It’s easy drinkin’ green with these St. Paddy’s Day bevvies

There are plenty of angles a drinks writer could take when writing about St. Patrick’s Day — a round-up of Irish tipples (obviously), or tasting through Irish-inspired beers and whiskies, or perhaps pairing drinks with Irish food.

This year I’ve gone with the theme of “green,” tasting a half-dozen drinks either in green packaging, with green ingredients, featuring green flavours or even made using green (organic etc.) production methods — or some combination of the above…

 

 

The Sookram’s Brewing Co. Shell Shocked Pistachio Cream Ale (Winnipeg — $4.29/473ml cans, brewery, beer vendors, Liquor Marts) is one of three bigger-batch brews (along with a bunch of small-batch beer) released this weekend in honour of Sookram’s Brewing Co.’s seventh birthday.

Pale straw in appearance and infused with pistachio flavouring and rice, aromatically it offers up-front pistachio ice cream notes, as well as fresh malt and rice notes.

On the off-dry, creamy palate, that pistachio ice cream note comes with fresh malt candy floss, a quick hit of yeast and rice and, at five per cent alcohol, a modest finish. Enjoy on its own or perhaps with some spumoni. 3.5/5

Pale gold in appearance, the Vinicola Nulles NV Edernats Cava Brut Nature (Cava, Spain — $24.95, Kenaston Wine Market) is an organic Spanish bubbly that brings lovely green apple, tart citrus, floral, herbal and chalky notes on the nose.

It’s dry, light-bodied and lively, with zippy bubbles coming with green fruit notes (apple, lime and a hint of melon), racy acidity, a hint of chalkiness and a medium-length finish (it’s 11.5 per cent alcohol). Available at Kenaston Wine Market. 4/5

The Clark Estate 2023 Riverside Terrace Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand — $24.99, De Nardi Wines) is pale straw in appearance, with bright lime and herbal aromas, along with gooseberry, grapefruit and bell pepper notes.

It’s light-bodied and dry, with vibrant acidity accompanying the green apple, lime and grapefruit flavours, with hints of fresh-cut grass and herbal notes on the medium-length finish (it’s a modest 11.5 per cent).

 

 

Like most New Zealand wineries, Clark Estate is a sustainable winery. Available at De Nardi Wines. 4/5

The ABCDarium Alvarinho (Vinho Verde, Portugal — $19.99, Liquor Marts and beyond) comes from the northern Portuguese region whose name translates to “green wine”; this example, made from a single grape variety, is pale straw in appearance and aromatically brings crunchy apple, fresh-cut flower, lemon zest, chalk and peach notes.

It’s dry and light-bodied, delivering plenty of green apple skin, lemon-lime, peach and melon flavours, with an underlying chalky note, light acidity and a long, lingering finish (it’s 13 per cent alcohol). Delicious. 4/5

Sourced from high-altitude vineyards, the Mesta 2023 Garnacha (Castilla La Mancha, Spain — $16.99, Liquor Marts and beyond) is an organic, vegan and sustainably made red that doesn’t see any time in oak barrels; it’s light cherry red in appearance and aromatically offers juicy strawberry and raspberry notes, along with hints of mocha, red licorice and spice.

It’s dry but jammy, with raspberry and strawberry candy notes coming through on the medium-bodied palate, while the modest tannins deliver white pepper and black tea notes.

The alcohol here is 12.5 per cent; drink now, slightly chilled. 3.5/5

 

 

Last but certainly not least (and actually from Ireland!), the Writers’ Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey (Ireland — $59.99, Liquor Marts) is made from both malted and unmalted barley and a blend of single pot still and single malt whiskey.

It brings spice, fresh malt, licorice and white pepper notes aromatically, and on the light-plus-bodied and smooth palate picks up vanilla, caramel and spice notes from time in American oak barrels before the long finish (it’s 40 per cent alcohol).

A tasty, approachable (and not peated) whiskey, particularly while it’s on sale (it’s regular $64.99). 4/5

winnipegfreepress.com/bensigurdson