The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley and Charbay Distillery, with location host CIA at Copia, raised more than $10,000 for families affected by the 2017 fires in Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Lake Counties at the Wizards of Elixirs Cocktail Competition.

Wizards of Elixirs Event. Photo courtesy The Perfect Purée of Napa ValleySixteen of wine country’s top bartenders vied for the People’s Choice Award at The Wizards of Elixirs, a friendly cocktail competition fashioned in walk-around style at the Culinary Institute of America’s Copia location in Napa. Attendees sampled the competing cocktails along with apps and light snacks prepared by the CIA then attended the Halloween costume dance after-party.

Proceeds from ticket and raffle sales totaling more than $10,000 will be distributed between four counties severely affected by the October fires, which killed 42 people and destroyed an estimated 7,000 homes and other buildings.

Grand Prize Winning Cocktail Recipe

Kelly Dallas & Mel Valencia, Solbar

Grand Prize cocktail “Garnet Horizon” from Solbar. Photo courtesy The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley

Garnet Horizon

Ingredients:

• 1½ oz. Charbay Pomegranate Vodka
• ½ oz. Rittenhouse Rye
• ½ oz. The Perfect Purée Pear Puree, thawed
• ¼ oz. hazelnut liqueur
• 1 oz. garnet yam juice
• ½ oz. lime juice
• ½ oz. maple
• 3 dashes of Peyschaud’s Bitters

Method:

Combine ingredients with ice, shake and strain up. Garnish with marshmallow cream, candied pecan and pomegranate seed.

Second Place Winning Cocktail

Adam Welch, Geyserville Gun Club Bar & Lounge

Second Place cocktail “The Shogun” from Geyserville Gun Club Bar & Lounge. Photo courtesy The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley

The Shogun

Ingredients:

• 1½ oz. Charbay Green Tea Vodka
• ¼ oz. The Perfect Purée Yuzu Luxe Sour blend, thawed
• 1 bar spoon of The Perfect Purée Coconut Puree, thawed
• ½ oz. saké
• ½ oz. pineapple sage syrup
• ¾ oz. lime juice
• ½ oz. egg white

Method:

Combine ingredients with ice, shake, and strain into glass. Garnish with matcha tea and matcha shiso salt.

Third Place Winning Cocktail

Vincent Lundeen, Andaz Napa

Third Place cocktail “Monkey’s Breakfast” from Andaz Napa. Photo courtesy The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley

Monkey’s Breakfast

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Charbay Meyer Lemon Vodka
• ½ oz. Amaro Montenegro
• ¼ oz. Dancing Pines Walnut Liqueur
• 1 oz. banana/oat syrup, made with The Perfect Purée Banana Puree
• ¾ oz. lemon juice

Method for cocktail:

Shake ingredients, double strain over ice in a large rocks glass. Garnish with grated nutmeg.

Banana / Oat Syrup

Ingredients for making banana / oat syrup:

• 1 cup The Perfect Purée Banana Puree, thawed
• 1 cup toasted old fashion rolled oats
• 5 cups hot water
• 1½ cups brown sugar
• 1½ cups white sugar

Method for banana/oat syrup:

1. Put oats, banana puree, and hot water together and let sit for 30 min-1 hr stirring occasionally.
2. After letting it sit, put in a blender and blend until smooth.
3. Strain to get as much of the solids as you can. You should be left with about 3 cups.
4. Bring this to a simmer and add brown and white sugar stirring until it completely dissolves.
5. Keep refrigerated. Good for 2-3 weeks.