Southside Sips: Return of the Appletini

You remember them from the ’90s, don’t you? Sure you do. All bright Midori-liqueur green and smelling like a dead ringer for melted Jolly Ranchers. The Appletini was yet another sugary entry into the woebegone oversized martini craze that started three decades ago — and which has, thankfully, been wrangled under control.

But by wrangled, we don’t mean disappeared. We mean adjusted. Trimmed, honed, tweaked. Because the thing about all those ‘tinis is there was something kind of delicious and fun and festive at their heart (remember how it was Zack Braff’s character on Scrubs favorite drink?). The Appletini? It was definitely fun, and all about the aromatics and color. The problem was after one or two (or three)… oof! The less-than stellar ingredients made for a pretty cruddy headache the next day.

The good, talented folks who make Upstate Vodka in Charlotteville, NY, distill their spirit from… apples! Beautiful Empire State apples (which, if you didn’t know, New York is the second largest grower of apples in the entire country, second only to Washington State!). So who better to remake the Appletini than these Catskill-based go-getters? Combined with the thoroughly outstanding apple brandy made by another favorite New York producer of ours, Neversink Spirits (Yoni Rabino, if you are reading this, please bring back your pear brandy!), some verjus (we love Wölffer’s), and some Lillet, and this former green monster is transformed into a fresh, apple-kissed delight.

Speaking of go-getting, you don’t have to hike up to the Hudson Valley to nab a bottle — it’s sold right here at the wonderful Bridgehampton Wine Cellar (2102 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton, 631-537-1230), so you can make yourself a perfectly respectable Appletini tonight, should you so wish. And we’re betting you do.