Wine Enthusiast |
- Yes, It is Possible to Make a Satisfying Non-Alcoholic Martini
- Keith Haring, Dolce & Gabbana and More: Bottles That Embrace Pop-Culture Design
- Crisp and Clean: 10 Unoaked Chardonnays From Around the World
| Yes, It is Possible to Make a Satisfying Non-Alcoholic Martini Posted: 23 Apr 2021 04:56 AM PDT  Of all the non-alcoholic cocktails, the crisp, clean martini is the hardest to replicate. A classic martini is made with two key ingredients: gin and dry vermouth. If either isn't up to par, the martini won't be, either. By comparison, highballs, which are lengthened with fizzy mixers, and sour-style drinks like daiquiris or margaritas that are flavored by a mix of tart and sweet components, can be forgiving. Though it may be accented by a dash of bitters or a twist of lemon peel, the austere martini offers nothing to hide behind.  The ginAn ever-widening array of non-alcoholic "botanical elixirs" exist, styled after those used to flavor gin. Yet, many miss the mark perhaps because they haven't been made by producers that understand or value gin. That has slowly changed, as a number of legacy gin producers have rolled out non-alcoholic bottlings. England's Salcombe, Amsterdam's Damrak, and Amass, which makes gin in Los Angeles and elsewhere, have brought booze-free bottles to U.S. shelves in the past six months. Damrak was released in "Sober October," while Salcome and its New London Light (NLL) debuted during "Dry January." In England, gin's spiritual birthplace, options are more robust. "Non-alcoholic Gin" was the top search term in the faux alcohol space by UK consumers on Amazon last year. In general, the UK has outpaced America in non-alcoholic offerings. According to a December 2020 study from Distill Ventures, the UK had 42 non-alcoholic spirit brands, while the U.S. had 29. It might not be a surprise that martini lovers eye two London Dry-style zero-proofers, for now only available in England: Tanqueray 0.0%, launched in February, and Gordon's 0.0%, introduced in December. Diageo, owner of both brands, declined to specify when either bottling might be available in the U.S. That hasn't stopped bartenders stateside from buzzing about the Tanqueray offering, in particular. To be clear, none of these non-alcoholic “gins” are exact replicas of the original. Martini enthusiasts should recalibrate expectations a bit. For example, the citrus notes tend to be more pronounced, instead of piney juniper. Some use capsicum heat to mimic gin's alcohol bite. But they can also be pleasing. Salcombe's NLL, for example, hits the right aromatic notes, as it channels bright lemon peel and spice.  The vermouthThe only non-alcoholic vermouth I've discovered is Blutul Bianco. It's excellent, but it's produced in Germany and can be a challenge to find in the U.S. It can be purchased in limited quantities via Amazon, however. Some non-alcoholic spirit experts like Chris Marshall, founder of Austin's Sans Bar, and Sam Thonis of Brooklyn's Getaway Bar, recommend Lyre's Apéritif as an alternative to wine-based aperitifs like Lillet Blanc. "I have found Lyre’s to be the closest at matching flavors of sweeter spirits [and] liqueurs, but it’s still a far cry from the real thing, in my opinion," says Thonis. Vermouth is just wine that's been aromatized and fortified, so a small measure of non-alcoholic white wine like Teetotaler can pinch-hit in a martini, possibly supplemented with a splash of sweet-tart verjus. For those who feel ambitious, follow the lead of Ryan Chavis, beverage manager at New York City's Union Square Café. He infuses spices, citrus peels and bittering agents into an alcohol-free wine to DIY a proper vermouth.  The buildIn general, the same rules used to make a standard-issue martini apply to non-alcoholic variations. Go with whatever proportions please you. Two parts Salcombe's NLL "gin" to one part Blutul Bianco "vermouth" is my sweet spot. Marshall suggests a drier build, with two ounces of Lyre's Dry London Spirit to ¼-ounce Lyre's Dry Apéritif. A couple dashes of orange or grapefruit bitters can add complexity, particularly if you don't use a wine or aperitif with natural bitterness. Most bitters contain some alcohol. For those who seek zero proof, try those made by Dram. Like the full-proof version, the drink is best served extremely cold. That can be achieved via stirring with ice (or shaking, no judgments), it's even better pre-mixed and stashed in the freezer, which thickens the texture a bit. You can stash glasses in the freezer, too. But don't leave your non-alcoholic martini in freezer too long. More than 20–30 minutes, and it will freeze solid. Presentation matters, as well. Some might argue it matters even more for a no-octane drink, so do it up with beautiful glassware and garnishes. In all its forms, the iconic martini deserves no less.  