elementary my dear

3/4 oz Beefeater Gin
3/4 oz Aperol
1/2 oz Lemon Cordial/Sherbert (*)
1/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a flute glass with 2 oz Cristalino sparkling wine, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.
(*) Perhaps lime cordial such as Rose's would work in a pinch. Also upping the lemon juice to a 1/2 oz might cut the sweetness a touch.
Two Wednesdays ago, I found myself in Central Square after dinner. For a drink, I stopped into Craigie on Main where I asked bartender Rob Ficks for the Elementary My Dear. Rob described how this was Ben Kweskin's idea of a basic sparkling wine drink, and that led to the drink's name. Once prepared, the Elementary My Dear offered a bright grapefruit oil aroma that gave way to a carbonated lemon, orange, and white wine sip. Next, the swallow presented the gin along with lemon peel and rhubarb flavors. Overall, the flavor profile was spot on but the balance was a touch sweet for my palate from either the wine's sugar content or perhaps the lemon juice needing to be upped to a 1/2 oz.