Winealcohol

  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.

We're getting used to spices in beer, such as the coriander in Belgian witbier and the fruitcake spices in Christmas ales. This one makes a quite different choice, ginger and fennel, along with the dash of orange peel that's been showing up in a lot of ales. But here's the thing: It's not an ale -- it's a crisp lager, so the spices are out there on their own, not supported by the forgiving musk of ale flavors. So it has a straw-yellow color with a moderate head and a grassy (three kinds of hops in there)

In martinis, I've been enjoying the dry vermouth from the old French house of Dolin in Chambéry in the French Alps. But I recently tried Dolin's blanc (as opposed to dry) as an apéritif all on its own. Served on the rocks with a twist of lemon, it has a wonderfully complex taste, herbal but more sweet than medicinal. It tastes like a meadow full of wildflowers, refreshing and pure. And each small sip carries so much interest you tend to drink it more slowly than a glass of wine to make it last.

In martinis, I've been enjoying the dry vermouth from the old French house of Dolin in Chambéry in the French Alps. But I recently tried Dolin's blanc (as opposed to dry) as an apéritif all on its own. Served on the rocks with a twist of lemon, it has a wonderfully complex taste, herbal but more sweet than medicinal. It tastes like a meadow full of wildflowers, refreshing and pure. And each small sip carries so much interest you tend to drink it more slowly than a glass of wine to make it last.

The four women at a nearby table at lunch here in Montpellier's Medieval quarter, , looked as if they had tottered in straight out of a Gallic translation of "Sex and the City": made up, dressed up and hoping for something more than salads. Any silly resemblance ended with their drinks, though, because the waitress was delivering not a tray of cosmos but a bottle of what she cheerily announced as "Le Picpoul. " Rosé might seem a more natural wine to order on a blistering Bastille Day, and not just for devotees of pink.

Sherry cocktails have come a long way from hot sack posset. A custardy Middle Ages concoction of sherry, milk and eggs, popular first in Britain and then the New World, sack posset eventually gave way to the likes of the 19th century Bamboo, a combination of sherry, dry vermouth and orange bitters invented by a German bartender in Yokohama, Japan, and introduced to the U.S. by William Boothby's book "World's Drinks." Then something (Prohibition, bad marketing, corporate consolidation, you name it)

  Total time: 12 minutes Servings: 10 to 12 Note: From Marcos Tello. The brands listed in this recipe are generally available at well-stocked liquor stores. Thin-cut peels of 3 lemons 3 heaping bar spoons (or teaspoons) superfine sugar 6 ounces añejo tequila (preferably Partida) 3 ounces blended Applejack brandy 3 ounces bonded Applejack brandy 6 ounces St-Germain elderflower liqueur 6 ounces fresh lemon juice 4 ounces Monin almond syrup 12 ounces Champagne Grated cinnamon for garnish 1. In a medium bowl , muddle the lemon peels with superfine sugar.

  Total time: 8 minutes Servings: 1 Note: Adapted from Ciudad. Use organic oranges and wash the rind well before slicing. 1/2 small orange plus 1 wedge for garnish 1 ounce fresh orange juice 6 fresh mint leaves, each leaf torn in thirds, plus 1 sprig for garnish 1 teaspoon honey 1/2 lime 2 ounces cachaça 1. Cut the orange half into four wedges and remove the seeds. Place the orange wedges, juice, torn mint leaves and honey into a wide-bottomed rocks glass.

Want to try something different and interesting for Thanksgiving? A beautiful floral Alsatian Gewürztraminer like this one can hold its own with the myriad flavors of the holiday table. Spicy and a touch sweet, the 2007 Albert Mann Gewürztraminer has a lithe acidity and a fresh, delightful finish. This inexpensive beauty comes from one of Alsace's top estates and a family of winegrowers whose history goes back to the 17th century. If you want to spend a bit more money, look for the estate's grand cru Gewürztraminer "Furstentum.

Where to find them Allagash Fluxus 2009 (U.S.) is available at Colorado Wine Co. in Eagle Rock, (323) 478-1985; and K&L Wine Merchants, Hollywood, (323) 464-9463, www.klwines.com. About $17.99 for a 750-milliliter bottle. Anchor Steam Seasonal Ale (U.S.) is widely available, including at area Bristol Farms Markets, bristolfarms.com; and area Beverages & More stores, bevmo.com. About $10.99 a six-pack or in large format. Baird Beer Jubilation Ale (Japan) is available at Wally's Wine & Spirits in Los Angeles, (310)

On the off chance that more revelers than previously announced show up on your doorstep New Year's Eve, now is the time to lay in some inexpensive sparkling wine. And if you don't use it all, there will be plenty of occasions later in the year. Barcelona loves its Cava, the sparkling wine made in Sant' Sadurni south of the city. Though you could drink wonderful, sophisticated Cavas at Barcelona wine bars, until recently, much of those imported to this country were the cheaper, very rustic bubblies -- serviceable in a pinch, but nothing you'd go out of your way to drink.

