Close Menu
Top 10

Ten times spirits and wine joined forces

No longer do we need to divide people into those who drink wine and those who drink spirits. From a Champagne-finished single malt to a gin-Shiraz hybrid, SB rounds up 10 times the two categories collided.

This is our selection of the top 10 times that wines and spirits joined forces

Whether a Cognac that focuses on both vintage and harvest or a vodka made with Chardonnay grapes, there have been plenty of times that the world of spirits has impinged on the world of wine.

Also on the list is an añejo Tequila finished in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels and a duo of vermouths made with Pinot Grigio and Merlot from well-known Prosecco producer Bottega.

Click through to see 10 times wine and spirits joined forces to create something even better.

The Dalmore 50

 

Earlier this year, The Dalmore released a Champagne-finished 50-year-old single malt in honour of master distiller Richard Paterson’s 50 years in the industry.

The expression was matured in American white oak, Matusalem oloroso Sherry casks from before being finished for 50 days in casks from Domaine Henri Giraud, one of the few Champagne houses that still matures wine in casks.

The Dalmore 50 was presented in a crystal decanter, and in keeping with the theme, only 50 were made.

Read more about this spirit here.

Bloody Shiraz Gin

Australian distillery Four Pillars “appropriated” some grapes from neighbour Rob Dolan Wines to create this “Aussie riff on an old-fashioned sloe gin”.

Originally released to coincide with World Gin Day 2015, the spirit is now on its third vintage, with this year’s expression featuring a “vibrant ruby colour”.

Bloody Shiraz Gin is described as having “long juniper and spice characters”, with “pine needles” and a “dense raspberry character” on the nose.

Read more about this spirit here.

Domaines Hine Bonneuil 2006

This Cognac from Hine has been made exclusively from grapes grown in the Grande Champagne enclave of Bonneuil.

 

Similar to the wine world, Hine’s single estate Bonneuil range focuses on terroir and harvest rather than age, with each bottle numbered as a single cask without caramel colouring.

Due to its relatively young age, the range is “unique” in Grande Champagne.

Read more about this spirit here.

Belsazar Riesling Edition

Belsazar teamed up with winery Dr Loosen to create a Riesling-based edition of its vermouth. Bottled at 16% abv, just 4,000 bottles of the limited edition have been produced.

It also contains dried pineapple, grapefruit and peppermint.

Read more about this spirit here.

Nomad Outland

 

Nomad Outland is a well-travelled whisky, being made in Scotland but aged in Spain.

The blend has a base of over 30 “Speyside single malt and grain whiskies” of between five and eight years. This blend is then aged in Sherry butts in Scotland for a further three years, before being shipped to Jerez for another 12 months in Pedro Ximénez casks.

It is described as having a “quintessential Scottish character and a soul that is truly Jerezano”.

Read more about this spirit here.

Vintage Velvet

Vintage Velvet is a small-batch artisanal vodka from Cambridge which has been flavoured with Chardonnay grapes.

The grapes are grown in a vineyard in East Anglia.

The tasting notes suggest “caramel followed by a lasting, savoury, buttery smooth finish”.

Read more about this spirit here.

Bottega Vermouth

Although better known for producing Prosecco, Bottega this year moved into vermouth, creating two expressions. Vermouth Bianco Bottega is made with Pinot Grigio, and Vermouth Rosso Bottega uses Merlot.

Each expression contains over 30 herbs, spices and flowers.

Irene Patruno of Bottega said: “Vermouth is usually made with a neutral wine base to take out the flavour of the grape, but we wanted to use wine with personality.”

Read more about this spirit here.

Sorgin

Bordeaux-based winemaker François Lurton has created a “winemaker’s gin” with Sauvignon grapes from Gascony, France, and juniper distillate. Other botanicals include grapefruit zest, gorse, redcurrant buds, lemon and violets.

The name, Sorgin, comes from the Basque word for “sorceress”, which Lurton says “embodies the spirit of festivity and moments of sharing”.

Alta Belleza

Casa Noble, the Tequila house owned by Constellation Brands, last year released an extra añejo expression that was finished in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. The resulting liquid is “copper-red” in colour, with flavours of green apple, cinnamon, toasted almond and sweet cooked agave.

The expression represents a collaboration between the To Kalon Vineyard in Napa Valley and Casa Noble’s agave fields of Jalisco.

Read more about this spirit here.

Foxhole Gin

 

Foxhole Spirits launched a London dry gin last year that was distilled from wine grapes grown in Sussex vineyards.

“In a typical English wine harvest, because of the nature of winemaking, around 30-40% of the grape material is not used and normally gets thrown away,” said James Oag-Cooper, founder of Foxhole Spirits. “However, when it is put through a second pressing, we can use the juice to create a gin with a beautiful balance of floral and citrus characteristics.”

Botanicals used in the gin include juniper, angelica root, orris root, bitter orange and grapefruit zest.

Read more about this spirit here.

It looks like you're in Asia, would you like to be redirected to the Drinks Business Asia edition?

Yes, take me to the Asia edition No