Sweet Pick-Me-Up Recipe

Special to Serious Eats
Sweet Pick-Me-Up Recipe

[Photo: Christine Tsai]

Coffee-infused wine and chocolate bitters makes this an excellent (but not too sweet) post-dinner drink. Cocchi Vermouth di Torino and Aztec chocolate bitters are available online. In summer, it's good on ice (with a lemon curl), but as the weather cools, skip the ice and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Recipe from Damon Gravina of Ardesia.

See more wine-based cocktails from Ardesia »

  • Yield:1

Ingredients

  • For the coffee-infused red wine
  • 5 tablespoons whole Italian roast coffee beans
  • 1 750 mL bottle dry Italian red wine
  • For the star anise syrup
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup turbinado sugar
  • 12 star anise
  • For the cocktail
  • 3 ounces coffee-infused red wine
  • 1 ounce Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, chilled
  • 2 teaspoons star anise syrup
  • 2 dashes Fee Brothers Aztec bitters
  • Ice (optional)
  • Garnish: cinnamon stick or lemon curl

Directions

  1. 1.

    For the coffee-infused red wine: Add coffee beans to bottle of wine, close with stopper and infuse at room temperature for 24 hours. Strain before using.

  2. 2.

    For the star anise syrup: Bring water, sugar, and star anise to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let infuse for 30 minutes. Strain and bottle, keep refrigerated.

  3. 3.

    For each drink: in a wine glass, stir coffee-infused wine, Cocchi vermouth, star anise syrup, and chocolate bitters. Add ice if desired and garnish.

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