Recipe: Sideways Sour

JUST THE RIGHT TOUCH OF DRAMA: Combine the pisco, orange liqueur, grape juice and sweet and sour in a pitcher and pour over ice into cocktail glasses. Before handing a drink to each guest, slowly pour the wine over the back of a spoon so it floats on top.

May 21, 2008 12 AM PT

Total time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Note: Adapted from Baccarat Bar, Bellagio Las Vegas. The sweet and sour will keep for 1 week, refrigerated.

Sweet and sour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

In a small saucepan, stir the sugar with one-fourth cup water over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Cool. Combine the cooled simple syrup and lemon juice. Makes 1 cup (8 ounces).

Cocktail assembly

8 ounces pisco

3 ounces Cointreau liqueur

6 ounces white grape juice

6 ounces sweet and sour

3 ounces California Pinot Noir

4 slices lemon

3 grapes

In a large pitcher filled with ice, add the pisco, Cointreau, grape juice and sweet and sour and stir to combine. Strain the cocktail into 4 old-fashioned glasses filled with ice. Slowly pour three-fourths ounce Pinot over the back of a spoon into each cocktail (the Pinot will float on top and slowly diffuse into the cocktail). Garnish with a lemon slice, and float the grapes on top of the drink (if they are still attached to the stem, you can hang the stem on the rim of the glass).

Each serving: 290 calories; 0 protein; 28 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 0 fat; 0 cholesterol; 5 mg. sodium.