Our 30 Days of Local Wine campaign takes place throughout the entire month of December. Each day we’ll be featuring a different local wine from several of the Essex Pelee Island Coast wineries along with recipes for food, cocktails (yes, wine cocktails), desserts, party tips and more. Click here for the complete list of 30 wines.
Also, we want to see how you enjoy your local wine. We encourage you to use the #30DLW hashtag on Instagram to win prizes like a day for 2 on a tandem bicycle on our award winning Wine Trail Ride Cycling Tours. Click here for more details on the 30 Days of Local Wine Contest.
An award winner and a crowd pleaser is what this Baco Noir from Aleksander Estate Winery is known to be. It’s a full-bodied red wine with intense dark berry aromas and flavours with a smooth velvet feel on the palate.
The Baco Noir grape is a hybrid cross between the French Foche grape and unknown wild grape. The wild grape component makes this very hearty and ideal for our Canadian climate.
Over the years, Aleksander Estate Winery has become known for their award winning Baco Noir and have many loyal customers that make their annual visit specifically for this wine, usually leaving with not just a bottle, but a case! (Don’t judge us.)
While this wine is an excellent choice when you’re cooking barbecued foods, traditional Italian cuisine and game meats, we decided we wanted to do something unique that we definitely think you’ll want to try for your next party.
We gladly handed a bottle of the Baco Noir to local bartending legend and owner of The Blind Owl, Mark Dutka and said, “Oh, Master of the Cocktail! Mix us a cocktail creation with this wonderful wine.” Or something along those lines. Seeing the style of wine it was, Mark immediately had an idea and presented us with his take on a New York Sour.
Whoever told you a cocktail couldn’t be made with wine, their pants are now clearly on fire. We present to you, the Ruthven Whiskey Sour.
- 1.5 oz. Canadian Club 100% Rye
- .75 oz. fresh lemon juice
- 1 oz. simple syrup
- .5 oz egg white
- Alexander Baco Noir float.
Method
- Combine all but wine in an empty cocktail shaker and shake hard for 30 seconds.
- Add ice to shaker and shake again for another 30 sec. This double shaking method is done to make a rich foam on top of your cocktail.
- Pour and strain all ingredients into iced rocks glass.
- Holding your barspoon upside down over the top of your drink carefully pour wine over spoon to create a wine layer on top of your whiskey sour.
- Garnish with a cherry and enjoy!
