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Holiday Cocktails

Sugar Cookie Martini

Ingredients:

For the martini:

  • 1/2 c. whole milk
  • 1/4 c. Baileys
  • 2 oz. vanilla vodka
  • 2 oz. amaretto
  • Ice

For the rim:

  • 1/2 c. vanilla frosting
  • 1/4 c. sprinkles, plus 1 tsp., divided
  • Pre-made sugar cookie dough

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll sugar cookie dough out to ¼” thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut out desired shapes then place cookies on prepared baking sheet. Bake until just set and lightly golden around the edges, 12 minutes. Let cool.
  2. Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting onto rim of two martini glasses. Pour ¼ cup sprinkles onto a small plate then dip rims in sprinkles to coat. Use an offset to frost cookies with frosting then decorate with remaining 2 tablespoons sprinkles.
  3. In a cocktail shaker, combine milk, Baileys, vodka, and amaretto. Add ice and shake until cold. Pour into glasses and garnish rim with a cookie.
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COCKTAILS FOR ONE…OR TWO…

Easy Holiday Cocktail

Ingredients

  • 1 part Sprite
  • 1 part Cranberry Juice
  • 1 part Orange Juice
  • 1 part Vodka
  • Ice
  • Sliced orange and/or fresh or sugared cranberries for garnish

Instructions

  1. Add ice to a cocktail glass.
  2. Pour equal parts Sprite, cranberry juice, orange juice, and vodka (optional) over ice.
  3. Add slice of orange for garnish and serve.

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COCKTAILS FOR A GROUP…

Christmas Punch

Ingredients

  • 1 large bag of ice
  • 5 cups 100% cranberry juice* — 40 ounces, NOT cranberry juice cocktail
  • 2 bottles very dry sparkling wine — (750 ml bottles) , such as champagne, cava, or Prosecco
  • 2 cups apple cider
  • 1 1/2 cups diet ginger ale — (12 ounces) (from 1 can or poured from a liter bottle)
  • 1 1/2 cups dark rum or brandy — (12 ounces)
  • 2 oranges — thinly sliced into rounds
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries

Instructions

  1. Make sure all of the ingredients are well chilled. Fill a large punch bowl with ice. Top with the cranberry juice, sparkling wine, apple cider, ginger ale, and rum. Stir gently to combine. Top with the orange slices and fresh cranberries. Enjoy!

Blackberry Ombre Sparkler

Ingredients

·  1 cup fresh blackberries

·  1 cup sugar

·  1 cup water

·  4 sprigs fresh rosemary

·  1 bottle champagne

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, combine blackberries, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil on high heat, and then reduce to a simmer and let cook for approximately 15-17 minutes. The blackberries will become soft and bright in color and a pinkish purple syrup will form. Making sure it cooks down enough is essential to keeping the ombre effect. Take off of the heat and drain the blackberries, keeping the syrup in a separate bowl. Set both aside and allow to cool.
  • Once blackberries and simple syrup are cooled, spoon about 4 tablespoons of syrup into the bottom of each champagne flute (this recipe makes 4 drinks)
  • Top with champagne.
  • Garnish with fresh blackberries or the cooked blackberries, and a sprig of rosemary.
  • Cheers!

Domaine Bousquet Wines

Organic = delicious

Malbec

Made with organic grapes.
Domaine Bousquet’s premium varietal series comprises a blend of estate and purchased fruit from the Uco Valley. The grapes benefit from major diurnal temperature swings, achieving exuberant ripeness while retaining the juiciness that invites a second glass. The wines are vinified with a French sensibility. The wines are un-oaked – an on-trend sensibility of little or no oak to let the fruit shine through and make the wines extremely food-friendly.

It is a wine of dark violet color. In the nose, it presents intense aromas of blackberry with notes of red and blackcurrant and plum. The mouth highlights notes of ripe plums with soft and elegant tannins.