Three Non-alcoholic Takes on Gin:Salcombe New London Light (England; $35) Launched in U.S. in January, it's a distinctly lemony, light-bodied take that finishes with an exhale of dried sage. Botanicals: There are 15 in total, which includes juniper, cardamom, ginger, habanero capsicum, orange, sage, cascarilla bark (quinquina, a bittering agent) and lemongrass. Damrak Virgin 0.0 (Holland; $25) Sweet spice leads this bracing gin alternative that finishes with a dusty tickle that suggests black pepper, coriander and anise. Botanicals: Juniper, Valencia and Curaçao orange peels, ginger, angelica root, lavender, cinnamon, coriander, star aniseed and lemon peel. Created to channel "the towering firs and coastal mountains of British Columbia," this is notably earthy and lush, as it channels lemon verbena, pine and mint tones. Botanicals: Juniper, coriander, orris root, angelica root, lemon peel, cardamom, sorrel, cucumber, apple, mint, parsley, sumac, rosemary and thyme. |
| Keith Haring, Dolce & Gabbana and More: Bottles That Embrace Pop-Culture Design Posted: 23 Apr 2021 04:30 AM PDT  Though bottle labels have existed since ancient Egypt, the advent of lithography in the late 1700s allowed mass-printed labels to rely more heavily on images to express a wine's character or origin. Over the years, art has expanded the role of labels from purely informational to aspirational and even collectable, and they now convey more about a wine than language could alone. After all, wine, like art, is a sensory experience, and a bottle's label "has to be beautiful," says Elaina Leibee, wine director for Erewhon Market, a specialty grocery chain in California. Here, five label projects that demonstrate the ways art and wine can intertwine. Donnafugata Rosa rosé encapsulates Sicilian style and terroirDonnafugata's collaboration with fashion house and fellow Italian brand Dolce & Gabbana (D&G) relies on art to help express its history and terroir. A blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nocera, two indigenous Sicilian grapes harvested from around Mount Etna, the wine is emblazoned with a D&G design inspired by Sicily's characteristic folk art. It features energetic, geometric bursts of color that recall the vibrant patterns of the island's traditional carts and portray a strong sense of culture and place to many, yet also read as playful and approachable to those unfamiliar with the region's iconography. Castellani Tenuta di Ceppaiano commemorates Keith HaringTuscany's Castellani family has forged several relationships that blend art with wine, most predominantly through its non-profit artist sanctuary, Materia Prima. In 2019, they released a bottling to commemorate one of their more famous friends: Keith Haring. Its label features a sketch the artist had given to the family, who were instrumental in the creation of his final public mural in Pisa, Italy, back in the 1980s. The work depicts one of Haring's characteristic figures fleeing an onslaught of grapes and the wine's profits benefit the Castellanis' Materia Prima.  Art moves beyond the labels of St. Reginald ParishSome labels exemplify the synergy of art and wine. In 2020, photographs by Catherine Opie appeared on a two-bottle collaboration between Willamette Valley producer St. Reginald Parish and Los Angeles wine shop Domaine LA. Given the wines' concept and styles, Opie created pensive sunset scenes that complemented the colors of the orange and white wines. Wine is "an aesthetic experience and a sensory experience, and the visual nature of the bottle is part of that," says Domaine LA's owner, Jill Bernheimer. To extend the art's impact beyond the bottles, Opie's photos were also produced as limited-edition prints to benefit Los Angeles venues The Underground Museum and Summaeverythang Community Center. The medium becomes the message for Stolpman Vineyards' Para MariaIn some cases, labels prioritize art over information, or even replace words entirely with an eye-catching image. Stolpman Vineyards' Para Maria labels are a great example. Used for both a red wine and a rosé, they do not contain any text and instead allow the face of an owl to fill the space. They were designed by Kari Crist, the winery's creative director, in honor of their namesake, Winemaker Maria Solorzano. The tecolote, or night owl, is both a nickname for residents of Solorzano's hometown in Jalisco, Mexico, and a nod to the nocturnal harvest season that she leads. The label may not inform consumers about the wine within either bottle, but it does provide a compelling visual. The labels of