Top 3 Wine Cocktail – Tasteful Blush, 2nd Place

Tasteful Blush Wine Cocktail

Ranked #2 out of 33 Wine Cocktails in Competition

Tasteful Blush is a refreshing wine cocktail that can be served as an aperitif before dinner, by the pool, or as a romantic drink. The possibilities are endless…share it with a group of friends or by yourself to wind down at the end of the day!

Background & History:

The wine that we use for Tasteful Blush is Korbel Champagne Blanc de Noirs. Blanc de Noirs is a champagne that is a blend of 66% Pinot Noir, 16% Chardonnay, and 15% Sangiovese. When one opens a bottle, the aroma consists of fruity characters especially raspberry and strawberry. Due to the fruitness that this champagne brings in its aromas, we wanted to experiment with pomegrantes. With the infusion of pomegranates, we thought we could help balance the fruitness and acidity of the champagne and give people a feeling of both sweetness and crispness with every sip.

Pomegranates are one of the most ancient of fruits, with historical documents going back as far as 4000 B.C. The name means “seeded apple.”  Originally from the Far East, they are grown for both food and their decorative beauty. They are considered to be a superfood because they are rich in vitamin C, potassium, and other natural phenols.  The ancients used them to treat bladder problems, ulcers, and as a tonic for the heart.

Ingredients for Four Servings:

• 1/2 cup of pomegranate juice
• 1/8 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup of Cointreau
• 2-3 tablespoons of pomegranate seeds
• Champagne
• Orange twist for garnish

Recipe:

Slice fresh pomegranate in half and remove seeds from the skin, place in a bowl. Peel orange, save peels in a small bowl. Slice lemons in half, squeeze juice in a measuring cup until 1/8^th of cup is filled, set aside. Measure ½ cup of pomegranate juice, ¼ cup of gin or Cointreau (we used Cointreau!) and set aside.

Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of pomegranate seeds into a champagne flute. In a pitcher, pour pomegrante juice, Cointreau, and lemon juice. Cover and shake well. Pour ¼ of mixture into glass. Top with sparkling wine. Slowly run an orange peel around the edge of glass and then drop into drink. Voila, Tasteful Blush is born!

Video: Making a Tasteful Blush Wine Cocktail

Contributed by I. Peña-Andrade and M. Aswad