Cocktail Couture: Camelot Cellars Chilean Pinot Noir

This week's installment of Cocktail Couture features a glass of wine recommended to me by Catherine Murray, food photographer extraordinaire behind Photo Kitchen and the blog Freshly Baked. And believe me, you are never going to want to pass on this glass...straight from Camelot Cellars, an "Urban Boutique Winery" located in the heart of Columbus' Short North district. With long, rustic wooden tables, cozy seating, soft, industrial lighting and a wall of literally every type of wine you could ever have dreamed of, Camelot Cellars is the perfect place to explore your passion for wine. And there is truly no better guide than Janine Aquino, the mastermind behind the revamping of Camelot Cellars, and one of the most personable ladies you will ever meet. If you stop by and introduce yourself, she would be more than happy to chat with you about the latest episode of any show on Bravo TV, follow you on twitter, and most importantly, introduce you to a bottle of wine you will really love. If you aren't a fan of wine, that's simply because you haven't met Janine and given her a minute to recommend the perfect bottle as though she were an oracle of grapes. Or, better yet, get you and your friends set up for a private wine tasting!

Below you will see more of Catherine's favorite, the Chilean Pinot Noir, which she bought when we were shopping together, and foolishly left at my apartment...You can bet an unopened bottle of wine doesn't last long in my natural habitat! So, although I felt a bit guilty about it, I cracked it open for myself and a few out-of-town guests, and all three of us were obsessed. Of course, I replaced Catherine's bottle, so it was a win-win for us all. Catherine describes the flavor best on her post, saying that it "has a scent similar to strawberry jam, but the flavor is smooth, rich, just slightly fruity, and a little smoky."

All Photography by Catherine Murray of Photo Kitchen

I highly recommend you check out Camelot Cellars and this delicious Pinot Noir immediately! And bottles of wine, as well as wine tastings and wine making parties, are perfect gifts for the upcoming holiday season! Salut!

And in case you need a refresher on Cocktail Couture, read our description below:

"Haute Couture refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing, usually made from high-quality expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail, often using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques...The hand-crafted (local) alcohol is created by those dedicated to their craft, making award-winning bottles of gin, vodka, whiskey, wine, and Tessora." 

Catherine and I both believe that the handiwork and detail that goes into the brewing and distilling of our local-to-Columbus spirits are nothing short of couture themselves, especially when paired with fun jewelry and accessories...and you all know I am a firm believer that the cocktail you sip is as much a part of the statement you are making as anything else on your body! So let's get creative!

First there was the fantastic Watershed Gin Pumpkin Drop featuring Columbus' own Watershed gin, and next the Tessora Lemon Capuccini made with Tessora Limone! Then came the Hot Apple Toddy, made with Middle West Spirits Whiskey. See all the recipes in this Cocktail Couture series below: