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

Cocktail Couture: OYO Whiskey Hot Toddy

Continuing with our Cocktail Couture series with Jenna Sais Quois, we've come up with the perfect fall recipe for Middle West Spirit's OYO Whiskey!

Hot Toddy's are not a new invention, but they're new to me. I've never liked whiskey, until I tried OYO Whiskey. My interest in Middle West Spirits isn't just because they're local, though of course I appreciate that. I love their products because I can taste the care that's put into them. They take nothing for granted, every step of their process has been considered. The depth of flavors is incredible, and while there is so much flavor in every sip, they're still easy mixers, blending well with all sorts of other ingredients.

You can read more about what makes Middle West Spirits special in Edible Columbus' Winter 2010 issue (starting on p.46). I was thrilled to photograph them for this piece, and learned so much while touring their distillery, which, by the way, you can do, too!

Hot Apple Toddy

2 oz. OYO Whiskey
2-3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (or so) apple cider
Cinnamon Stick (garnish)

Start by adding a little Ohio honey to the bottom of your mug. Next add the OYO Whiskey and sugar and then fill the rest of the glass with hot apple cider. Use the cinnamon stick to stir the honey into the drink. The longer the cinnamon stick stays in the drink, the more spiced your drink will become.
This is a great party recipe. Just heat a gallon of apple cider and the sugar on the stove and have the mugs ready with the honey, whiskey and cinnamon stick. Then have your guests ladle the apple cider into their mug when they're ready for a drink!

Apple cider and honey are two Ohio staples, and are super easy to source locally. To see more about the different honey varieties, check out our honey post on Design Sponge.

The locket necklace featured here is from Substance, a great store for accessories in the Short North. But lucky you, this necklace is available online, too! The string of gold beads is from Jenna Brucoli's accessory collection, along with the dangling gold bands, but none of the sparkly jewelry can outshine the golden whiskey. Now go build a fire and heat up the cider for a great evening curled up inside.

Check out our previous cocktails here:
Tessora Lemon Cappuccini
Watershed Gin Pumpkin Drop