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Happy Hour: Four Wines 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

partysugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:30:00 -0800

Last night while at a benefit for Global Green, one winery asked me to think outside the box. Now I want you to do the same: Allow me to introduce California's premium wine tube. It's not wine in a box, it's wine in a tube! Four Wines has created the first high-quality, alternative-packaged wine. While I was skeptical, the wine's spicy start, nice body, and layered fruity flavors impressed me — it was actually good and delightfully drinkable. Even super-taster FabSugar (whose picky about her wine) enjoyed a glass.

Perfect for entertaining a large crowd, the $40 tube holds 24 glasses of wine (about four bottles) that stays fresh up to four weeks after opening. The grapes are sourced from Paso Robles, Monterey, and Lodi, CA. The elimination of glass, corks, and foils reduce the wine's carbon footprint by 50 percent, making the wine tube an excellent choice for the eco-conscious wine drinker.

So what do you think about this green-friendly wine? Would you drink wine from a tube?

Happy Hour: Citrus Spritzers

partysugar — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:30:21 -0800

I ripped this cocktail recipe out of Everyday Food magazine back in August, and every week since I've been dying to make it. I finally had the chance to mix up a batch for my family yesterday. A toxic blend of fresh orange, lemon, and lime juice, this drink was refreshing, tart, and subtly sweet. The best thing about this concoction is that it can be made with or without alcohol, so cater the recipe to your family's needs. To give the cocktail a more festive flavor and brilliant color, the next time I make it, I want to use blood oranges.

I served it with baked garlic oysters, but any rich, creamy, or crunchy appetizer will do. Want the recipe? All you have to do is

Happy Hour: 2007 Mark West Pinot Noir

partysugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:15:31 -0800

Not hosting Thanksgiving, but in charge of bringing wine to a family member or friend's dinner? I highly recommend seeking out a bottle of Mark West's 2007 Pinot Noir. It's not only affordable ($11.99), but its also delightfully drinkable and silky smooth.

Described as Pinot For the People, Mark West's manifesto is to "demand rich, fruit-inspired, easy-drinking wine." With its jammy black fruits, full perfume, vanilla undertones, and light acidity, this Pinot delivers. I enjoyed it with cheese fondue, roast chicken, and mushroom pasta making it extremely versatile — a necessary characteristic for a Thanksgiving wine.

What Are You Drinking With Your Thanksgiving Meal?

YumSugar — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:30:21 -0800

PartySugar and I have already planned our Thanksgiving menus, and now we're just eagerly awaiting the big day. To distract our giddy selves, we had a discussion about what we're serving to drink at Thanksgiving dinner. She'll be serving a citrus spritzer, Champagne, and Beaujolais, while DearSugar will be drinking red, white, and bubbly. As for me, I haven't decided yet — I'll serve either a Gewurtztraminer or a Pinot Noir. What will you and your guests be drinking? Once you've made your selection below, tell me in the comments exactly what you'll be pouring!Source

Happy Hour: Loft Liqueurs

YumSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:00:39 -0800

Earlier this month, I was pleasantly surprised to hear about the opening of the world's first all-organic bar. So when I learned of Loft Liqueurs, the first USDA certified organic liqueur, I had to find out what all the hype was about.

Created by two best friends and San Francisco hospitality veterans to save people from "the bright neon color of your average apple martini," the limoncello-inspired spirits are at the forefront of sustainability and eco-consciousness. In addition to being made with all-natural ingredients, the kosher-certified liqueur is sweetened primarily with agave nectar. The company supports small farms and biodynamic agricultural practices when possible, and uses recycled cases, biodegradable inks, and bamboo-based paper.

I tried four flavors — lavender, spicy ginger, tangerine, and lemongrass. To hear what I thought of them,

Come Party With Me: Fast Thanksgiving — Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:30:11 -0800

As much as I love cocktails made from fresh, seasonal ingredients, sometimes there simply isn't time — especially when you need Thanksgiving dinner ready in a hurry — to juice 20 blood oranges. The grocery store liquor aisle is crowded with generic and overly-sweet cocktail mixers, but there's one brand I trust for excellent mixers: Stirrings. With their blood orange flavor you can make a quick batch of blood orange bellinis.

Serve wine at mealtime. Call your local wine shop and ask them to set aside a couple of Thanksgiving-friendly bottles for you. Use their expertise to save time. You won't have to research wine pairings or stand in the wine aisle wondering what to buy. Don't forget sparkling apple cider, water, and soda for the kids. To look at the easy blood orange bellini recipe,

Happy Hour: Collalbrigo Prosecco Brut

partysugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:15:31 -0800

Looking for a effervescent bubbly to kick-start your Thanksgiving festivities? Well you'll find it in this lovely Italian Prosecco by Collalbrigo.

With its straw color, delicate bubbles, and apple-pear aroma, it's a refreshingly easy sipper. Its smooth, light intensity is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at your party. At $10.99 it's an affordable wine that won't break the bank.

Grown on a hilltop in northern Italy where noble Venetians have produced wine for thousands of years, serve this fabulous bubbly with oysters, salumi, or crostini.

Talking Mixology With Dale DeGroff

partysugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:30:52 -0800

Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with Dale DeGroff. If you've never heard of DeGroff, you'll be surprised to know that he has changed your life. Remember that basil gimlet you enjoyed at the bar last week? You can thank Dale for that. Or what about that perfectly poured martini? Dale's responsible for that, too. Known to food insiders as the King of Cocktails, Dale DeGroff is single-handedly responsible for the renaissance of classic cocktails. Back in 1980s New York, at a time when the majority of bars served drinks made from overly-sweet mixes, Dale was mixing drinks with fresh, seasonal, local ingredients and creating cocktails based on preprohibition recipes. To find out what the master has to say about cocktail trends and to see who he thinks is the best bartender in America today,

Happy Hour: Ruby Chai Appletini

partysugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:00:42 -0800

When I hear the word appletini, I can't help but cringe and think of a cloying, neon green cocktail. That's why, while at a recent Root Division art auction, when I saw that the specialty cocktail was an appletini, I avoided it. However, when I heard the appletini was a creation of one of San Francisco's best bartenders, H. Joseph Ehrmann, I knew I had to give it a try. Made with fresh apple cider and vodka infused with tea, this appletini is nothing like its processed counterpart. It tasted like fall in a glass with hints of vanilla and cinnamon.

It takes time to infuse the vodka and apple cider, but the process is worth it, especially if you make a large batch and serve it for Thanksgiving. Don't let Fall pass without making this refreshing, not-too-sweet cocktail, so get the recipe now and

Meet the World's Largest Irish Coffee

partysugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:09:10 -0800

Earlier today, at 1 p.m. PST to be exact, history was made at the Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco. Irish coffee making champion Frank Silletti, in conjecture with the staff of the Buena Vista, made the world's largest Irish coffee. I was there to witness them break the Guinness World Record.

To check out my firsthand account and a bunch of pictures from the event,