May 2022

May 25th is National Wine Day!

What better way to celebrate the day than by uncorking with Tahiirah Habibi, sommelier and founder of The Hue Society. We asked Tahiirah about all things wine, especially how bartenders can suggest and serve wine making the day a special one for their wine-loving guests.

How will you celebrate National Wine Day?

I’ve always celebrated National Wine Day! I either do one of two things—open a bottle of wine that has been sitting in my house from my collection (typically it’s been sitting for a while) and I’ve been waiting to try it or I will venture out and discover a new wine that I have never tried!

I usually just go with the flow and the energy of how I’m feeling!

What would you say you enjoy most about wine?

I love wine because it’s a living thing. It can take you places, right? It can almost transport you to a place and a time. There are so many historical references to wines that were even made just five years ago. Once those wines are gone, they’re gone. Wines can often help you relive what the climate was five years ago, what the world was five years ago.

I always say wine is about memories. The memories that you’re creating with a person is more important than it is about the wine.

Wine is an agricultural product, but it can create so many different relationships with people and it’s an equalizer. I love that wine helps people connect. And that’s one of my favorite things about wine!

What is your favorite wine / wine pairing?

My favorite wine is bubbles, for sure! Everybody who knows me knows that I also love Pinot Noir, but bubbles are a close second. If I can’t get my hands on bubbles, then yes, I’m gonna go for red [and] it’s going be a Pinot Noir.

My favorite wine pairing is bubbles and French fries. So, I love eating them together.

Tell us the most important things bartenders should know about serving wine.

The most important thing that bartenders should know about serving wine is serving the wine at the right temperature. If you don’t serve a wine at the correct temperature, it doesn’t present well. Even great wines that are served at the wrong temperature, won’t taste their best. A lot of times people think that just because it’s a red wine, you can leave it out and drink it any temperature, but red wines do well with a little chill. Room temperature is not the same in 2022 and hasn’t been for a while because of climate change. Red wine should be served at 65 degrees.

Also, sometimes white wines are way too cold—muting the wine. So having the temperature correct brings out the flavors and the nuances of the wine, which is super important!

What about selling and suggesting wine. What is important for bartenders to know?

I was a bartender for a while and one thing that I learned is some wine can be intimidating for even the most experienced professional, especially when the list is long, or there are wines on the list that they haven’t had before. I think just asking simple questions to get to know your guests will help. First it will help disarm them, and second it helps you to do your job better because now you can say, ‘What wine do you normally drink?’ And if they begin to drink, you ask them what their favorite drinks are.

As a bartender, you should be able to associate those flavors with a wine that you have and knowing your wine list goes hand and hand with this. Having a couple go-to’s, for every kind of palate [is important]. Obviously, you can’t cover every palate, but if someone’s saying they love Chardonnay and you don’t have that Chardonnay, well, what is comparable?

A lot of people like Oatley Chardonnay, ‘What on your list is really good?’ Oatley Chardonnay. You could suggest off the top of your head. But I don’t think selling a guest is the right route. I think that getting to know your guest is always a better route. It it’s more genuine.

Give bartenders some wine glass etiquette they should know.  

Glasses are super important. An experienced wine drinker is going to look at the glass that a bartender is pouring their wine in to. Glasses are important because specific glasses bring out different flavor profiles. There’s a reason why white wine glasses have a smaller bowl and red wine glasses have different bowls than Pinot Noir glasses. Burgundy glasses also have different bowls because wine has different characteristics than the size of the glasses and the opening of the glass.

All these factors matter because these aspects contribute to the experience/flavors and what you’re going to get out of the wine. You never want to serve wine really thick or plastic in glasses. It distorts the flavors.

Want to celebrate National Wine Day with cocktails? Here’s one that Tahiirah whipped up:

Lemongrass

Ingredients:

• 3 oz Sauvignon Blanc
• 1 oz Tequila
• 1 oz Lime Juice
• 1/2 oz Cointreau
• 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
• 1/4 oz Grapefruit juice
• 1 lemongrass sprig

Preparation: In shaker- muddle lemongrass. Mix all ingredients and shake vigorously. Strain into tall glass over ice. Garnish with a beautiful mix of rosemary, mint, and green flowers

About Tahiirah Habibi

Tahiirah Habibi is a Sommelier and Founder of The Hue Society. In 2017, Tahiirah launched Hue Society as a safe space for the community to learn, commune and find resources in one place. Tahiirah is the first Black woman to grace the cover of Wine Enthusiasts Magazine as well as being named on the prestigious 40 under 40 list. Tahiirah is also the founder and creator of the Wine + Cultural Festival which is dedicated to consumer education, brand awareness, industry advancement, and cultural experiences through the black lens.

