Since its conception, Pineau des Charentes, the French aperitif created from grape juice and Cognac, has been widely known as a wine and never rather more. However because the low-ABV motion has gained traction, bartenders have gotten more and more acquainted with the fortified wine and are bringing it behind the bar. “When understood, it may be a chameleon that may elevate a beverage, a dish or an expertise,” says Michael Aredes, lead bartender at Superbueno in Manhattan. “It’s a utterly new class to so many individuals, the place it has existed as an outlier for thus lengthy.”
Hailing from the Cognac area in France, white Pineau des Charentes is created from grape varieties, like Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard. The unfermented grape juice is combined with younger Cognac (that has been aged for a 12 months) in a three-fourths to one-fourths ratio. The mix is then aged in oak barrels for no less than 18 months, and infrequently occasions longer, the place the wine takes on a heightened stage of richness. “The result’s a product that’s evenly candy, however balanced, and a bit increased in ABV than a wine, however a lot decrease ABV than a distilled spirit,” says Alex Leap, a Denver-based bartender and restaurant guide.
The sorts of Pineau des Charentes embrace purple and vieux as properly. Whereas the notes will vary relying on the precise bottle and selection, a glass of white Pineau des Charentes can sometimes exhibit a richness that coats the mouth, with a palate of caramel, stone fruit and dried nuts, together with a slight acidity. Crimson Pineau des Charentes is often fruity, with notes of cherries and raspberries. White vieux, alternatively, is extra highly effective and fragrant with notes of honey, plum and cinnamon, which develop after growing older the wine in oak barrels for at least seven years.
At solely 17 % alcohol by quantity, the aperitif can be utilized throughout quite a lot of purposes, past a neat pour. “Pineau des Charentes is so thrilling as a result of it straddles the road between spirits and wine,” says Paige Walwyn, bartender at Chicago’s Queen Mary Tavern. “Wine drinkers adore it and cocktail and spirits lovers do as properly.” It’s a fortified wine that’s capable of be loved in any season, however can particularly stand out in a summer time cocktail.
When mixing up summer time cocktails with Pineau des Charentes, Leap suggests incorporating it as you’ll a vermouth or sherry. “Pineau is actually a flexible possibility so as to add to your bar cupboard, due to its means to sub into drinks as a modifier,” she says. Its taste profile is extra delicate than its fortified wine counterparts, which can be utilized to enhance and steadiness out bolder flavors, like darker-bodied spirits and bitters, to make them extra appropriate for summer time. “Pineau is a really dynamic and scrumptious class of fortified wines,” Leap says. “There’s no higher time to begin enjoying with them than now.”
So for these trying to sip on extra sessionable cocktails this summer time, take into account changing base spirits with Pineau des Charentes. Whereas it may be utilized in extra basic purposes, like a easy spritz with tonic and lime juice, Pineau des Charentes actually shines in up to date approaches that spotlight the flavors of summer time. “It’s a decrease alcohol beverage which makes it extra approachable and ideal for a day-drinking session,” Walwyn says. “It has a refreshing, gentle, and fruity style that’s good for warm days.”
A standard sangria sometimes requires wine, brandy and fruit. However on this iteration, Walwyn swaps out brandy for its low-ABV cousin, a white Pineau des Charentes from Fanny Fougerat, to behave because the recipe’s spine. Walwyn doesn’t add any sugar on this sangria. As a substitute she makes use of the fortified wine together with orange liqueur to lend simply the correct amount of sweetness. When utilized on this method, Pineau des Charentes brings depth {that a} impartial base of granulated sugar couldn’t.
She additional enhances the sangria by incorporating sherry, then brightens it with summer time flavors, like contemporary berries, bouquets of mint and wheels of citrus. Quite than serving the sangria with soda, Walwyn tops every glass with dry glowing wine. Collectively, the components mix to create a well-balanced sangria that’s extremely gourmand. “It has a refreshing, gentle, and fruity style that’s good for warm days,” she says.
