If you haven’t noticed, there has been a boom in the popularity of bar carts over the last few years. Displaying various bottles of wines, liquors, mixers and barware is now considered home décor. Indeed, some folks color coordinate their booze bottles based on the rest of the room. When I finally stocked our bar cart, it was for my husband’s birthday. Prior to this our cart had been the resting place for my record player, wine fridge, some glassware and various wines. It also usually consisted of a bottle of bourbon – the mister’s drink of choice. We’d been talking about fully stocking it forever, but truth be told, it can be expensive building a full bar from nothing. So, I planned this gift out way in advance, picking up a bottle or two starting about a month before his birthday.
It really was not as easy as I thought. I wanted the pretty bottles. I wanted lots of French aperitifs, Marashino liqueur and countless bottles of wine. I had to constantly remind myself that this was his present and should be stocked accordingly. When he’s not enjoying a bourbon straight up, he likes the classics and so I chose scotch, tequila, vodka, rum, gin and bourbon, of course. I threw in some various mixers and – voila – a bar cart was born. (It totally clashes with my dining room décor, just in case you were wondering). He loved it.
The aforementioned bottles make for a pretty good standard bar, based on my research. From these bottles, one can make quite a few cocktails. But, like we say with wine, personal preference is really all that matters. Again, my perfect bar cart would look quite different than the one I built for my husband.
Allow me to daydream…a full row of sparkling Moscato for everyday celebrations and the essential glass before dinner, at least half a dozen Torrontes which (in my opinion) might be the perfect white wine. Not too fruity, not too floral, just right. There would be a mix of reds: big, bold reds like Cabernet Franc and Zinfandel just because when in doubt, go big and bold. For enjoying on its own, I like Super T. Finally, there might have to be a separate cart or wine fridge for Pas Doux alone. I adore dry rose wines. They just work with everything and for any occasion. Because my cocktail of choice is a perfect Manhattan, my cart would include bourbon as well, plus my aperitifs and a good bottle of Tequila for those warm days when only an icy Margarita will do.
Of course, if you don’t have a bar cart and cocktail hour calls to your heartstrings, you can always meet your dear one or friends at The Cellar Lounge for a glass of great wine or a delicious drink concocted by one of Ponte Vineyard Inn’s mixologists. Bar carts, they have not, but their wall of top shelf liquors will no doubt impress!
What’s on your perfect bar cart?
–Erica Martinez
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