Top of the List, A-Number 1

Wine & Spirits magazine was assured a successful bash for its “Top of the List” event, held last night at City Winery—the place where oenophiles needn't leave town to create their own private-label wine. Restaurateur and master of ceremonies Joe Bastianich welcomed sommeliers from top eateries around the country before commencing with the Grand Tasting of award-winning wines.

While the tasting offered a superb opportunity to sample luscious and rarefied wines, the real fun happened at the after-party, which was sponsored by the Classic and Vintage Portfolio. Fully embracing the Wine and Spirits moniker, the second half of the night featured artisanal spirits that were shaken and stirred by the Tippling Brothers. Their magic concocted six cocktails, which ranged from "traditional with a twist" to utterly exotic, such as the Chocolate-Chili Pisco Sour (The latter married the Mayans' love for chocolate and chili with the Incas' genius, which uncovered the secret to growing grapes in Peru’s southern desert.) With temptations such as the pisco sour for inspiration, the otherwise studious crowd roared late into the evening.—Lizzie da Trindade-Asher

For more photos, also by Lizzie Asher, click here.

A Berry Good Time Had By All

A cocktail that tastes great and actually promotes well-being? Sign us up. Açai, the Brazilian superfruit that is purported to have all manner of health benefits, is one of the primary ingredients in the antioxidant-rich Veev, a spirit that you can enjoy without guilt. And in that vein, there were plenty of innocent bystanders enjoying Veev cocktails at Delicatessen in SoHo last night. Organized by Notes on a Party's Celia Chen, the tasting event delivered at a level that was up to Chen's always-high standards, bringing together fun people in a cool space and giving them ample libations to keep the party interesting. Soundtrack for the night was provided by DJ Mode. To sample our favorite cocktail, named—what else?—the Joie de VeeV—try the recipe after the jump. And for party pics, click here. 1½ ounces VeeV Açaí Spirit 1 large ginger slice (diced) 1 ounce fresh lemon Juice ¾ ounce simple syrup ¾ ounce orange liqueur Crystallized ginger slice, for garnish Muddle diced ginger, lemon juice and simple syrup in the bottom of a bar glass. Add VeeV, orange liqueur and shake well with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the crystallized ginger slice.

For more photos, click here.