Sauced

Valentine’s Day Drinking, Seattle Style

A Tom Waits cover band, specialty cocktails, and sparkling suggestions for tonight’s toast.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Feb 14, 2011 at 02:07PM 1 Comments

Good champagne, bad marriage.

Sad bastards descend upon Bottleneck tonight to drown their sorrows with Tom Waits cover band Dust and Bourbon. The performance begins at 9pm.

Other goings-down:

The Pink Door has a special Valentine’s cocktail: Love Is Bittersweet. It’s freshly pressed blood oranges, Campari, and prosecco in a champagne flute—which sounds delicious. It also sounds a lot like The Walrus and the Carpenter’s version of Le Perroquet, but we’re sure nobody will sue. (Not that it matters since cocktail recipes are not protected under law anyway). That’s $10.

If you’re headed for dinner at Tulio, bring your sweet tooth. The restaurant is featuring three special Valentine’s Day cocktails. The first is homemade cherry brandy liqueur (what, no Heering?), white creme de cacao, and a brandied cherry. The second is Grand Marnier, Godiva Chocolate Liqueur, and candied Sicilian orange. The third combines Nocello, dark creme de cacao, and walnut brittle.

Finally, if you need a last-minute idea for a bottle of champagne, may I suggest the most romantic champagne in the world, Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin Rose? So what if Kelsey Grammar and his ex-Real Housewife of Beverly Hills were drinking it in that wrist-slitty segment when she accompanies him to the Tony Awards. It’s still romantic. (And don’t look at me like that, I know you watched it.)

I’d point smaller budgets to Northwest bottles from Argyle, Pacific Rim’s White Flowers (great with raw oysters), and Mountain Dome. And then there’s that ole Alsatian work-hourse Lucien Albrecht. Always tasty.

Okay then, Happy Valentines Day! Take us out of here, Waits.

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Tags: Cocktails, Valentine's Day, Seattle Bars

Do You Love a Wine Drinker?

Three ways to save yourself this Valentine’s Day.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Feb 11, 2010 at 10:38AM 0 Comments

Non-wine people who date wine drinkers are kind of in for it on Valentine’s Day. The expectation is that you go above and beyond, the reality is that you have no idea what you are doing.

I’m going to offer three ways that you can get the job done well this year. The best part is that all of them can be accomplished this Saturday, February 13—the day before V-Day.

We’ll deal with your procrastination issues later.

SLACKER VALENTINE
If your significant other is only mildly into champagne, impress with the value-driven Mountain Dome NV Brut (the one with the gnomes on the label that looks like the official wine of Magic: the Game). It is well worth the $12-$14 at which it retails and easily purchasable at Metropolitan and Madison Markets.

If you need to seriously impress, drop $105 for the focused and lively NV Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose, a standard-setting champagne always in stock at McCarthy and Schiering.

INTERMEDIATE VALENTINE
Speaking of McCarthy and Schiering, winemaker Chris Camarda will be pouring the 2007 Andrew Will red wines at the Ravenna shop from 11:30-2pm on Saturday, and at the Queen Anne location from 2:30-5pm. Pick the bottle you like best and offer it up. There is no going wrong with Andrew Will, in my humble opinion, and the personal touch that comes with being able to say “this was my favorite” shows you’re not just going through the motions. This is important.

CHAMPION VALENTINE
If you know nothing about sparkling wine and want to know more, you can sign up for a Sparkling Wine 101 at the Waterfront Seafood Grill. The class runs from 3:30-5pm on February 12, costs $35, and will be taught by Waterfront wine director Kristen Young. The price includes a blind tasting of five different sparklers.

This one should impress the pants off your beloved wino, since you’re not only learning what to buy, you’re taking an active interest in something he/she likes. You can also offer up the class as a Valentine’s gift and attend together. Either way, pants off.

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Tags: Downtown, Wine, Valentine's Day, Queen Anne, Wine Tastings, Sparkling Wine

Chocolate, Meet Beer.

Now in its second year, Pike Brewing’s Chocofest plays matchmaker to local chocolates and their boozy counterparts.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Feb 08, 2010 at 02:56PM 1 Comments

That’s going to make you thirsty, lady. Chocofest pairs artisan chocolates with local beverages.

Best Valentine’s-related event so far: Thursday, February 11 is Chocofest at Pike Brewing Company from 6-9pm. As such, there will be more than two dozen kinds of chocolate paired with over twenty beers, barley wines, meads, and spirits.

Vendors and products to get excited about include: Clear Creek Distillers from Oregon—they make grappas, eaux de vie, and wine brandies. Claudio Corallo, whose chocolates everyone is always freaking out over, Mount Baker Vineyards (I’m hoping they’ll be pouring some of their very food-friendly late-harvest viognier), absinthe from Pacific Distillery, and typically sold-only-at-farmers-markets Trevani Truffles.

RSVP with Michael St Clair at the brewery by calling 206-812-6613, tickets are $25 at the door.

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Tags: Local Spirits, Beer, Valentine's Day, Desserts, Pike Place Market