Pineau des Charentes

There have been many tongue – in – cheek jokes about throwing the concept of “Dry January” away with the current state of things in the United States. Others joke that we’ve lived a full year in the past week or since since New Years! Well…it does kind of feel that way…

Regardless, I find this is a good time to sit down and have a drink, because between the news cycles, COVID, and everything in-between, I certainly need to unwind. While I unwind, I am certainly amenable to finding a few drink to indulge in.

Recently, I was gifted bottles of Pineau des Charentes, a fortified wine blended with cognac. To quote the Pineau Academy website, it is an “unprecedented combination of a wine’s elegance with the bold kick of a spirit”. That statement truly encapsulates it! I had never previous heard of Pineau des Charentes, and I must say, I have taking quite a shine to it. I fell for the Pineau de Charentes Blanc, a bright and fruity affair with hints of honey and spice, that is excellent when served neat or with some ice. It also pairs well in a cocktail, as you will see below! This beverage is like a chameleon, it can blend in and work in a variety of ways!

There are four Signature Cocktails currently being toted by Pineau de Charentes Ambassadors. I definitely struggled with which one to give a shot first – I mean, the options are incredible! – but I eventually settled on the approachable La Adventure. Crafted with the Plneau de Charentes Blanc, plus dry white wine, grapefruit bitters, Suzu, a splash of soda, and ice, this cocktail was a sorely-missed sip of sunny spring weather on a cold January day. It’s light, it sparkles, it’s incredibly refreshing! The bright citrus aroma of the lemon twist just adds to the experience.

This cocktail is formally made in a white wine glass, but, honestly, how could I resist the urge to create it in this finely-crafted vessel I have right here? She’s a beauty!

Pineau Academy can be found on YouTube, with vibrant and informative videos on how to make some of their signature cocktails! Next on my list is either the Conveyance by Richard Allison or the Gold of Biscay by Frank Mills. (Frankly, can we have *more* edible gold glitter on cocktails?) Take a peek at those videos and tell me in the comments: Which would you pick? Keep an eye on my Instagram, because I hope to make another one of Pineau’s signature cocktails to celebrate the arrival of spring in a few months…which can’t come soon enough! Ha!

NOTE: These bottles of Pineau de Charentes were gifted to me for editorial review purposes. Thank you! As always, all opinions are my own.