Booking to go to a gig I knew, the second I put my card details in, something exciting would come up and I’d miss out. Guess what? It happened! So gutted but Charlie took the helm and toddled off to Kosmonaut to try their new spring drinks menu for me. Over to you Charlie…
It’s a rare thing for Keeley to hand over wine tasting duties, especially when there is fizz involved, but last week, a prior engagement meant she had to do just that, and hand over the drinking duties.
Kosmonaut, City Life best bar 2013 (and long time favourite of mine) was launching its new spring drinks menu – some brand new wines and a new cocktail list.
You can imagine my sigh of resignation as I agreed to assist.
Kosmonaut has long offered great cocktails and wines at reasonable prices and it still plans to. It’s their thinking behind the new wines on offer – great wines that are accessible to everyone and without the beefy mark ups of some higher end venues. It’s an ethos that both Keeley and I are very much in favour of (and our purses are too).
I knew things were going to be fun when we were greeted with a Paloma – grapefruit and tequila mix happily in a glass and it’s spritzed with salt infused whisky to give the smokiness a kick. Perfect preparation for our palettes.
From the wine list, we started with a delightful Gusbourne Estate Vintage Sparkling. Admittedly, everyone must know I’m not the world’s biggest fizz fan, but this is delightfully light, with lots of crisp apple flavours.
Second on our list of six was the Belanotte Pinot Grigio Romato – this is so beyond any commercial Pinot Grigio. Some of the similarly priced wines I’ve tasted are astringent and unpleasant. Biodynamic, organic, this was full of wild strawberry flavours, with a light nuttiness.
The third, and my favourite white of the evening was the Ca Lojera Lugana. This Italian beauty is an absolute stunner, in fact my notes just state, in capitals ‘HEAVEN’. I think that says it all.
The single rose of the evening was Rose d’Une Nuit, another biodynamic wine, this is unlike a lot of roses I’ve sampled – in a very good way. Steeped in its skins for a brief period, the process gives it some light gentle tannins, that work beautifully, adding depth, but without overpowering.
Two wines left to sample, and yes, you’ve guessed it, we were in red territory. The Ottavio Rube Dolcetto is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but it was a winner with me. Soft floral notes play with a smoky quality from a light oaking that meant I was immediately thinking of a thick steak, a charcoal grill and a glass or two of this alongside it.
Our final red was a Framingham Pinot Noir – fruity, herbal, and light, this too is a stunner. If you’re not a fan of heavy reds, this would be ideal and I’m going to insist Keeley samples this herself next time we visit.
With a brief break for food – thank goodness as I was beginning to feel distinctly wobbly – Tom Higham introduced us to the new cocktails to be gracing the menu. To say I was excited was an understatement.
First up, a personal favourite, a Clover Club. Gin base (in this case the lovely Death’s Door gin), vermouth, lemon and raspberry. Balanced, fruity and soft, this is a dream.
Secondly, Crying at the Piscotheque, a twist on a Pisco sour, with apricot and marmalade. Sour creamy citrus, I was beginning to think that Tom had been thinking of my palate when he created these. Especially when the next one arrived – Dale Cooper. Cognac, Chartreuse Jaune and New Orleans bitters. A ‘bigger’ drink than the previous two, this Old Fashioned style cocktail seemed to divide the guests. Some found it a little too heavy, but as someone who prefers that style, I was enamoured.
Finally, the Yokohama flip – Japanese whisky, Rhubarbe IPA, Umeshu (plum infused sake), nutmeg and salt. Reverting to the creamy style cocktails, this was an unusual one. It reminded me very much of a grown up milkshake, especially with the nutmeg on top.
With fantastic wines, and some equally gorgeous cocktails, Kosmonaut have given the menu a little facelift. Like the most careful of surgeons, they’ve only improved on the bone structure and kept the character that I love.
Now, Keeley love, about that red wine….
Guess it is about time I bit the bullet and started ordering some lighter reds…
*This was a press event and Charlie wasn’t asked to pay for any of her drinks. This review is honest and unbiased.
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