Dear Friends,
I love the freedom of summer. Something about this time of year that you say to hell with tradition and move to shake things up!
As you can suspect, I love drinking bubbles all year round. But in summer, there’s nothing better than enjoying bubbly cocktails by the pool, the bocce court, the outdoor fire pit or just hanging out in the backyard.
There are a million delicious ways to combine bubbles with spirits. Many of my winemaking friends have successfully ventured into the production of hard spirits.
One of my favorite cocktails is made with my good friend Ginny Sweeney’s Ginny’s Gin. Here is a fun recipe to try out using Ginny’s:
Boozy Bellini
• 2 ounces Ginny’s Gin
• 1 ounce fresh peach puree (or any seasonal fruit puree)
• Chilled Paula Kornell Sparkling California Brut to top
My good friend Mark Carter is another who started with wine and is now also making spirits. A well-regarded Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon producer and hotelier/restaurateur, Mark took his love of Bourbon all the way to Louisville, Kentucky, founding Old Carter Whiskey Co.
I love Bourbon nearly as much as I love bubbles, so here’s my recipe for a delicious summertime quaff that combines them both:
B & B (Bubbles & Bourbon) Smash
• 2 ounces Old Carter Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• 1 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 ounce maple syrup
• Shake ingredients with ice and strain into whatever glass suits your fancy. Top off with PK Sparkling wine and garnish with a twist of orange peel
While it is a perennially popular drink with many, I myself was never a Mimosa fan. HOWEVER, if you have the right bubbles and fresh juice, this is truly an elevated treat! Whether you like your cocktail with dark spirits or light, adding bubbles will add a lift of refreshment and sense of celebration this summer.
I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention a kind compliment from my good friend, Juan Diego Casaretto of Polanco Caviar, who told Katie Kelly Bell of Barron’s that his favorite thing to pair with caviar is sparkling wine ... "and my dear friend Paula Kornell has the best one in the country." What a statement!
Thank you for your support in helping me build my dream, Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine. Oh, and check out my father’s Secret Summer Punch recipe.
With sparkles,
Paula Kornell
summer SPARKLING DUO
The Paula Kornell Sparkling California Brut made its debut in 2017 and soon earned the #5 spot in Wine Enthusiast’s Top Wines of 2020. Made predominantly from Chardonnay with a percentage of Pinot Noir, the grapes that go into the wine are certified sustainable.
Pair it with my Napa Valley Blanc de Noirs from Mitsuko’s Vineyard, a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, awarded 90 points recently from wine critic Lisa Perrotti-Brown in The Wine Independent, who said, "the palate has impressive vivacity with fine, frothy bubbles."