By Christina Chrysostomou
Pink port co*cktails are fast becoming the new white port tipples so try your hand at these creative, fruity and vibrant recipes featuring Croft pink port.
Image: Croft Pink
A rich sticky tipple synonymously eaten with the most stinky delicious cheese at Christmas, port has undergone a trendy makeover in blushing pink tones.
Check out these delcious co*cktail recipes from Croft Pink, the first rosé style Port, produced at Quinta da Roêda, Douro Valley (A Unesco World Heritage site) in Porto, Portugal.
Pink Earl
If you enjoy a high tea, this one is for you. The bergamot found in the Earl grey pairs beautifully with orange flavours contained within the Triple Sec and marmalade.
Serve with warm cranberry and orange scones to complete the experience.
Image: Croft Pink
Ingredients
- 50ml Croft Pink
- 25ml triple sec
- 30ml cold earl grey tea (made using either loose leaf tea or 1 tea bag with freshly drawn boiling water)
- 15ml lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of orange marmalade
Method
1) Mix all ingredients and shake vigorously into a chilled co*cktail glass.
2) Garnish with physallis
Pink tonic
Want to switch up your usual G&T this festive season? Try swapping your favourite gin for pink port.
Image: Croft Pink
Ingredients
- 70ml Croft Pink
- 200ml tonic water
- Lemon peel
- 2 mint leaves
- Ice cubes
Method
1) Pour tonic water and Croft Pink into a long drink glass with ice.
2) Add lemon peel and garnish with mint leaves and lemon zest.
Tea Time
This co*cktail makes a refreshing change to a Buck’s Fizz or a classic champagne co*cktail, such as a French 75.
Image: Croft Pink
Ingredients
- 40ml Croft Pink
- 25ml black tea
- 1 muscovado sugar cube
- Sparking wine
- Orange peel
Method
1) Place the sugar in a flute.
2) Add the other ingredients and finish with sparkling wine.
3) Garnish with orange peel.
Pink bollywood
Shaken with tropical mango and citrus lime juices, these martinis are great for when a short stint of Indian Summer surprises us.
Image: Croft Pink
Ingredients
- 60ml Croft Pink
- 30ml Triple Sec
- 30ml mango juice
- 15ml lime juice
- Crushed ice
- Edible flowers such as Nasturtiums (optional)
Method
1) In a shaker, add the Croft Pink, Triple Sec, mango juice, lime juice and the crushed ice.
2) Shake well and strain the liquid into a chilled martini glass.
3) Garnish with edible flowers, if using.
Croft Sangria
This Portuguese take on classic Sangria uses Port instead of red wine, with brandy replaced with rum.
Image: Croft Pink
Ingredients
- 70ml Croft Pink
- 90ml Rum
- 180ml orange juice
- 90ml lemon juice
- 40ml sugar syrup
- Ice cubes
- Seasonal fruit
Method
1) Start off by making the simple syrup by adding 500ml of water and 500g of sugar into a medium hot pan and stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat as soon as it starts to boil.
2) Add all the ingredients to a 1.5 litre pitcher.
3) Serve over lots of ice.
4) Use slices of lemon and orange, apples, or any other seasonal fruit you desire.
Croft’s Grand
This co*cktail combines complimentary berry notes from Croft Pink, along with jammy notes from the strawberry conserve.
Image: Croft Pink
Ingredients
- 50ml Croft Pink
- 20ml Grand Marnier
- 20ml mint tea
- 1 teaspoon of strawberry conserve
- 1 orange peel
Method
1) Mix all the ingredients well in a shaker.
2) Pour into a chilled co*cktail glass.
3) Garnish with orange peel.
Pink Jalisco flower
An explosive co*cktail of tequila, champagne and Croft Pink, these marmalade-hued co*cktail packs a punch.
Image: Croft Pink
Ingredients
- 15ml Tequila
- 25ml Croft Pink
- 30ml Grapefruit juice
- Sparkling wine
- Orange marmalade
Method
1) Pour all the ingredients, except the sparkling wine and marmalade, into a shaker.
2) Dissolve the marmalade using a touch of hot water, add to shaker and shake vigorously.
3) Strain with a fine mesh strainer into co*cktail glasses.
4) Add sparkling wine to taste, and garnish with orange peel.
Old laughing lady
A pink port co*cktail for gin lovers; you don’t have to be in your senior years to enjoy the finer things in life.
Image: Croft Pink
Ingredients
- 70ml Croft Pink
- 30ml Gin
- 2 slices of fresh ginger
- 2 slices of cucumber
- Ice cubes
Method
1) Muddle fresh ginger and cucumber in a shaker, then shake.
2) Double strain and serve in a glass with ice cubes.
3) Garnish with long slices of cucumber.
About Croft Pink port
Original, unique and innovative, Croft Pink is the first ever rosé port. With vibrant flavours of ripe cherry and raspberry, with lovely nuances of honey and grapefruit, and a dry, very attractive finish. a versatile alternative, to enjoy on a refined occasion or in a more relaxed way to enjoy port to what us Brits are used to. In addition to the familiar Ruby or Tawny Port, why not introduce pink port to your cabinet or drink’s trolley this Christmas by ordering on Amazon?
Yet to invest in a drinks trolley? According to John Lewis, staying in is the new going out with 136% increase in sales of co*cktail trolleys. Pick up a designer dupe from Primark for only £30, saving nearly £500 off some models.
And, should you wish to experience treading of grapes first-hand (or should we say first-foot?), the quinta (farm) will allow you to let loose in the lagares (granite tanks) of which the wine is produced. Tasting experiences start from 12 Euros up to 30 Euros, dependent on the number of Ports and vintages sampled during your visit.
More information on tasting experiences can be found on their website.