The post How Tahiirah Habibi, Creator of Wine + Culture Festival Celebrates National Wine Day appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

We’re celebrating National Wine Day with Nicolas Seillan, seventh generation vigneron and winemaker for Château Lassègue.

Join us in raising our glasses today in honor of National Wine Day and with congratulations to Seillan and his winemaking team at Château Lassègue, for earning Level 3 High Environmental Value (HVE) certification.

“We decided to apply for the certification as it is an important recognition of the sustainability protocols that have been in practice at the estate for years,” comments Seillan. “Farming in a sustainable manner protects our old vines, the community that surrounds Château Lassègue, and the land for future generations.”

Château Lassègue, the historic 36-hectare Grand Cru estate located in Saint-Émilion, has been granted Level 3 High Environmental Value certification. Level 3 is the most stringent tier of the voluntary certification process. The “High Environmental Value” level is based on performance indicators that are verified by an external auditing process across four key areas: increasing biodiversity, decreasing the negative impact of their plant protection strategy (measures to control diseases by reducing the use of pesticides and fungicides), managing fertilizer inputs, and improving water management.

The French Ministry of Agriculture and Food awards the prestigious certification to agricultural properties that promote and guarantee these environmentally friendly farming practices.

Developed in 2001, the three-tiered system encourages farms and vineyards to focus on the four key areas. At Château Lassègue the subjects are addressed through several different protocols:

Biodiversity Conservation

• Hedge plantings alongside a stream that runs through the property to protect against erosion and contamination; Château Lassègue is part of a local effort to improve the creek ecosystem
• Reintroduction native species of trees and bushes with the intent to maintain and improve the native ecosystem of the area
• Overall tree maintenance

Plant Protection Strategy

• Minimize vine treatments; early on Chateau Lassègue chose very light products and was able to create a very efficient program of treatments to do the minimum throughout the growing cycle while also avoiding compacting the soil
• No herbicides

Managed Fertilizer Use

• Chateau Lassègue includes a program of natural fertilizer from soil cultivation such as plowing under the rows to return natural nitrogen to the soil from the grasses
• Cover crops are maintained between the rows

Water Resource Management

• The estate employs a water treatment program of wastewater from cellar cleaning.

The estate’s commitment to environmentally friendly farming practices meets Level 3 criteria, the most stringent tier of the certification.

Beginning with Château Lassègue’s 2020 vintage, both of their wines (Lassègue and the estate’s second label, Les Cadrans de Lassègue) will carry the HVE seal on every bottle.

The post Chateau Lassègue Earns High Environmental Value Certification (HVE) appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Zamora Company USA adds Mezcal San Cosme, the first agave-based spirit to join the company’s fast-growing wine and spirits portfolio.

Alongside iconic brands like Licor 43, Yellow Rose Whiskey, and Villa Massa Limoncello, Amaretto and Vermouth, Zamora Company adds award-winning San Cosme Mezcal to its portfolio.

Founded in 2010, San Cosme Mezcal is the product of three childhood friends who set out to create a handcrafted young mezcal that combines tradition and artisanal craftsmanship, while also showcasing modern Mexico. The name was derived from the mysticism of Saint Cosmas, the patron saint of doctors, who performed miracles curing all who sought his aid.

San Cosme Mezcal is produced in Oaxaca, Mexico made from 100% espadin agave that is cooked for three days with mesquite wood in conical earthen pit oven before being shredded with a traditional tahona stone wheel. It is then fermented in oak tanks, double distilled in copper pot stills, and bottled in eye-catching packaging with a chic black and white label.

“We have been searching for some time for the perfect agave spirits that align with our high-standards and meticulous focus on the world’s top-quality ultra-premium products,” says Bill Corbett, CEO of Zamora Company USA. “Without a doubt, San Cosme is one of the finest mezcals in the category, led by an incredibly passionate and talented team in Oaxaca, the premier region in Mexico for mezcal production. We’re very proud to represent this world-class brand here in the U.S.”

SAN COSME MEZCAL MULE

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1⁄2 oz. Mezcal San Cosme
• 1 oz. honey
• 1⁄2 oz. ginger extract
• 1 oz fresh lemon juice

PREPARATION: Fill all ingredients in a shaker and shake firmly. Pour into an Old Fashioned glass filled with ice, and top with soda water. Garnish with a slice of lemon.

