Alex Black and Christina Hartigan Join Wildebeest And We’ve Got Their Drink Recommendations
The team behind award-winning Gastown restaurant Wildebeest continues to raise the bar by adding industry stars Alex Black and Christina Hartigan to the roster as Bar Manager and Wine Director, respectively. Scroll down for their holiday drink and wine suggestions.
Black brings an award-winning bartending acumen and convivial nature to his new role as Bar Manager, where he will help curate Wildebeest’s innovative list of handcrafted cocktails and display the warmth and skills that recently earned him the 2018 Golden Owl Hospitality Award as Best Vancouver Bar Personality.
Originally from Winnipeg, Black adopted Vancouver as his new hometown after experiencing the tight-knit sense of camaraderie in the local bartending community and quickly became a familiar and friendly face at such establishments as Hawksworth, Nightingale and the Vancouver Club. Black also acts as an industry ambassador and advocate in roles with the Canadian Professional Bartenders Association and Mind the Bar Canada Foundation, which provides support for hospitality workers struggling with mental health issues.
Hartigan is a Court of Master Sommeliers certified sommelier, graduate of the French Wine Scholar Program, and has earned a Level 4 diploma from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust. She developed her nose for fine wine with turns as a sommelier at Vancouver’s AnnaLena and Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, and recently returned from a months-long tour of European wineries before joining the team at Wildebeest.
In her new role as Wine Director, Hartigan will indulge her talent and passion for wine pairing with Chef Ian McHale‘s signature farm-to-table, nose-to-tail cuisine and provide unique dining experiences while overseeing the restaurant’s diverse selection of Old- and New-World wines.
Holiday Drinks – Alex Black
The Misfit Toy
Holidays always make me think of Nordic flavours. For something bright and refreshing on a cold day, this drink hits all the right notes for me.
25 ml Longtable Långbord Akvavit (from the West End distillery)
25 ml Yellow Chartreuse
25 ml Maraschino Liqueur
25 ml Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
Shake & Double Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Marine Martini
My favourite thing to bring to holiday potlucks is oysters. They’re quick, easy and if you shuck them at the party it’s always a great talking point. They do produce a fair amount of waste and my favourite thing to do with all those shells is infuse them in a vermouth and then create this nautical party drink.
45 ml Resurrection Gin (East Vancouver)
30 ml Oyster Shell Infused Dry Vermouth*
3 Dashes Scrappy’s Black Lemon Bitters
2 Drops Black Pepper Essential Oil
*I like to pack as many oyster shells as possible into a 500 ml container and fill dry vermouth (Maidenii is my preference) up to the brim, then let it sit for 48 hours in the fridge. The mixture will keep for up to a week.
Stir & Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an olive (or I really like a peppery green like nasturtium floating on top).
Holiday Celebration Wines – Christina Hartigan
Sparkling Wine
Haywire “The Bub” Sparkling N/V
A great example of sparkling wine from BC. This traditional-method sparkling is made with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Bright citrus notes are rounded out nicely by a bready note you would expect from a bottle ferment sparkling.
Patrinieri Lambrusco “Piria” N/V
Crunchy red fruit is the highlight of this sparkling red from Italy. Pairs beautifully with a charcuterie board!
White Wine
Château de Fleys Chablis 2016
A lovely unoaked Chardonnay from northern Burgundy. Tart green apple and refreshing lemon notes to cut through the richness of holiday dishes.
Red Wine
Domaine Piron Lameloise Chénas “Quartz” 2014
This Beaujolais Cru is a great pairing for turkey dinner with lots of red fruit, floral and earthy notes.
Beronia Rioja Reserva 2014
This bold Rioja brings lots of dark, juicy fruit alongside the richness of oak ageing with notes of vanilla and cinnamon.
120 W Hastings St., Vancouver, BC V6B 1G8 | Happy Hour Mon – Sun 5 – 6 p.m. | Dinner Mon – Sun 5 p.m. – late | Brunch Weekends & Holidays 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. | 604-687-6880 | wildebeest.ca
