Red Moon Over Manhattan

Also known as a Red Moon Rising, this modern cocktail is a thoughtful twist on—no surprise here—the Manhattan. Since many of our cocktails last year called for bourbon, we had the pleasure of cracking open a new bottle and tiptoeing into new bourbon territory. Alas, none of us really noticed a difference. But the bottle sure was pretty! Baby steps…

Also noteworthy is the Grenache we used. Many of the recipes recommended a Cabernet, but we opted for a particularly bold Grenache with lots of spicy notes and intense cherry and raspberry aromas. If you remember your wine by its label, you’re in luck. This one’s unforgettably named… Bitch.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces red wine (we used Grenache), chilled
  • 1/2 ounce bourbon
  • 1/2 ounce simple syrup
  • Orange peel and fresh ginger, to season the glass
  • Frozen cherries, to garnish

Pour the booze and syrup into a pitcher, and place it in the fridge to chill. When it’s cocktail time, pour the chilled mixture into ice-filled tumblers rimmed with the oil from an orange peel and the juice from a slice of fresh ginger. Garnish with a fresh cherry speared on a cocktail pick, and enjoy.

The verdict: Really enjoyable. A nice pairing of—surprise, surprise—a Manhattan and a sangria. Not too simple, not too complicated—just right. Would definitely have had seconds if dinner hadn’t been ready (or if there hadn’t been dinner).

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