Cocktail Couture: Camelot Cellars Pinot Noir

Just in time for happy hour, take a sip of Camelot Cellars' Chilean Pinot Noir. Jenna Brucoli (of the inspiring blog Jenna Sais Quois) and I have been following the changes at Camelot Cellars for the past year, and knew right away that this wine had a place in our Cocktail Couture series. Having relaunched this past July, new owner Janine Aquino has brought new life to the business. She has a deep-rooted history in the world of wine, and is the perfect fit for this Short North store.

Adding more focus on events, Camelot Cellars has hosted a number of big bashes in the last few months, including their grand reopening, Yelp's Meet-the-Owner, a Cbusr Meetup and Celebrity Bartender Nights. Janine is partnered with Edible Columbus' cooking classes, offering wine specifically paired to the evening's dishes.

Enough with the introductions, now feast your eyes on this dark, rich wine.

I got lucky and was given a leftover bottle of this Chilean Pinot Noir at the end of an Edible Cooking Class. I enjoyed it so much, I went out and bought another bottle. It has a scent similar to strawberry jam, but the flavor is smooth, rich, just slightly fruity, and a little smoky. I won't claim to be a wine expert, but what I love about wine is each person tastes something different, and there are millions to choose from to find your own favorites. This is number one on my list of Pinot Noirs, and probably in my top 10 reds.

Because the wine is so simple, we went simple on the accessories. A few beaded necklaces from my own collection brought out the reds and purples of the wine. The props were picked up locally, at flea markets and garage sales, including the tray from Worthington's flea market Treasure on the Green, and the plates of stained glass came from the Columbus Architectural Salvage. If you've never been to either, you really should. Some of my best props have come from both.


One last note: A group of my friends spent a birthday making wine at Camelot Cellars and had a great time. Now every time I see a bottle of the wine we made, I remember the fun we had. What a great, drinkable souvenir.

Check out our previous cocktails from our Cocktail Couture series here:
Tessora Lemon Cappuccini
Watershed Gin Pumpkin Drop
Oyo Whiskey Hot Toddy