Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/997709
18 WAC Magazine | wac.net taste wine award / cocktail corner A MODERN CLASSIC TAKES FLIGHT By Rose Andres, WAC Bartender With the use of amaro in craft cocktails in vogue, the Paper Plane has soared onto bar menus from coast to coast. Created in 2007 by New York bartender Sam Ross—who is also credited with creating the modern classic the Penicillin—the Paper Plane joins the ranks of equal-parts cocktails such as the Negroni and Seattle's own Last Word. The Paper Plane is a complex play on the whiskey sour, deepened by dark amaro and Aperol, another ama- ro. The drink's name stems from the M.I.A. song "Paper Cocktail Corner Gil's Seaplane • 1 oz. Redemption Rye • 1 oz. Amaro Averna Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a thin slice of grapefruit. A N I TA N O W A C K A • 1 oz. Contratto Bitter • 1 oz. fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice Planes," which the bartender was listening to while creating it. The key here is balance—the character of the bourbon made both sweet and bitter by the two amari and leveled out by the lemon. The recipe below is my own Seattle version of the cocktail, replacing the bourbon with rye, the Aperol with Contratto Bitter, and the lemon with fresh grape- fruit. Thanks go to member Gil Blankinship, a fan of Paper Planes, who first taste-tested this version and began ordering it. Cheers! By Peter Christian, Vice President Food & Beverage ere's no better way to enjoy water than to turn it into wine! Clearly, plen- ty of people agree. In fact, American wine drinkers consume just shy of one billion gallons of wine every year. If you're a part of that statistic and you enjoy wine at the WAC, then I have great news. Our wine program recently received the Club Managers Association of America's Award of Distinction. e award recognizes the WAC as having one of the best private club wine programs in the nation. Only 14 clubs re- ceived the award. Save water, drink wine! Award honors WAC wine program for excellence and diversity Our wine list has grown noticeably during the past few years as we have expanded our international selections while maintaining strong connections to Washington winemakers and others around the Pacific Northwest. Offering bottles from key growing regions around the world—and highlighting their notable varietals and blends—is pertinent when developing a wine list that will keep serious wine enthusiasts engaged and learning. At the same time, a wine list must be approachable for novice drinkers, too. In addition, for us, member value is key. If you haven't browsed our wine list recently, swing by Torchy's and have a look. We now offer more than a thousand selections by the bottle as well as three dozen by the glass. You can explore viticultural offerings from Virginia to Macedonia or go with old favorites from up and down the West Coast.