Tag Archives: party ideas

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!
 

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

The Last Word – A Chartreuse Cocktail Recipe for Halloween

Last Word - Chartreuse Cocktail Drink Recipe

Want to try a classic Prohibition era cocktail? We recommend The Last Word, a gin and green Chartreuse drink that has recently experienced a renewal in popularity. Serve it at your Halloween party for a pleasingly complex and herbal libation that guests will remember and love.

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 oz Fresh Lime Juice

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

The Last Word Cocktail Recipe

Looking for these ingredients? Stop by our liquor store in Providence, RI to browse our selection of classic cocktail ingredients, glassware, and barware. www.bottlesfinewine.com

Try some other spooooky cocktails for Halloween:

Corpse Reviver #2

A medley of gin, citrus, Lillet, and an enticing aroma of absinthe. Fantastic to share for adult Halloween parties.

Blood and Sand

A devilish cocktail recipe for Halloween. One of the few cocktails that use scotch.

Halloween Cocktails? Try the Corpse Reviver #2

Halloween Cocktail Idea - Corpse Reviver #2

What goes great with an adult Halloween party? A fantastic cocktail. One of our favorites here at Bottles is the Corpse Reviver #2, a medley of gin, citrus, Lillet, and enticing aroma of absinthe. Though ‘corpse reviver’ drinks are originally intended as ‘hair of the dog’ cures, this gin-based cocktail is enjoyable for brunch or any fine evening. You’ll need equal parts gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, and lemon juice, and just a dash of absinthe for a wonderful flavor and aroma.

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.

Corpse Reviver 2 Cocktail Recipe

Looking for these ingredients? Stop by our liquor store in Providence, RI to browse our selection of classic cocktail ingredients, glassware, and barware. www.bottlesfinewine.com

The Last Word

A Chartreuse and gin concoction with Maraschino Liquer and fresh lime juice. A Prohibition era classic.

Blood and Sand

A devilish cocktail recipe for Halloween. One of the few cocktails that use scotch.

Easter Wine Video

Spring is coming, which also means Easter is on its way! While kids enjoy Easter candies and dyed eggs, adults get ready for Easter dinner and brunch with family and friends. What wines match best with what’s on the table? Here at Bottles, we’ve made pairing wine with ham, lamb, and other foods easy with an Easter wine recommendations video, and signs throughout our Providence wine store.

Watch this video to see what Eric’s favorite picks are!
 

If you are in the Providence, Rhode Island area, pay us a visit! We’ve placed these fun springtime flowers on wines around the store, to help you find affordable but quality wines that are great for Easter. Pair them with appetizers, lamb, ham, and desserts, or bring them as a hostess gift!

In a hurry? Look for the wine case stacks near the front of the store for grab-‘n-go Easter wines.

And as always, we’re here to help. We love talking about food and wine pairings, so swing by, call us, or email us for expert advice.

141 Pitman St., Providence, RI
(401) 372-2030
info@blog.bottlesfinewine.com

Entertaining Advice & Party Tips for Wine, Beer, Spirits & Cocktails

Planning a party and need help and advice with drinks? Eric from Bottles in Providence has his tips and recommendations for wine, beer, liquor, and cocktails to make entertaining this holiday season easier & stress free.

First, get wine that you enjoy. If there is any leftover, you are going to have it for the next days or weeks ahead, so make sure you like it!

holiday wines party advice recommendations red white choosing

Keeping it simple works! Choose one white and one red, or if you want two whites and two reds, make sure you choose contrasting styles. For example, pick a light, crisp wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, and a heavier wine like Chardonnay. For red wines, pick a lighter wine like Pinot Noir, and then to contrast, a Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec.

boxed wine bag budget parties

Boxed wine, or Bag-in-a-Box, are great for parties! The quality of these boxed wines has greatly increased in recent years. Bota Box or The Big Green Box by Pepperwood Grove are both great choices. Don’t want to serve guests wine out of a box? Simply decant the wine, or pour it into pitchers and place on your table, serving counter, or bar. With each box holding the equivalent of several bottles of wine, this is a great solution to stretch your holiday dollars.

