WINTER TIPPLES
HELENE RAVLICH:
TOP OF THE WINTER TIPPLES
With the cooler weather most definitely making its presence known, now is the perfect time to settle in at home with a glass – or bottle – of your favourite winter tipple close at hand. And whether you’re out for dinner, binge-watching ‘Stranger Things’ on the couch, or entertaining a crowd, there are a plethora of delicious winter-friendly beverages available to suit any taste, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. I always associate the cooler months with a warming, smooth red wine, and they don’t come much better than Dancing Water Pinot Noir 2019. Deeply coloured for a pinot noir and looking seriously beautiful in a glass, the premium offering from the boutique winery is a mid-weight wine with lifted fruit and a lovely balance. Its brightness and freshness means that this wine is immediately appealing and very easy to drink with or without a meal, but for those with more patience than I, it will also age magnificently in the cellar. Pinot lovers who have the strength and willpower to lock this wine away for a number of years will be rewarded with the aforementioned freshness and brightness further complexed by sous bois notes, and an even greater intensity and length. In summary: delicious now, likely to be even more delicious in the future.
Dancing Water Pinot Noir
For non-alcoholic indulgence, Lyre’s is the tipple of choice for an increasing number of locals after it landed in the country last year and blew the socks off even the most dedicated of spirits drinkers. Lyre’s range of 18 non-alcoholic spirit variants are designed to create 99 percent of the world’s cocktails, meaning you don’t need to sacrifice premium taste or the social drinking occasion when you choose to go dry.
From a classic Dry London to Agave and even an Absinthe equivalent, Lyre’s gives bartenders and those playing mixologist at home the liquids to create their favourite drinks, sans alcohol. Five ready-to-drink beverages are also available as a convenient option, as well as Classico, which pays homage to Prosecco and was a big favourite over summer.
Lyres, Gin Mule
42 PONSONBY NEWS+ July 2022
PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)
