Domaine Carneros and Noted Cocktail Alchemist Scott Beattie Kick Off Holiday Season with a Signature Cocktail

   

• 5 oz Domaine Carneros Brut Vintage Cuvée 
• .5 oz Luxardo
• .25 oz Raspberry Gum Syrup (Small Hands Foods makes a wonderful one!)
• .5 oz fresh lemon juice
• 1 dash Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel-Aged bitters
• Zest of orange

Preparation:  Chill all ingredients prior to mixing. When chilled, combine the Luxardo, Raspberry Gum and lemon juice in cocktail glass. Add the Brut and finish with a dash of the bitters. Stir very gently to mix ingredients (without breaking the bubbles).  For garnish, using a paring knife or citrus peeler, cut a long, thin piece of orange rind. Twist over the drink to release oils, run the peel around the rim of the glass, form into a curl and set on the edge of the cocktail. 
 
For larger parties, Scott recommends pre-batching the ingredients (other than the wine) and chilling in advance to make preparation incredibly simple and ensure that you spend more time with guests and less time in the kitchen or behind the bar! (Please see below for batching instructions for 25)
 
Base For 25 Cherry Fizz Cocktails
12.5 oz Luxardo
6.25 oz Raspberry Gum Syrup
12.5 oz fresh lemon juice
.75 oz Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel-Aged bitters
Zest of orange
(Chill this base down to very cold prior to use)
 
To make the drink in the glass for guests using base ingredients pre-mixed:
Add to the glass 1 oz chilled Base
Add 5 oz Domaine Carneros Brut Vintage Cuvée over the base ingredients
Stir gently to mix, twist orange zest over the drink to release oils, run the peel around the rim of the glass, form into a curl and set on the edge of the cocktail. 
 
ABOUT DOMAINE CARNEROS
Founded in 1987, Domaine Carneros reflects the hallmark of its founder, Champagne Taittinger, in creating a vision of terroir-driven sparkling wine while preserving the quality tenets of the traditional method production.  Located entirely within the Carneros AVA, between Napa and Sonoma counties, the six estate vineyards total approximately 400 acres with 125 acres planted to Chardonnay, 225 acres planted to Pinot Noir, with the remaining acres currently in development. The winery focuses on making ultra-premium Carneros sparkling wines and limited production Pinot Noirs.

Domaine Carneros' château has become a landmark and symbol of the region. The architecture and interior design were inspired by the 18^th century Château de la Marquetterie, the Taittinger family residence in the Champagne region.  The winery also places a high value on preserving the environment and has farmed sustainably since the late 1980s. The roof of the pinot noir winery adjacent to the château hosts a solar array that was the largest on any winery in the world when it was installed. Eileen Crane, CEO & Founding Winemaker, has overseen 31 harvests at the château and in 2018 celebrates the 20^th anniversary of the release of the winery’s luxury cuvée, Le Rêve Blanc de Blancs.  
 
About Scott Beattie
First establishing himself at the legendary Michelin-starred Cyrus restaurant in Healdsburg, CA, Beattie’s use of fresh, natural ingredients soon earned him fame throughout the country as a master mixologist. He is also considered one of the early proponents of farm-to-bar mixing, using local ingredients whenever possible. His first book, Artisinal Cocktails, was published in 2008 to much acclaim. The New York Times called it “the indispensable cookbook of farm-to-glass cocktails.” In recent years, Scott has served as Beverage Director at acclaimed Meadowood Napa Valley, where he creates beautiful, local ingredient-driven cocktails for the property’s exclusive private events and weddings.  


Photography by ClubSoda Productions/Henry Dombey