Virgen Red Blend

Virgen Organic Red Blend is not only made from organic fruit but has no sulfites added, thereby qualifying for fully organic USDA certification. A blend of 35% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc, it is vinified from 100% estate-grown fruit grown at a cool 4,000 feet in the foothills of the Andes. This purest expression of the local terroir, a mix sandy/gravel soils credited for Domaine Bousquet’s signature “Naturally Elegant Wines,” benefits from brilliant sunlight and 50F degree temperature swings between day and night, leading to super-flavorful, fresh-tasting grapes.

Deep Violet Color. In the nose, pure and intense blackberry and red berry fruit. On the palate is a refreshing interplay of vibrant fruit, leavened with a touch of herb, spice, and violets.

Reserve Pinot Noir

A step up from the premium varietal line, these blends of Domaine Bousquet estate-grown grapes from plots with low yields offer more of everything – more body, more tannin in the reds, and more flavor. The 4,000-foot elevation ensures that, with the right handling, the grapes for these wines lend an Old World elegance so prized by wine lovers

100% Pinot Noir. Burgundy Style, aged for 10 months in French oak.
Delicate Ruby red color. Red fruit aromas as strawberry and cherry with vanilla notes. On the palate, it´s elegant and balanced with medium body and acidity.

Reserve Malbec

A step up from the premium varietal line, these blends of Domaine Bousquet estate-grown grapes from plots with low yields offer more of everything – more body, more tannin in the reds, and more flavor. The 4,000-foot elevation ensures that, with the right handling, the grapes for these wines lend an Old World elegance so prized by wine lovers.

85% Malbec 5% Merlot 5% Syrah 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged for 10 months in French Oak. Deep Violet color. On the nose, ground-mushrooms and red berries aromas. Notes of violet prune and spices. Medium body with soft and silky tannins and a flavorful finish.

Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

A step up from the premium varietal line, these blends of Domaine Bousquet estate-grown grapes from plots with low yields offer more of everything – more body, more tannin in the reds, and more flavor. The 4,000-foot elevation ensures that, with the right handling, the grapes for these wines lend an Old World elegance so prized by wine lovers.

85% Cabernet Sauvignon 15% Malbec, aged for 10 months in French Oak. Violet Color with ruby tones. The nose shows Strawberries and flowers aromas with spicy and mineral notes. On the mouth is refined, stylish red, showing scented oak, fine, savory tannins and bright acidity.

Gaia Red Blend

Named for the Earth Mother goddess in Greek mythology, Gaia Red and White Blends are a multi-varietal cornucopia of estate-grown grapes. This Old World tradition of blending varieties is updated to highlight modern, non-classic New World pairings. The primary grape comprises around 50% of the mix.

Each vintage, the bounty from the estate is blended a bit differently to reflect what Mother Nature has offered. A new taste adventure every year — be it a wild berry Malbec, spicy Syrah, and polished Cabernet Sauvignon trio, or a white trio of delicate Chardonnay, white peach Pinot Gris and refreshing Sauvignon Blanc.

50% Malbec 45% Syrah 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged for 10 months in French oak. Dark violet color. Blackcurrants and dark plums on the nose with spicy and dried herbs notes Medium to full body with bright acidity, juicy body, and a tannin backbone.

Something New and Fresh!

Try one of these fun cocktails and as always stop by Pioppi’s to grab all of the spirits needed to create these fresh concoctions.

Elderflower Mojito

Ingredients

  • 4 blackberries
  • 4 mint sprigs
  • 3 lime wedges
  • 1.5 ounces Dunc’s Mill Elderflower Rum
  • 1 lime wedge (for garnish)
  • 1 mint sprig (for garnish)
  • Club soda or sparkling water

Directions
Muddle blackberries, mint sprigs and lime wedges in a highball glass. Add rum. Fill with ice. Top with club soda.
Garnish with lime wedge and mint sprig.

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Mama’s Lemonade

Ingredients

  • 2 parts Mama Walkers Blueberry Pancakes
  • 4 parts Lemonade

Build in a collins glass.

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Green Apple Tartz

Ingredients

  • 1 part Three Olives TARTZ™ Vodka
  • 2 parts apple juice

Mix all ingredients together with ice & serve in a rocks glass. Garnish with a green apple slice.