The Cure for the Common Cocktail

Maggie Hoffman, Monique Soltani

Whether you are looking for a light libation to help enhance your labor-less Labor Day weekend or you want to get in on the cocktail craze with a classic cocktail, these three easy sparkling wine recipes will leave you thirsty for more all year long.

In this episode, Wine Oh TV’s Monique Soltani teams up with cocktail expert and author Maggie Hoffman. Maggie is mixing up mixology and showing us three easy twists on a classic spritz.

Photo Credit: Kelly Puleio

Maggie Hoffman Bio

Maggie Hoffman is a cocktail expert and the author of The One-Bottle Cocktail, More than 80 Recipes with Fresh Ingredients and a Single Spirit which comes out from Ten Speed Press in March 2018.

Her writing has appeared in Wine Enthusiast and the San Francisco Chronicle, and online in Serious Eats, Saveur, Food & Wine, and others.

Aperol 311 Spritz Recipe

3 ounces sparkling wine

1 ounce Aperol (or try Cappelletti!)

1 ounce chilled club soda

Garnish: orange wedge

Add all ingredients to a wine glass and fill with ice. Garnish with an orange wedge.

This is really good with salty snacks.

Bitter 3-2-1 Recipe

3 ounces sparkling wine

2 ounces chilled soda

½ ounce Cynar

½ ounce Campari

Garnish: grapefruit wedge (optional)

Add all ingredients to an ice-filled highball glass. Give it a gentle stir and garnish with a grapefruit wedge if desired.

Aperol This Time Recipe

created by Jeremy Simpson for Bestia in LA.

For 6 serving PRE BATCH

6 ounces Punt e Mes

6 ounces Aperol

3 ounces lime

3 ounces saffron simple syrup

Garnish: lime wheel (optional)

Refrigerate and shake it up before serving.

Then each glass gets 1 ounce soda and 1 ounce Prosecco and 3 ounces of the mixture, ice. Garnish with a lime wheel if desired.

Saffron Syrup

1/4 gram of saffron (a pinch)

1 cup evaporated cane sugar

1 cup water

Add sugar and water together in a small saucepan on medium heat, stirring occasionally

Once sugar dissolves, add the saffron and remove from heat and let sit 30 minutes. Strain and refrigerate up to 1 week.