The post Zamora Company Expands into Agave Spirits appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

We invited three influential Chilled 100 Bartenders to create skillfully crafted cocktails with springtime in mind and using Applejack.

Applejack, once the drink of choice for early American settlers, is now enjoying a resurgence in popularity. Imparting a unique and tantalizing flavor profile to cocktails, Laird’s Applejack ensures its “apple whiskey” is fresh, crisp, and a pure spirits beverage made from a blend of apple brandy and neutral grains.

The team at Laird’s challenges bartenders to experiment and substitute Laird’s Applejack in their classic and modern cocktails for a delicate aroma of tree-ripened apples. You won’t be disappointed!

Check out these 3 must mix cocktails made with Laird’s iconic Applejack crafted by our expert Chilled 100 Bartenders.

Brandy’s Secret Cove

Created by Lillian Del Piero, bartender in Reno, NV

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Laird’s Applejack
• 1 oz Lemon Juice
• 1 Barspoon Apricot Jam (store bought)
• ½ oz Ginger Syrup (Fiji Ginger syrup/the ginger people)
• Splash of Campari

Preparation: Build in tin, hard shake with ice for 15 seconds. Double strain over fresh ice into a Collins glass. Garnish with dried orange wheel.

Straight Jack-It

Created by Matt Pladgeman, bartender in Phoenix, AZ

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Laird’s Applejack Brandy
• ¾ oz Apricot Liqueur
• 1.4 oz Lavender Brandy
• ¾ oz Fresh lemon juice
• ½ oz Agave syrup
• 4 Dashes Peach Bitters

Preparation: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain over fresh ice in Collins glass. Fresh lemon slices through out Collins glass, top with fanned honey crisp apple slices for garnish.

Peachful Waters

Created by Kati Larson, bartender in Indianapolis, IN

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Laird’s Applejack
• 1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
• 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
• 1 oz Honey Aloe Vera Water

Preparation: Shake and strain over fresh ice. Fine spritz of rose water over top of cocktail. Peach fan on pick with apple ball for garnish.

The post 3 Must Mix Springtime Cocktails made with Laird’s Applejack appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Win an adventure to Brazil with Novo Fogo Cachaça!

Bartenders who’d like to participate please enter your uniquely sustainable cocktail HERE.

This will be a distillery trip unlike any other. You’ll spend a couple of days at Novo Fogo’s organic sugarcane farm and zero-waste distillery in Morretes, Brazil, learning the process of handcrafting cachaça from the cane fields to fermentation through distillation and barrel-aging. In the cool adegas (rickhouses) beneath the distillery building, you’ll taste cachaça straight from the barrel!

In addition to the cachaça experience, you’ll be fully immersed in the wonders of Brazil’s Atlantic Rainforest. We’ll traverse the jungle canopy at Ekôa Park eco-reserve and visit offshore mangrove forests by boat. Keep your eyes peeled for a flock of visiting scarlet ibis birds!

You’ll taste the food and drink of southern Brazil, including visits to micro-breweries, a defunct train tunnel filled with bottle-conditioning Brazilian sparkling wine, and many gourds of erva-mate tea to keep you energized.

After experiencing life in our jungle town, we’ll return to the capital city of Curitiba to soak up the cocktail bar scene and visit the Oscar Niemeyer museum or the world-renowned botanical garden, among other sights in this vibrant city.

Vamos! This is a trip you’ll remember for a lifetime.

Bartenders who’d like to participate please enter your uniquely sustainable cocktail HERE.

The post Win a Brazilian Adventure in the Novo Fogo Eco-Friendly Cocktail Challenge! appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

We’re wrapping up the month of May and getting ready for Memorial Day Weekend with the May Flowers cocktail.

Expertly crafted using Broken Shed Vodka, Aperol, and fresh juices for a refreshing and welcome taste of summer.

Broken Shed Vodka is handcrafted in Wanaka, New Zealand from all natural and renewable resources. Three-times distilled, using the purest water sourced from the area and natural whey, making it an exceptionally smooth and unique vodka.

May Flowers

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Broken Shed Vodka
• 1/2 oz Aperol
• 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
• 1/2 oz pineapple juice
• 1/4 oz simple syrup
• Green Chartreuse and edible flowers (for garnish)

Preparation: Add ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and double strain into a chilled coupe. Spray the top of the drink with green Chartreuse and garnish with the edible flowers .

The post May Flowers appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

“Top bartenders in the United States are learning about Shochu’s existence and uniqueness right now,” says Tetsuro Miyazaki, General Manager of iichiko, USA.

