Indulge in the flavors of fall with Elle Feldman, sommelier and co-founder of Good Clean Wine. Elle has created a curated collection of the top four fall-inspired wine cocktail and spritz recipes.
"When the peak heat of summer begins to break and the first signs of fall appear, I’m inspired to cook, including making wine cocktails. Wine cocktails are a great way for me to play with fall's spicy, hearty flavors and enjoy a lower alcohol aperitivo. Holding and sipping a cocktail is an elegant and fun way for me to elevate an outdoor hang or a fire-pit gathering. I make these pretty, fall-inspired wine cocktails with lighter-bodied, fruit-forward, dry, un-oaked Good Clean Wine." —Elle Feldman
Good Clean Wine is made with no added sugars and only contains low amounts of residual sugar and carbs, so it’s perfect for when you are looking to reduce your sugar intake and enjoy a cocktail.
Dark and Stormy
Says Elle, "When the chill of fall hits, grab a mason jar and make this dark and stormy wine cocktail, which usually includes rum, citrus, and spice. I replaced the rum with Good Clean Spumante Rosé, used limoncello in place of lemon juice, and fig preserves instead of ginger. Inspired by cheese-filled olives as a martini garnish, I skewered goat cheese-stuffed figs to garnish. The red cherry and strawberry flavors in Good Clean Spumante Rosé with the mild jam and dried berry of the figs makes this the perfect cocktail to cozy up and sip on the porch to watch a fall thunderstorm roll in. You can prepare a batch of these in advance and bring in prepared sealed mason jars to the neighborhood fall potluck.”
1 plain fig
3 goat cheese-filled figs
Fresh thyme
1 ounce of limoncello
1 Tbs of fig preserves
3 ounces of Good Clean Spumante Rosé
2 ounces of club soda
Muddle fig, thyme, and limoncello in a glass container. Strain into a mason jar, add fig preserves and stir. Add crushed ice, spumante rosé, and club soda. Garnish with thyme and three goat cheese-filled figs on a toothpick. Watch Elle make it here.
Harvest Martini
"Martinis are a great option when looking for low-sugar alcoholic drinks. The Harvest Martini with limoncello and sparkling rosé is a little bit like a hot toddy without the whiskey and is a great option for a lower-alcohol martini," says Elle.
1 ounce of limoncello
1/2 ounce of lemon juice
2 ounces of Good Clean Spumante Rosé
1/2 allspice
2 dashes of fall-flavored bitters
1 Tbs each of sugar and allspice for rimming.
Combine 1 Tbs sugar and allspice and rim the martini glass with the mixture. Combine limoncello, lemon juice, and allspice in a martini shaker. Strain into a rimmed martini glass. Top with spumante rose and bitters.
The Ruby Hour Cocktail
"The Ruby Hour looks like an autumn sunset and tastes like frothed mulled wine. I chose to use maple syrup as a natural substitute for sugar to add a little sweetness to this wine cocktail. The frothed egg whites add volume, mouthfeel, and a sultry decadence," says Elle.
1 egg white
1/2 ounce of maple syrup
1 ounce of lemon juice
1/2 ounce of orange juice
1/2 ounce of orange bitters
1.5 ounce of limoncello
1 ounce of Good Clean Cabernet
Combine everything except the wine in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake hard to chill and combine. Fine-strain into a coupe glass. Float red wine on top and garnish with a rosemary sprig.
Cabernet Spritz
1 ounce of limoncello
2 ounces of club soda
3 ounces of good clean cabernet
Pour all ingredients into wine glass filled with ice and garnish with lemon zest.