Sherry cocktails have come a long way from hot sack posset. A custardy Middle Ages concoction of sherry, milk and eggs, popular first in Britain and then the New World, sack posset eventually gave way to the likes of the 19th century Bamboo, a combination of sherry, dry vermouth and orange bitters invented by a German bartender in Yokohama, Japan, and introduced to the U.S. by William Boothby's book "World's Drinks." Then something (Prohibition, bad marketing, corporate consolidation, you name it)

Where to find them Allagash Fluxus 2009 (U.S.) is available at Colorado Wine Co. in Eagle Rock, (323) 478-1985; and K&L Wine Merchants, Hollywood, (323) 464-9463, www.klwines.com. About $17.99 for a 750-milliliter bottle. Anchor Steam Seasonal Ale (U.S.) is widely available, including at area Bristol Farms Markets, bristolfarms.com; and area Beverages & More stores, bevmo.com. About $10.99 a six-pack or in large format. Baird Beer Jubilation Ale (Japan) is available at Wally's Wine & Spirits in Los Angeles, (310)

Whether you're shopping for that once-a-year splurge for someone special, or a case of affordable gifts for your office mates, here are some suggestions. 2008 Domaine de la Pepiere "Clos des Briords" (Muscadet) is available at Silverlake Wine in Los Angeles, (323) 662-9024, www.silverlakewine.com; and Woodland Hills Wine Co. in Woodland Hills, (818) 222-1111, www.whwc.com. About $15. 2007 Lapierre Morgon "Côte du Py" (Beaujolais) is available at Du Vin Wine & Spirits in West Hollywood, (310)

Take a sip of this fresh, zippy Grüner Veltliner and you won't be able to stop. It's got the classic scent of white pepper and green apple, a bright acidity and a bracing citrusy finish. The 2008 vintage from Austrian winemaker Berhard Ott drinks beautifully with grilled lobster, but it's just as good a match with oysters or clams on the half shell, bay scallops and peel 'n' eat shrimp. Serve it as an aperitif, too, with smoked trout or soft, ripened cheeses. -- S. Irene Virbila Region: Wagram, Austria Price: About $23 Style: Fresh and zippy What it goes with: Chilled seafood, smoked trout, cheeses Where to find it: Elvino Wines in Venice, (310)

This Tavel from Provence, the color of pink rose petals, is an uncommon rosé. It tastes like dried cherries and has the presence and body of a red wine. It's dry. The tannins are muted. A pretty wine, this blend of Grenache with Syrah, Cinsault and Clairette is perfect to drink with sandwiches or pot pie made from leftover turkey. It's good with omelets and cheese too, or roasted root vegetables and soups. It's a wine for any season, anytime. -- S. Irene Virbila Region: Provence, France Price: About $22. Style: Dry and robust.

  Total time : 8 minutes Servings: 1 Note: From Matty Eggleston. The brands listed here are available at select well-stocked liquor stores; call for availability. 2 ounces fino sherry 3/4 ounce Dolin sweet vermouth 1/2 ounce Nocino della Christina, or any good walnut liqueur 1/4 ounce Dirty Sue olive juice dash Angostura bitters dash Regan's Orange bitters 1 orange twist, garnish In a mixing glass, stir together the sherry, vermouth, walnut liqueur, olive juice and bitters with cracked ice until well chilled.

Whether you're shopping for that once-a-year splurge for someone special, or a case of affordable gifts for your office mates, here are some suggestions. 2008 Domaine de la Pepiere "Clos des Briords" (Muscadet) is available at Silverlake Wine in Los Angeles, (323) 662-9024, www.silverlakewine.com; and Woodland Hills Wine Co. in Woodland Hills, (818) 222-1111, www.whwc.com. About $15. 2007 Lapierre Morgon "Côte du Py" (Beaujolais) is available at Du Vin Wine & Spirits in West Hollywood, (310)

We've come to think of Christmas beer as a tradition, but for American brewers, it's really a chance to show off their originality. Some make sweet, malty ales, perhaps splashed with fruitcake spices (Anchor typically goes this route), while others may make a richer, more alcoholic version of the brewery's flagship beer. (Rogue's winter seasonal is more or less an India Pale Ale, bitter as sin, enriched with a roasty note.) Port Brewing in San Marcos makes its Christmas beer in the style of an imperial stout.

Want to try something different and interesting for Thanksgiving? A beautiful floral Alsatian Gewürztraminer like this one can hold its own with the myriad flavors of the holiday table. Spicy and a touch sweet, the 2007 Albert Mann Gewürztraminer has a lithe acidity and a fresh, delightful finish. This inexpensive beauty comes from one of Alsace's top estates and a family of winegrowers whose history goes back to the 17th century. If you want to spend a bit more money, look for the estate's grand cru Gewürztraminer "Furstentum.