“Until 2019, shochu was a local spirit sold only in Japanese restaurants. Now, Japanese bartenders recognize the traditional elements and taste of shochu, and thanks to their success, other top bartenders are starting to use it as well.”

Here are 5 classics that bartenders can swap out the traditional base spirits and experiment with the uniqueness of shochu.

Koji Old Fashioned

Ingredients:

• 2 oz iichiko Saiten
• 1/4 oz Simple Syrup
• 2-3 Dashes Angostura bitters
• Orange Slice

Preparation: Mix all ingredients into a glass with Ice. Stir, then garnish with Orange Slice.

Tokyo Mule

Ingredients:

• 2 oz iichiko Saiten
• 1 oz Lime Juice
• 1 oz Ginger or Simple Syrup
• Top with Ginger Beer/Soda
• Lime Wedge

Preparation: Mix all ingredients into Mule cup with Ice. Stir, then top with Ginger Beer/Soda and garnish with Lime Wedge

Neptune Radio 

Created by Brian Evans, Rule of Thirds

The Neptune Radio takes Iichiko Saiten into the realm of an umami-driven sour, with flavors that can transcend the confines of seasonality!” Brian Evans, Rule of Thirds

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 oz Iichiko Saiten
• 1/4 oz Giffard Cacao
• 1/2 oz Strawberry Syrup (1:1 Strawberries to White Granulated Sugar, pureed until smooth)
• 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
• 1/4 oz Rich Cane Syrup (2:1 Turbinado Cane Sugar to Water)
• 3 cherry tomatoes (2 muddled, 1 garnish)
• 10g Cacao Butter melted

Preparation: Melt cacao butter, then paint one heavy stroke onto chilled glass. Combine ingredients, muddle cherry tomato, then hard-shake with cubed ice for 10-12 seconds, double-strain, and serve up. Garnish: Cherry Tomato on lip of glass + Cacao Butter paint.

Grapefruit Hai

Ingredients:

• 2 oz iichiko Silhouette
• Topped with Fever-Tree Grapefruit
• Grapefruit Slice

Preparation: Build in glass with Ice. Garnish with grapefruit slice.

Umami Gimlet

Ingredients:

• 2 oz iichiko Saiten
• 1 oz Lime Juice
• 3/4 oz Simple Syrup
• Lime wheel

Preparation: Mix all ingredients into cocktail shaker with Ice. Shake, then strain into glass and garnish with Lime Wheel.

The post 5 Classic Cocktails made with Shochu appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Yebiga Rakija Plum Brandy celebrates Serbian craftsmanship and culture through dark Balkan humor.

Yebiga is a feisty term, roughly translated (Serbian-English) to “eh, screw it,” yet defined as great attention to care, craftsmanship, and culture, according to founder and importer Bill Gould.

Yebiga Rakija is a top traditional Serbian fruit brandy crafted with centuries of Balkan history (and humor) at heart. It pays tribute to the passed-down distilling process of the region’s premium brandy as a loyal supporter of hyper-local ingredients and typical Balkan satire.

“It is [one] of those spirits that many do not know about, though it has shaped the [Balkan] culture for the past 800 years,” Gould mentions.

While rakija (or rakia) can be distilled from different fruits, Yebiga presses ripe, regional plums from Šumadija with native mountain spring water and wild yeast. The first aged expression, PRVA, arrived stateside in 2019 after an 18-month maceration in second-fill Serbian oak barrels. Seen on select shelves, the bottle label retains the Serbian-Croatian name following a freakish image of a drinking elder—a nod to the “famed” funniness. Tasting notes include vanilla, honey, blackcurrant, and other baking fruits.

“Drink it neat: for breakfast with coffee, in the afternoon with cheese and fatty foods, and at night over long conversations,” Gould suggests. “I would say this would be the traditional approach.”

Yebiga is a spirit set for storytelling, greeting loved ones (and lovers), toasting to new achievements, and getting saucy at Sunday supper.

Partnering with acclaimed mixologist Naren Young to curate signature cocktails that feature Yebiga’s two rakijas, showcasing what the product is all about, complete with unusual names and fun filled cocktail photography incorporating chickens. A nod to the dark Balkan humor used throughout the brand’s entire identity.

Yebiga has brought the real taste of the Balkans to the United States with two rakijas on the market—PRVA and BELA:

PRVA (SRP $38.99) – Yebiga’s first expression to come stateside is a style that favors the Serbian methods of starting with fresh, ripe plums domestic to the region, hand-plucked and barrel aged for 18 months.