INGREDIENTS
14 ounces Fanny Fougerat Pineau des Charentes White
6 ounces sherry wine vermouth
4 ounces orange liqueur
6 – 8 contemporary strawberries, destemmed and quartered
8 contemporary raspberries
1 orange, thinly sliced into wheels
2 lemons, sliced into wheels
8 – 10 contemporary mint sprigs
10 ounces dry glowing wine, resembling Cava
Garnish: contemporary mint
DIRECTIONS
- Mix all components, excluding the glowing wine, in a pitcher and let sit at room temperature for roughly 4 hours, or within the fridge in a single day
- Earlier than serving, stir to include.
- Divide amongst wine glasses over ice cubes.
- Prime every glass with dry glowing wine.
- Garnish with just a few sprigs of contemporary mint.
The Después La Playa holds true to Superbueno’s (and Aredes’) philosophy towards cocktails: to teach company on a class of beverage that they is probably not acquainted with in a playful method. His formulation contains three distinct flavors—strawberry-infused vodka, habanero-infused bittersweet orange vermouth and a white Pineau des Charentes honey mix—that meld to create a fancy, summer-forward tackle a highball.
Whereas Aredes says Pineau des Charentes has the power to work properly with quite a lot of liquors, on this explicit cocktail, he pairs it with vodka to steadiness out the fragile sweetness from the honey, then kicks it up with a habanero-infused bittersweet orange vermouth. “Pineau des Charentes performs an important position in offering physique to this lovely highball cocktail that focuses on refreshment and buenas vibras,” he says. As for the event? Aredes says Después La Playa is supposed to be loved after a day on the seashore: “Whereas the air remains to be heat and a crisp refreshment is required.”
INGREDIENTS
1/2 ounce Brard Blanchard Pineau des Charentes White honey mix (see Editor’s Word)
1 1/2 ounces strawberry-infused vodka essence (see Editor’s Word)
3/4 ounces habanero-infused bittersweet orange vermouth (see Editor’s Word)
1 slice Cucumber
2 basil leaves
1/4 ounce contemporary lemon juice
1/4 ounce contemporary lime juice
4 ounces membership soda
Garnish: cucumber, sliced lengthwise, contemporary basil leaves, and a halved strawberry
DIRECTIONS
- Mix the primary seven components in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake
- Pressure right into a highball glass with a protracted skinny cucumber angled by means of the within of the glass.
- Prime with membership soda.
- Garnish with a basil bouquet and a halved strawberry on the rim. End with flaky sea salt.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Brard Blanchard Pineau des Charentes White Honey Mix
4 ounces honey
Combine the honey and the Pineau des Charentes till integrated.
Strawberry-Infused Vodka Essence
1/3 ounce strawberry powder
750ml vodka
Blended collectively a bottle of vodka and the strawberry powder for five -10 minutes.
Pressure by means of a superbag.
Habanero-Infused Bittersweet Orange Vermouth
6 habaneros, reduce in half
750 mL bittersweet orange vermouth
Place the habaneros in a bottle of bittersweet orange vermouth for 90 minutes.
Pressure to take away habanero items.
Nonetheless you select to include Pineau des Charentes in a cocktail, keep in mind: “It’s worthwhile to account for the decrease proof and better sugar content material of the cocktail you’re workshopping,” Leap says. Comply with this basic guideline and also you’ll find yourself with a light-weight, refreshing drink that’s very best for warm summer time days.
And for the events that decision for a drink that’s rather less concerned, don’t overlook a calming glass of Pineau des Charentes—it’s even acceptable so as to add a single ice dice for a extra refreshing pour. “Somebody can and may drink Pineau every time they need,” Walwyn says. “There is no such thing as a proper or improper method and that’s what makes it so distinctive.”
Tapping into the Pineau des Charentes class of fortified wines—whether or not it’s white, purple or vieux—can unveil the playfulness of wine and the tradition as a complete. “[Pineau des Charents] needs to be seen as a bridge to take pleasure in much more wonderful classes of wine and spirits on this world,” Aredes says.
Credit:
Artwork Director: Becky Pleasure, Meg Konigsburg
Photographer: Cody Guilfoyle
Drink Stylist: Thu Buser
Prop Stylist: Zach Molina
Grooming: Ashley Schultz
Producer: Hannah Lee
