It's once again that time of year when the air gets cooler, and the food we eat becomes far more indulgent. Plus Mid-Autumn Festival is just around the corner, and Negroni Week is in full swing, too. But for those of us who cannot drink, or simply do not wish to (at least not today), non-alcoholic drink options are few and far between. That is unless you don't mind asking for that club soda with lime and pretending it's vodka.
Luxury British department store and brand Fortnum & Mason came up with a sparkling idea for an alcohol alternative last year with their original sparkling tea, which has already proved to be popular among teetotallers and mummies to be. Now, the Fortnum team have put their 313-year tea history to good use again, and come up with a pink version – Fortnum's rosé sparkling tea ($268/75cl).
Both original and rosé sparkling teas are packaged like champagne bottles, with a cork and foil seal, for a poppin' tea party.
The rosé, which features no artificial additives, is made up of 11 different teas which include Fortnum’s Sencha, Silver Needle, and Darjeeling, to name just a few. The pale pink hue comes from the addition of hibiscus, which not only lends colour but also delivers a dry, fruity, herbal, and tannic complexity.
Tasting notes highlight tropical fruits, cranberry and ginger, with raspberry pavlova, sherbet, wild strawberries, elderflower, and oolong on the nose, followed by a touch of baked dough and delicate spice to finish.
Even if you're not teetotal, it all sounds rather lovely. Somebody grab the biscuits, or maybe that should be caviar!