S.W. and Rich Hermansen
Guest Writers
wine@lbknews.com
Many households keep a bottle or box of white or Rosé wine in the fridge during summer months. Unlike red wines, the whites and Rosé stay fresh for a week or more. A light wine helps set the tone for a holiday afternoon or anytime evening outside on a porch or gazebo.
With summer wines close at hand, a creative home bartender will find it easy to follow an old tradition and give a lighter touch to drinks containing neutral spirits such as vodka, gin, white rum, cognac, or Brazilian white Cachaça brandy. The circa 1915 French 75 drink created by bartender Harry MacElhone at the New York Bar in Paris comes to mind:. It takes its name from the French 75mm field artillery gun used in World War I. A classic recipe has gin, lemon juice, simple syrup sweetener, and French Champagne. A strong version has the kick of its namesake.
The Wine Spritzer dates back to the 19th Century in Veneto, Italy. The current version adds a spritz (splash) of sparkling water to a Pinot Grigio or similar white wine and a bitter liqueur such as Aperol. This refreshing apéritif usually holds the dosage of alcohol to a minimum.
The exact measures of ingredients added to a wine in spirits seems more a