wine guide holiday party planning advice tips

Need an idea of how many bottles of wine to get? Use this easy guide: 1 bottle of wine usually holds 4 good glasses of wine, and each person at a party drinks about 2 glasses. For example, if your party has 30 people, you’ll need about a case of wine.

beer amounts party holidays

Expecting beer drinkers? Again, keep it simple and get something light (like a Pilsner or Lager), and then something dark (such as a Porter or Stout). Have no idea what style of beer to get? Many breweries carry variety 12 packs, so that each of your guests can find something that they will enjoy. Also, look for special winter or Christmas beers. Most craft breweries make a special brew just for the holidays; these are usually dark, higher alcohol beers.

Finally, big bottles of vodka and bourbon are both great choices. They are versatile, and guests can have anything from Martinis to Eggnog, or simply on the rocks.

Thanksgiving Wine & Drink Pairing Guide

Thanksgiving pairing recommendations from the experts at Bottles are here!! From craft beer, to specialty cocktails, and to finding just the right wine for each occasion, we’ve got you covered! Watch these 4 videos: Pre-Dinner Drinks, Appetizer Pairings, Dinner Pairings and Dessert Pairings, and then scroll down for a list of the best Thanksgiving pairings and different kinds of red and white wines that work with Thanksgiving dinner.  Bottles is a wine store located in Providence, Rhode Island, so if you’re in the area, visit us!

Click below to watch all 4 videos

Pre-Dinner Drinks

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we’ve come up with suggestions for pre-dinner, football game time drinks and cocktails to have on hand.
Full Sail’s Sessions Lagers
Only $14.99 for a 12-pack, these are low in alcohol and high in flavor
Mayflower Brewing’s Thanksgiving Ale
Perfect for the craft beer enthusiast in your family, nothing else says Thanksgiving like this beer
Charles de Fere Blanc de Blancs
Looking for something bubbly? This sparkling wine is a great pre-dinner drink that everyone will love.
Boulevardier Cocktail
Similar to a Negroni, this easy & classic cocktail has Bourbon, Campari, and Sweet Vermouth


Appetizer Pairings

What wine do you serve with appetizers? Find out what Joanna’s picks are.
Beaujolais Rosé
A great wine for pairing with fruit plates
Picquepoul
A nice French white wine that is crisp and delicate, pairing perfectly with cheese platters and savory vegetable dishes
Cranberry Cobbler Punch
An easy punch you can me before-hand; combine Gin, cranberry juice, Rose’s Lime Juice and Cranberry Bitters



Thanksgiving Dinner Pairings

When Thanksgiving dinner is ready, you’ll want wines that go well with everything on the table.
Pinot Blanc
A white wine that lends itself wonderfully with turkey, yams and herb stuffing; round and rich, Chardonnay fans will love it!
Anton Bauer Pinot Noir
People always reach for the Pinot Noir; Try this elegant Pinot Noir that is rich & velvety, but not too heavy.
Secateurs Cotes du Rhone
A red blend that is incredibly versatile when it comes to food pairing; it will show off everything on your Thanksgiving table!


Dessert Pairings

Eric talks about what to drink after dinner, as you are relaxing with friends and family, and enjoying Thanksgiving dessert.
Tawny Port
Perfect with traditional Thanksgiving desserts like pecan pie, this port is medium-dry and on the lighter side.
White Dessert Wine
Just a little bit sweet with honey and fruit flavors; serve cold or room temperature with fruit and cheese.
Bailey’s
Serve it with coffee!
Amaro Montenegro
A digestif from Italy, herbascious & slightly sweet, serve this with a lemon twist to settle those stomachs!
Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or
Scotch aged in Sauternes casks that gives it a honey, slightly fruity flavor that is wonderful with desserts