The Saint

Sometimes it can become a little tricky if you have earned the reputation for being well-versed in cocktails. Especially when this reputation raises expectations on you as a host. So it happened to me recently that I was about to ask a friend of mine on a sunny and warm day whether he wants to drink a cocktail and I was already thinking about some possible suggestions for classical refreshing drinks, but then he answered: “Given the weather I’d love to have something really innovative made with white wine! Do you have any ideas?” Well, I was caught red-handed since honestly I did not have any idea at first.

But of course there is always the opportunity to play for time. So I answered “I’ll see what I’ve got there” and while it would be a no-go for a bartender behind the bar, I thought that maybe a famous search engine could be my friend in that moment and I’ll find some inspiration. And I did. I came across a drink called “The Saint,” it is a cocktail invented in the Moto Café in Brooklyn, New York, and it sounded very promising. However, I had no ginger syrup in the house and of course in this situation I also did not have the time to make one, so I changed the recipe a little bit here and there. The result was really fantastic! “The Saint” is definitely a cool and delicious drink! Fizzy, sweet honey, a little ginger and a fresh herbal note make it an ideal summer cocktail for all those who want to have something made with white wine. Whether the drink is “really innovative”, I may not judge at this point, but undoubtedly it is “really delicious”. And in the Quido glass from Jakobsen Design, the Drink looks really stunning. As a white wine I opted for a Grauburgunder, an “Oberbergener Baßgeige” to be precise, but of course you can opt for whatever dry white wine you like.

Recipe “The Saint” (adapted version):

9 cl dry white wine
2.5 cl Galangal liqueur PSM
1.5 cl Mulassano Bianco
1.5 cl lemon juice
0.75 cl sugar syrup
2 approx. thumb-sized lemon zests
Approx. 6 leaves of mint
Approx. 6 leaves of basil
2 Dashes Orange Bitters
soda water

Preparation: Shake all ingredients except the lemon zest, the herbs and the soda water in a shaker on ice and pour into your pre-chilled glass. Then top off with soda water, add herbs to the drink and spray the oil of the lemon zest on the drink’s surface (add the zests into the drink afterwards).

Glass: Quito by Jakobsen Design (alternatively a stemless wine glass)

Garnish: summer flower

Buying sources: at specialized retailers or online.

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