Las Jaras Wines are fun, fresh and forwardModern label designs can wholeheartedly counter the formality of traditional wine labels notorious for depictions of historic chateaus and elaborate cursive. Producers in comparatively young winemaking countries like America and Australia have often led this charge. These makers rely on playful graphics to convey their more approachable and experimental attitude toward wine. California's Las Jaras Wines, for instance, has been known to choose bright colors and designs made by artists like Chloe Wise and Jen Stark. Rather than adhere to a single theme or statement, the labels resonate across several movements of contemporary art to convey the energetic character of the producer's minimal-intervention bottlings. |
| Crisp and Clean: 10 Unoaked Chardonnays From Around the World Posted: 23 Apr 2021 04:00 AM PDT  Chardonnay is the most widely planted white wine grape in the world, and for good reason. Its incredible versatility is responsible for complex and ageworthy Champagne as well as covetable, clean white Burgundy. But while oaky Chardonnay remains popular, the unoaked ones show the crisper side of the grape. These wines are all fermented in stainless steel and run the gamut from light and simple, to serious and ageable. Schild Estate 2019 Unwooded Chardonnay (Barossa Valley); $17, 92 points. This unwooded Chardonnay is a refreshing contrast to many of this producer’s ripe, powerful reds. It opens with a bright perfume of peach, melon and ginger, with a mineral, saline note in the background. The palate has textural appeal. It’s creamy in feel yet lifted by pure, mouthwatering acidity and clean, fresh fruit flavors. USA Wine West. Editors' Choice. —Christina Pickard Balletto 2019 Teresa’s Unoaked Chardonnay (Russian River Valley); $20, 91 points. Estate-grown fruit presents as light in color and floral on the nose, with a fleshy flavorful palate of peach, green apple and pear. Long-lasting freshness and focus support its steely, light-bodied frame. —Virginie Boone Four Vines 2019 Naked Chardonnay (Central Coast); $11, 91 points. This unoaked bottling carries all the tropical hallmarks of the style, starting with jasmine and guava flesh on the nose. The palate is generous in both acidity and flavor, showing pineapple, lychee, guava and stone fruit that linger into the grippy finish. Best Buy. —Matt Kettmann Saracina 2019 Unoaked Chardonnay (Mendocino); $20, 91 points. This medium-bodied wine is graceful and well balanced, offering crisp lemon and green-apple flavors on a rather lean, tangy texture. It is nuanced and complex, and has a nice tension from tantalizing acidity. —Jim Gordon Tolosa 2019 No Oak Heritage Chardonnay (Central Coast); $23, 91 points. Lots of lemongrass and lime-blossom aromas make for a very fresh and zesty nose on this bottling, which also shows grapefruit-peel and oyster-shell elements. The palate is very tightly woven, with lemon-flesh and pomelo-peel flavors proving very sharp and laser-focused. Drink now through 2034. Cellar Selection. —M.K. Chehalem 2019 INOX Unoaked Chardonnay (Chehalem Mountains); $20, 90 points. All-stainless fermentation and aging puts an emphasis on bright, fresh fruit first and foremost. Ripe enough to feel deliciously sappy, this mixes Meyer lemon, pineapple and mixed citrus in a generous, lingering palate. —Paul Gregutt Forgeron 2019 Otherworldly Unoaked Chardonnay (Yakima Valley); $25, 90 points. Aromas of freshly cut apple and pear are followed by full-feeling flavors. Tart acidity backs it up. It has a pleasing sense of varietal purity. —Sean P. Sullivan Fox Run 2019 Doyle Family Chardonnay (Seneca Lake); $13, 89 points. Bright aromas of orange blossom and lily grace the nose of this Chardonnay that’s blended with a tiny amount of Traminette. The palate is ripe and juicy in flavors of pineapple and peach, cinched up by a pleasing textural grip and bright acidity. This is a solid buy for those looking for a fruity yet balanced medium-bodied white. Best Buy. —Alexander Peartree Rough Day 2019 Unoaked Chardonnay (Thracian Valley); $12, 89 points. This Bulgarian white has aromas of white peach, honeysuckle and Granny Smith apple. In the mouth, lively acidity lifts flavors of apple, lemon curd and lemon zest before the crisp finish. G&B Importers. Best Buy. —Jeff Jenssen Tormaresca 2019 Chardonnay (Puglia); $12, 88 points. This fun, fruity Chardonnay kicks off with aromas of banana, yellow apple and peach on the nose. The palate is light and brisk in tones of stone fruit and lemon, making this a well-balanced, enjoyable offering. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. Best Buy. —A.P. |
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