St. Regis Sundays: The Brunello Mary, The St. Regis: Florence, Italy
St. Regis Sundays features the unique bloody mary recipes from each of the St. Regis around the world. This week I “traveled” to Florence Italy for the signature Bloody Brunello!
Did you try The Bloody Brunello from the St. Regis in Florence? Leave a comment below! Printable and Pinable recipe card is available at the bottom of the page.
The St. Regis Florence, Italy
The St. Regis in Florence, Italy is located on the banks of the Arno River, surrounded by the hills of the T/uscan countryside. The most luxurious address in the Renaissance Capital, the 5-star St. Regis is historical opulence, meets lavish modernity. Tuscan influences are immersed into the cuisine, wine, and cocktails and The Bloody Brunello is an epitome of the landscape and culture.
The Bloody Brunello
The St. Regis signature cocktail, The Bloody Brunello is a light and sweet bloody mary. One of the first things I noticed in the recipe was that there is no liquor in this bloody mary. The Bloody Brunello is mixed with grappa di Brunello di Montalcino, one of Tuscany’s world-renowned wines.
The grappa di Brunello di Montalcino is a dry and warm wine that pairs well with red meat or aged cheese, which is perfect, because the umami flavor of tomatoes/tomato juice also pairs well with those ingredients.
A dollop of acacia honey adds to the sweetness of The Bloody Brunello and the traditional ingredients of a bloody mary such as salt and pepper, lemon juice, and tabasco for a pop of spice, round out The Bloody Brunello.
While the wine and the honey are unique to the recipe they still blend well with the traditional ingredients, making a light, sweet yet savory bloody mary that reflects the local palate and cuisine. The aromatic rosemary sprig as the garnish added a level of dimension and ignited my sense of smell before I sipped the bloody mary.
How do I make The Bloody Brunello?
The Bloody Brunello is quite easy to make! Honestly, the “hardest” part was shopping for the ingredients. Luckily, my local Sprouts had acacia honey and also sells wine and I shop there several times a week!
All you have to do is combine all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker, shake and pour! I did one extra step but juicing a fresh lemon from a friend's lemon tree for the lemon juice instead of using store bought. For the garnish, a simple lemon wedge and rosemary sprig to keep it elegant and simple.
See this gorgeous video I made for Instagram, documenting the making The Bloody Brunello at home!
What if I don’t have grappa di Brunello di Montalcino?
Great question! I know Brunello is a part of the name, and I’m sure not much could replicate having the local wine in the bloody mary at the St. Regis Florence, but I did not have that particular wine handy at home and it's not as readily available at grocery and liquor stores.
I found a really nice dry and warm red blend that is similar to a Brunello di Montalcino that I used instead and it went great as a substitute for this home diy bartender.
Artwork by Bil Donavan, recipe card courtesy of St. Regis Florence
For The Bloody Brunello you will need:
Ingredients
grappa di Brunello di Montalcino
tomato juice
lemon juice
acacia honey
Tabasco sauce s
alt and black pepper
sprig rosemary
Equipment
Cocktail shaker
Jigger
Knife
Cutting Board
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Highball/tall slender glass
Handheld citrus press
Thanks for joining me for another St. Regis Sunday as I bring the St. Regis signature bloody marys from around the world to your home and mine! Subscribe to the Brunchfaced Community newsletter so you don’t miss any!