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.