By: Kai Yeo
French, smooth, and loved by James Bond – meet Lillet, our new favorite bottle for the summer. Last night, we got to sit down with Lillet for an intimate dinner event at The Waterfront in Venice Beach, serving delicious food options paired with handcrafted Lillet cocktails perfect for the season.
As soon as we got seated, oysters were ready with the Lillet Spritz, a wonderful Rosé blended with The Waterfront’s house soda water topped with a fresh orange slice. The Lillet Rose is a clear, salmon pink rose that has a light aroma of berries, orange blossom, and grapefruit. The fruity sweetness of Lillet mixed with the bitterness of tonic water makes it an ideal pre-dinner drink, best served fresh.
While waiting for more dishes to be prepared, guests at the table got to make conversation and get to know one another better over our glass of Spritz. Brand ambassador and host of the evening, Lauren Trickett, also gave us an expert rundown of the wines we were having and a little background information on Lillet as we were getting settled. For the unfamiliar, Lillet is a French aromatized aperitif wine made with a blend of Bordeaux grapes and fortified with a blend of citrus liqueurs. There are three varieties to choose from: Lillet Blanc (a white wine made with Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon grapes), Lillet Rosé (a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sémillon grapes) and Lillet Rouge (a red wine with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon).
Known for its’ layered and lively notes of fruit and florals, we got to pair the Lillet Blanc with our Entrée for the evening (a medium rare Steak and fries for our table). Honeyed, floral with jasmine, candied orange with lemon and fresh mint aromas, our cocktail had a lovely, long aftertaste with evergreen notes. Lillet says, “The golden madame is the oldest aperitif of the range. Ready at your service, long aromas that will last to the end of your journey!”
Everything that was brought out to us was a delight, but the star of the evening was without a doubt the Lillet Froze that was served for dessert. On the menu, a “thirst quenching frozen classic” blending watermelon and Lillet Rosé with coconut water, lime, and lavender. Bubbly goodness made even fresher! Looks are deceiving because I remember gasping after taking the first sip.
With scrumptious food options and even better cocktail options, our evening with Lillet and The Waterfront was wonderful. It is safe to say Lillet will be all we’re drinking for the rest of the summer.
Menu Highlights: Summer Corn Agnolotti (a personal favorite), Rotisserie Chicken (the guests next to us ordered this… and we traded them for our steak.)
Drink Highlights: Froze (don’t miss out – this drink is perfect for the summer!)
LILLET SPRITZ
- 5 oz Lillet Blanc or Lillet Rosé
- 5 (or your favorite sparkling water)
- Fresh orange slice
Preparation: In a wine glass, combine equal parts Lillet and club soda over ice and finish with a fresh orange slice.
NOMAD SPRITZ
- 2 oz Lillet Rosé
- 2 oz soda water
- 2 oz sparkling Rosé wine
- 2 dashes of orange bitters
- Fresh citrus garnish
Preparation: Combine over ice in wine glass and garnish with fresh lime or orange.
LILLET FROSÉ
- 3 oz Lillet Rosé
- 3 oz fresh lemonade
- Fresh lemon wheel
Preparation: Add all ingredients to blender with ice and blend to desired consistency. Garnish with lemon wheel
More Lillet cocktail recipes can be found on their official website. Bon Appetit!