BELA ($29.99) – Yebiga’s youngest expression. This rakija is lighter, free of color and finished in stainless steel. BELA is smooth, delicious, and rustic, perfect for everyday occasions and cocktail experimentation.

Stormy Vetar

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Rakija Bela
• 1 1/2 oz. black pepper-infused dry vermouth
• 1 barspoon pickle juice
• Tiny pinch salt

Preparation: Stir and strain with ice in a Martini glass. Garnish with pickled anything!

The post Yebiga Rakija Plum Brandy appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Father’s Day is on June 19th! Here’s our Father’s Day Gift Guide!

If your dad is anything like the father’s here at Chilled, their love of a good bottle makes your Father’s Day shopping easy. The key is to choose a spirit that he’ll love from the massive number of spirits out there.

Well, stress not, because Chilled’s Father’s Day Gift Guide compiles the best of the best bottles perfect for dear old dad. Nothing but the best for pops!

The Chilled Father’s Day Gift Guide is easy-to-navigate between two categories of spirits: Whiskey and Brown Spirits and Gin, Vodka, and More. One of these spirited bottles and/or gifts will make any dad extra happy, whether it’s a bourbon or scotch, or something on the lighter side like gin or vodka.

Head over to the guide and get shopping.

The post The Father’s Day Gift Guide Is Here! appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

May 22nd is World Paloma Day!

The holiday that pays homage to the delicious, thirst-quenching Paloma that proudly represents Mexico as its national tipple. Made with grapefruit soda, tequila, and a splash of lime, the highball style cocktail has become increasingly popular in the United States ever since the day was established back in 2019.

The precise origins of the Paloma are muddled, but it is rumored to be named after a popular Mexican folk song called La Paloma. The classic recipe includes one part tequila, three parts grapefruit soda, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. For the simple Paloma’s creation, many accredit owner of La Capilla bar in the town of Tequila, Jalisco, Don Javier Delgado Corona. Because Don received absolute credibility for the invention of another soda-based tequila cocktail, the Batanga, the theory does not seem so far-fetched.

To celebrate World Paloma, Chilled’s expert bartenders have composed a list the best tequilas to choose for a perfect Paloma! Sip on!

Tequila Fortaleza Blanco

Based in Jalisco, a 125-year-old distillery utilizes traditional methods to produce this tequila. A brick oven cooks the agave, and a massive stone wheel called a tahona mashes the plant afterwards.

Not only is Fortaleza Blanco excellent by itself, but it also can elevate a Paloma. It’s clean character, subtle citrus, black pepper, and vanilla notes merge wonderfully with the other components of the drink.

Altos Reposado

Altos Reposado Tequila is a super-premium 100% agave tequila. Four to six months aging in oak barrels results in an unmistakably rich and intricate taste. Like other aged liquors, Reposado delivers satisfying wood-like notes, which perfectly complements the presence of the grapefruit and lime in a Paloma.

El Tesoro Reposado

El Tesoro tequila has been referred to as “the treasure” of Jalisco. Its production has also remained loyal to the same traditional methods that have been passed down through generations. Tesoro Reposado is aged in American oak ex-bourbon barrels for nine to eleven months. The delicate process yields a sweet, complex, and agave-forward flavor. The smoothness of the tequila paired with the tartness of the grapefruit, and sweetness of the passionfruit, is the precise formula for Paloma greatness.

Tequila Ocho Reposado

Tequila Ocho Reposado is made with 100% blue agave, harvested only when overripe and distilled at La Alteña Distillery in the Highlands of Jalisco. The expression is rested for eight weeks and eight days in ex-American whiskey barrels, which just exceeds the minimum amount of time required by law, which gives the Reposado a round, cooked agave note.

Patrón

Of all the variants tequila Patrón has to offer, most will agree that Patrón Silver’s delicate flavor and balance make it the prime candidate for a Paloma. However, if your goal is to highlight the citrusy notes of your Paloma, the pricier option, The Roca Patrón Silver, will do exactly that and more.

Espolon Blanco

The purest expression of Espolon tequila, handcrafted with 100% Blue Weber Agave. Inspired by Mexican culture and created in the highlands of Jalisco. Unlike many other distilling processes that utilize wood fired kilns, Espolon takes the agave core and places in stainless steel pressure cookers for a smoother and purer resulting flavor. This eliminates the possibility of an over-smoky flavor, making it more versatile for cocktails like the Paloma.

The post 6 Tequilas for a Perfect Paloma appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News