Night Harvest by R.H. Phillips Introduces New
Wine-Based Cocktails at San Francisco's Elixir
Seasonal Wine Libations are the Vine of the Times
(Esparto, Calif.) July 23, 2007 – First it was flavored vodka. Then Brazil’s cachaça was the tonic of choice. Now, the country’s cutting-edge bartenders are going back to the vine for the latest libation inspiration: premium wine cocktails. Night Harvest by R.H. Phillips has partnered with one of San Francisco’s master mixologists, H. Joseph Ehrmann of the historic Elixir saloon, to create five seasonal wine-based cocktails using Night Harvest’s premium California wines.
Night Harvest’s varietals shine in the distinctive drinks, which celebrate the spirit of each season. Fresh fruit essences and high-quality liqueurs complement the flavors in each of Night Harvest’s wines, crafted from 80% estate-grown grapes at R.H. Phillips’ Dunnigan Hills winery.
Each Night Harvest wine cocktail will be offered in-season as a featured drink at Elixir for the next year. Elixir is known for its handcrafted cocktails made with fresh fruit and herbs, and these libations are no exception.
Selected Night Harvest by R.H. Phillips seasonal wine cocktails are:
Star Gazer—A sweet, summertime blend of Chardonnay and rum with notes of vanilla, pineapple and lime.
Yuletide Moon—Need a little holiday pick-me-up? This spicy blend of Merlot, Bourbon and nutmeg should do the trick.
Sunset on Dunnigan—A citrusy sparkler for Valentine's Day that combines Chardonnay, a subtle juniper gin, elderflower and grapefruit to help brighten the night.
Sample recipes follow below. In coming months, recipes for the wine cocktails will be featured on the Night Harvest by R.H. Phillips website, www.nightharvest.com, for the home mixologist.
ABOUT H. JOSEPH EHRMANN
H. Joseph Ehrmann is the Proprietor of Elixir, the historic San Francisco saloon, and operator of Elixir Beverage Catering. He is a member of the United States Bartenders Guild and The Museum of the American Cocktail. When H. is not behind the bar at Elixir, he writes, speaks and consults about the drinks, the business and the industry he loves. His consultancy, Cocktail Ambassadors, draws on a pool of national industry talent to provide spirits seminars, cocktail creation, menu design and management advisory for restaurants and bars and the companies that service them. To request a home cocktail class, seminar, article, menu design or other consulting arrangement, please contact him directly by email at H@ElixirSF.com.
ABOUT NIGHT HARVEST BY R.H. PHILLIPS
The R.H. Phillips Vineyard is the largest producer in the Dunnigan Hills American Viticultural Area (AVA), which is located in Northwestern Yolo County, 85 miles northeast of San Francisco. The winery is nestled among rolling hillsides of vines and is home to Night Harvest by R.H. Phillips and Toasted Head wines. The winery’s address is 26836 County Road 12-A, Esparto, CA, 95695. For directions or more information, please visit www.nightharvest.com.
Night Harvest by R.H. Phillips is made by Pacific Wine Partners, a Constellation Wines U.S. company and a leading producer of premium California wines and importer of wines from Australia and New Zealand. Constellation Wines U.S. is part of Constellation Wines, the world’s largest wine business, which is an operating division of Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ and STZ.B). Constellation Wines U.S. encompasses four U.S. wine businesses: Icon Estates, Centerra Wine Company, Pacific Wine Partners, and North Lake Wines. Pacific Wine Partners produces several top California brands including Blackstone, Rex Goliath, Night Harvest by R.H. Phillips, Black Box, Twin Fin, Hayman and Hill, and Hogue from Washington State, and is the U.S. importer for Banrock Station, Hardys, Leasingham, Barossa Valley Estate, and Chateau Reynella from Australia, Nobilo from New Zealand, Kumala from South Africa, Duo from Chile, and Red Guitar from Spain.
For More Information Please Contact
C. Milan Communications at 415.392.6600
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Sample Recipes
The Star Gazer
(Night Harvest Chardonnay)
Summer Cocktail
2 ounces Night Harvest Chardonnay
1 ounce dark rum
½ ounce vanilla bean syrup
½ ounce pineapple juice
1 lime wedge
In a Boston shaker, add all ingredients and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Fill a 10.5 ounce highball glass with ice and strain the cocktail over the fresh ice. Squeeze the lime over the top of the drink, and drop the lime in to finish the drink.
Mixologist’s Notes:
The Night Harvest Chardonnay has bright, crisp, apple and pear notes with a hint of pineapple on the nose. I chose to build on the pineapple and create a summery, tall cocktail. The dark rum highlights the tropical flavors and brings out the oak. To further highlight the oaky vanilla, I used vanilla bean syrup as the sweetener. Shaking the drink hard creates a frothy head, and the addition of a tiny bit of lime juice on top brightens it all.
Yuletide Moon
(Night Harvest Merlot)
Holiday Cocktail
4 pitted bing cherries
¼ ounce of simple syrup
1½ ounce Night Harvest Merlot
1 ounce Bourbon
one wheel slice of lemon
fresh nutmeg to grind
In a 16 ounce mixing glass, muddle the cherries (if not pitted, just remove pits after muddling). Add simple syrup, merlot, bourbon and lemon slice. Top with ice to 2/3 full and shake lightly. Empty entire contents into a 10.5 ounce Old Fashioned glass. Top with grated nutmeg and enjoy!
Mixologist’s Notes:
The Night Harvest Merlot has delicious cherry flavors and slight oak to it, so I focused on those cherry and oak notes as the building blocks of the cocktail – a riff on a classic Sangaree. Cherry and Bourbon are a natural pairing for me, so I decided to cut the drink with Bourbon, which blends superbly with the Merlot. The lemon brightens the drink and makes it surprisingly refreshing and light, while the nutmeg provides a wonderful nose on every sip.
Sunset on Dunnigan
(Night Harvest Sauvignon Blanc)
Valentine’s Cocktail
2 ounces Night Harvest Sauvignon Blanc
1 ounce citrus forward, light juniper gin
½ ounce elderflower cordial
Grapefruit zest to garnish (either thin strips or a simple round slice without pith)
Pour all ingredients over ice and stir for 15 seconds. Julep strain, and serve up in a cocktail glass. Garnish with a 2” pass of a bar zester over a fresh grapefruit rind, directly over the cocktail so as to spray the oils over the surface of the cocktail. Drop the zest into the drink.
Mixologist’s Notes:
A romantic cocktail that will brighten your evening, the Sunset on Dunnigan complements the citrusy herbal qualities of the Night Harvest Sauvignon Blanc with the same notes in the spirit, while simultaneously adding the botanical dryness of a crisp gin. Elderflower cordial lends a summery, floral aspect that balances the drink nicely with its light sweetness. The slight bitterness of a spritz of grapefruit zest ties it all together.