbs in a tincture of alcohol because, after all, a spoon full of sugar does help the medicine go down. And since a bit of sugar is usually added to balanced the bitter herb flavors, Amari can be enjoyed on the rocks after a meal, or used in place of sweet vermouth in Manhattans. Here are a few of my favorite Amari to sample after a feast: Amaro Montenegro, Cardamaro, and Bigallet China-China.

You may notice that I left Fernet Branca, a popular amaro off this list. Fernet is a wonderfully bitter and bracing amari but after all that pumpkin pie, I prefer a more mellow spirit to enjoy next to the fire before I fall into a glorious food coma nap.

Amaro Montenegro 

Oranges and coriander meld together in a wonderfully warm way that intersects perfectly with a bitter, vegetal undertone. Rosewater and cherry are also present in this delightfully smooth and complex Amari.

Cardamaro 

Cardamaro is an Amari that is breaking all the rules. Instead of a spirit base, winemaker Gionvanni Bosca infuses Moscato wine with blessed thistle and ages the wine in oak for six months. This Amari is a great introduction because it has more of a sweet note rather than a bitter, herbal tone. Don’t be mislead, though, this is not a super sweet spirit. Ginger and artichoke are kicking around in this bottle to help right your senses.

Bigallet China-China 

What can I say? A perfect balance of sweet and sour, this Amari uses both sweet and bitter orange peels to form a holy union of citrus in your glass. Dark and rich with the addition of caramel, the warmth radiating from this Amari is life changing. My new favorite winter accessory! Move over electric blanket, you’ve been replaced.

Cheers & Happy Thanksgiving!

– Joanna
Bottles Fine Wine
www.bottlesfinewine.com

Introducing St. George Spirits

For over three decades, St. George Spirits in Alameda, CA has been distilling extraordinary artisanal spirits, from botanical gins to single malt whiskey. These spirits are wonderful all year round, but make for special gifts and housewarming presents during the holidays. Their character and quality are excellent for sipping as well as mixing unique cocktails. Cheers!

St. George produces three different gins, Terroir (shown above), Botanivore and Dry Rye. The Terroir Gin is earthy with notes of pine and chaparral while the Botanivore uses a fresh blend of herbs and flora. One of our favorites is the Dry Rye Gin which is distilled with a 100% rye base, making it the perfect gin for whiskey lovers!

St. George has been distilling (but not selling) their Absinthe Verte since way before 2007, when the ban was lifted in the US. Now, we’re finally able to taste the infused brandy, wormwood, fennel and loud botanicals that make up this delicious concoction.

Rum isn’t just for summer any more! The intensely grassy and earthy St. George Agricole Rum has a strong kick, perfect for sipping through the winter.

Breaking & Entering Bourbon Whiskey is straight up stolen from Kentucky! The St. George crew went down South to grab a couple hundred used barrels from bourbon distilleries. And then created a blend that is uniquely their own with notes of warm maple, eucalyptus, cloves, and cinnamon.

Self-Serve Cocktail Bar for Thanksgiving, Free Printable Signs Included!

self serve cocktail Thanksgiving bar bourbon free printable recipe signs

If you’re hosting a Thanksgiving party, it can be a challenge to balance cooking times, the arrival of guests, and drinks. That’s why we love the idea of offering a self-serve cocktail bar, complete with a few easy cocktail recipe signs, ice, and liquors so your guests can have fun playing bartender. (Check out the self-serve bar & printable cocktail signs we made for Superbowl). This particular bar set-up idea includes bourbon whiskey and Laird’s Applejack as the base spirits, and a few classic fall flavors.

Fall is full of so many wonderful flavors – apple, maple, pumpkin – our taste buds appreciate a sensory overload of sweetness to measure oneself against the brisk winds. As the temperature drops, gin gets places towards the back of the liquor cabinet and bourbon comes to the front of the lineup.

FREE PRINTABLE SHOPPING LIST >

Everything you need to pull together this self-serve bar. Ingredients & supplies available at Bottles.

how to self serve cocktail bar for Thanksgiving idea
 
 

FREE PRINTABLE COCKTAIL SIGNS>
Download, print, and cut out each of these signs, and place them around the cocktail bar.

 
free printable cocktail recipe signs
 
free printable cocktail signs for a self serve bar

Jack Rose

Ingredients
1 ½ oz Laird’s Applejack
3/4 oz simple syrup
3/4 oz lemon juice
1/4 oz grenadine
apple slice garnish 

Directions
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a martini glass.

 
jack rose cocktail recipe
bourbon cocktail | Maple Leaf drink recipe sign

Maple Leaf

Ingredients
2 oz Breaking & Entering Bourbon Whiskey
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/4 oz maple syrup

Directions
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain, into a rocks glass with ice.

whiskey daisy cocktail recipe

Whiskey Daisy

Ingredients
1 ¼ oz Breaking & Entering Bourbon Whiskey
3/4 oz lemon juice
1/2 triple sec
1/4 oz grenadine 

Directions
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain.

Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving from Bottles!
www.bottlesfinewine.com

 

How to Make Mulled Wine in a Crockpot

how to make mulled wine directions

The holidays are upon us, and sometimes it gets tricky deciding what wines or libations to serve at your holiday party. These cold, brisk nights are perfect for warm & cozy drinks. You’ll love our easy crock-pot recipe for mulled wine. Just make a large batch, adjust the spices to taste, and serve with a fresh slice of orange to impress your guests. Watch the video below and learn how to make mulled wine at home this winter season.

There are different variations from country to country but it is generally a heated spiced wine. With no exact recipe for mulled wine, it is all based upon one’s taste and preference. However, the basics are:

What You Need:
A crockpot
Dry red wine or White wine – not too minerally or tannic
Cinnamon sticks
Cardamom
Cloves
Star Anise
Sugar/Simple Syrup (1/2 cup to 2 cups)
Lemon peel
Oranges

Directions:
Make sure the crock pot is large enough to hold a bottle of wine and pour it in. Turn it on low and add the desired amount of spices. Be careful with the Star Anise because it is very powerful. Add about ½ a cup of sugar to start with and as the wine mulls, taste it along the way & add more if needed. Last but not least add the slices of oranges & lemon peels for that last little kick of zest.

Heat it till warmed & the wine has taken on the desired amount of flavors from the spice. Serve in ceramic or glass mugs for a true European experience.

red and white wine mulled wine ingredients
Look at those burlap satchels full of mulled wine spices! Ready to go!

In the Rhode Island area? Stop by our wine store at 141 Pitman Street, Providence, RI and pick up our pre-made mulled wine satchels to make your own batch of mulled wine.

Cheers & Happy Holidays!
Bottles Fine Wine
Subscribe to our Youtube channel for more easy cocktail ideas!
 
 

Happy Halloween! Try Our Spoooky Cocktails!

This Halloween we’re showcasing our most chilling concoctions with free downloadable printables–perfect for your next self-serve bar! Feeling a little Lovecraft-inspired? Try The Lurking Fear. Taking a nice walk through walls? Phantasma may be more your speed. Completely brain drained? Mix up the Re-Animator. All with just 3 ingredients in each!

printables, lurking fear, phantasma, re animator, cocktails, halloween, free

Download Cocktail Signs PDF here!

SELF SERVE BAR SET-UP
– Have an ice bucket with tongs, a cocktail shaker, bottle opener, bar spoon, and rocks glasses.
– For mixers, have Angostura bitters, simple syrup, ginger ale, club soda, tonic water, and ginger beer.
– Include handles of a few staple liquors like Bourbon, Vodka, and Rum.
– Pre-slice a bowl of garnishes (oranges, lemons, limes)

Let your guests play bartender! Everyone has variations on how they like their drink mixed. A self serve bar with helpful cocktail recipe signs lets them make the perfect drink to their own taste.

Ready for something with more than 3 ingredients? Check out this month’s Halloween cocktails below!

The Last Word

Ingredients
3/4 oz gin – Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin
3/4 oz green Chartreuse
3/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur – Luxardo
3/4 Fresh Lime Juice

Directions
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Pour ingredients over ice. Shake and strain, serve on the rocks.

Corpse Reviver #2

Ingredients
1 oz gin – Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin
1 oz Cointreau
1 oz Lillet Blanc
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1-3 drops absinthe – Mata Hari

Directions
First, “rinse” your glass with a few drops of absinthe by swirling and coating the inside of the glass, discarding the extra. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Pour the rest of the ingredients over ice. Shake and strain, serve on the rocks. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Blood & Sand

Ingredients
1 oz blended scotch
1 oz blood orange juice or Stirring’s Blood Orange Martini
3/4 oz sweet vermouth
3/4 oz Cherry Heering brandy

Directions
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Pour ingredients over ice. Shake and strain, serve on the rocks. Garnish with an orange peel.

Find more videos and cocktail ideas on our YouTube channel and our Cocktail Recipe Page.