Wine and wine-based cocktails are always great choices for a party. I often whip up a big batch of sangria when I’m hosting – or attending – a summer barbecue, but it’s not the only way to play with your wine. The New York Sour is a fantastic cocktail for a party because not only is it delicious, but it’s got a dramatic presentation that will make everyone want one.
The drink is a riff on a whiskey sour, a very classic cocktail made with whiskey, lemon juice and simple syrup. You can make whiskey sours with bourbon or rye, and you can also adjust the ratio of sweet to sour to suit your own tastes. The New York Sour is a whiskey sour with a float of red wine on top, a two-tone cocktail that is almost too pretty to drink. In this particular drink, we start with a rye whiskey, which has a nice spiciness and is able to stand up to the red wine very well. I make this drink a touch sweeter than I might make a “plain” whiskey sour because the dry wine on top saps a little of the sweetness out of the base.
To float the wine neatly on top, put it in a small measuring cup and pour it over the back of a spoon. This distributes the wine as you pour it so it floats neatly, rather than mixing in with the rye base. Once the drink is served, you can either stir the two components together with a straw or simply sip the cocktail as-is.
New York Sour
2 oz rye whiskey
3/4 oz lemon juice
3/4 oz simple syrup
1 oz red wine
Combine whiskey, lemon juice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously until cold, then strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Float red wine on top by slowly pouring it over the back of a spoon near the surface of the drink.
Makes 1.
What do you think?