Ouzo Bay is one of my favorite places for drinks. For starters, there is a incredible vibe in this place; all of blue and white makes it feel quite classy. Plus, they have one of my best-loved bartenders – Will Escalante!
Will can make you just about anything. He likes to light things on fire – we generally go for a tower of fire for our birthdays. And, on this particular weekend night – he made my friend a speciality Ouzo drink that he lit on fire and tossed from glass to glass. They have at least 8 different choices of this anise-flavored aperitif. He also scorched the orange twist before adding it to this flamed drink. I have no pictures; I was simply mesmerized by the fire.
I generally go with wine. I know… I know… Shocker.
Will usually starts us with a glass of sparkling pinot noir: the Segura Viudas Pinot Noir Cava Aria Brut. As the name suggests this is a sparkling wine made in the spanish cava style. This one feels fancy; its dark crimson color looks extra pretty with the bubbles. I love this sparkling wine – it is super dry and has alluring notes of toast, cherry, and caramel on the nose. I find that it has a medium body with bright berry notes, but manages to finish with a little bit of spice and minerality (and no I don’t mean it taste likes dirt – it’s more like tasting the smell of salt or the way the ground smells after it rains). This is a round flavorful wine and a perfect after dinner drink for those of us who don’t like sweet.
I can’t do all those sparkles – so I quickly switched to a classic, still pinot noir. This one was Thea’s Selection from the Lemelson Vineyards in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. There is so much happening in this medium body wine. I like the balanced acidity while still having hints of cherry, buttery bread and on the nose, just a little bit of spice. The enormous red wine glasses that help aerate the wine and fine tune the aromatics. The flavor profile keeps the cherry and cranberry notes with a long finish – meaning it is interesting even after you have finished your sip.
Oh, wine – you are my favorite.