Cranberry juice … God’s gift to the urinary track, or so we are told. I’m sure you have friends that swear by it, I know I do; but it has to be pure cranberry juice, not that “cocktail stuff”. Me, I like that cocktail stuff (you know, that mix of juices with cranberry being the most dominant) because it doesn’t have that big acidic-tart bite of the purer stuff and therefore, if I had my druthers, I would go cocktail as opposed to pure. Although I too, have succumbed to the “drink pure cranberry juice for your health” edict on occasion. There are others who want to drink cranberry juice, but feel the need to cut it with something like their favourite spirits (vodka and cranberry seems to be mighty popular) making it a cocktail in the true sense of the word. Now I have found the happy medium between the pure and the cocktail in this cranberry wine from Stoney Ridge. The nose smells just like that Ocean Spray Cranberry Cocktail you’ve been buying for years as either juice or mixer – but this time the booze has already been added for you and seemingly a sprig of mint is in there too; very refreshing. Also present is that tart cranberry finish: sweet cranberry passes over the tongue all the way to the end, then zap! Hard to believe it’s a six (sugar code) with that kind of finish. I’m told the sweetness comes from an addition of 10% apple juice to the wine and maybe that’s what makes this “cocktail”. This one’s very nice indeed. A nice one to serve at Thanksgiving and give that meal a real kick in the giblets, turkey of course.