Since its conception, Pineau des Charentes, the French aperitif constituted of grape juice and Cognac, has been widely known as a wine and never far more. However because the low-ABV motion has gained traction, bartenders have gotten more and more aware of 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, bartender at Superbueno in Manhattan. “It’s a utterly new class to so many individuals, the place it has existed as an outlier for therefore lengthy.”
Hailing from the Cognac area in France, white Pineau des Charentes is constituted of grape varieties, like Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard. The unfermented grape juice is blended 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 at the very least 18 months, and sometimes occasions longer, the place the wine takes on a heightened stage of richness. “The result’s a product that’s calmly candy, however balanced, and a bit greater in ABV than a wine, however a lot decrease ABV than a distilled spirit,” says Alex Bounce, a Denver-based bartender and restaurant advisor.
The styles of Pineau des Charentes embrace purple and vieux as effectively. Whereas the notes will vary relying on the particular bottle and selection, a glass of white Pineau des Charentes can usually exhibit a richness that coats the mouth, with a palate of caramel, stone fruit and dried nuts, together with a slight acidity. Purple Pineau des Charentes is often fruity, with notes of cherries and raspberries. White vieux, then again, is extra highly effective and fragrant with notes of honey, plum and cinnamon, which develop after growing old the wine in oak barrels for at least seven years.
At solely 17 p.c alcohol by quantity, the aperitif can be utilized throughout quite a lot of functions, 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 find it irresistible and cocktail and spirits lovers do as effectively.” 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, Bounce suggests incorporating it as you’d a vermouth or sherry. “Pineau is definitely a flexible possibility so as to add to your bar cupboard, due to its capability to sub into drinks as a modifier,” she says. Its taste profile is extra refined than its fortified wine counterparts, which can be utilized to enrich and stability out bolder flavors, like darker-bodied spirits and bitters, to make them extra appropriate for summer time. “Pineau is a very dynamic and scrumptious class of fortified wines,” Bounce says. “There’s no higher time to begin taking part in with them than now.”
So for these trying to sip on extra sessionable cocktails this summer time, think about changing base spirits with Pineau des Charentes. Whereas it may be utilized in extra basic functions, like a easy spritz with tonic and lime juice, Pineau des Charentes actually shines in modern 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, mild, and fruity style that’s excellent for warm days.”
A conventional sangria usually 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 an alternative she makes use of the fortified wine along side 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 recent berries, bouquets of mint and wheels of citrus. Somewhat than serving the sangria with soda, Walwyn tops every glass with dry glowing wine. Collectively, the substances mix to create a well-balanced sangria that’s extremely gourmand. “It has a refreshing, mild, and fruity style that’s excellent 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 recent strawberries, destemmed and quartered
8 recent raspberries
1 orange, thinly sliced into wheels
2 lemons, sliced into wheels
8 – 10 recent mint sprigs
10 ounces dry glowing wine, similar to Cava
Garnish: recent mint
DIRECTIONS
- Mix all substances, 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 a couple of sprigs of recent mint.
The Después de La Playa holds true to Superbueno’s (and Aredes’) philosophy towards cocktails: to teach friends 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 flexibility to work effectively with quite a lot of liquors, on this explicit cocktail, he pairs it with vodka to stability out the fragile sweetness from the honey, then kicks it up with a habanero-infused bittersweet orange vermouth. “Pineau des Charentes performs an important function in offering physique to this lovely highball cocktail that focuses on refreshment and buenas vibras,” he says. As for the event? Aredes says Después de La Playa is supposed to be loved after a day on the seaside: “Whereas the air continues to be heat and a crisp refreshment is required.”
INGREDIENTS
1/2 ounce Brard Blanchard Pineau des Charentes White honey mix (see Editor’s Observe)
1 1/2 ounces strawberry-infused vodka essence (see Editor’s Observe)
3/4 ounces habanero-infused bittersweet orange vermouth (see Editor’s Observe)
1 slice Cucumber
2 basil leaves
1/4 ounce recent lemon juice
1/4 ounce recent lime juice
4 ounces membership soda
Garnish: cucumber, sliced lengthwise, recent basil leaves, and a halved strawberry
DIRECTIONS
- Mix the primary seven substances in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake
- Pressure right into a highball glass with an extended 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 included.
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, lower 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, bear in mind: “You have to account for the decrease proof and better sugar content material of the cocktail you’re workshopping,” Bounce says. Comply with this basic guideline and also you’ll find yourself with a lightweight, refreshing drink that’s preferrred 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 each time they need,” Walwyn says. “There isn’t any proper or incorrect 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 an entire. “[Pineau des Charents] must be seen as a bridge to get pleasure from much more superb 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
