A deeply romantic cocktail made with grapefruit-infused gin, Lillet Rouge and Lambrusco. Je T’attendrai is inspired by The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.
Je T’attendrai is the third recipe in my Oscar-Worthy Cocktails Series in which I’ve married my love of classic film with my love of alcohol. Check out the entire series here. Many thanks to Drizly, an alcohol delivery service, for sponsoring today’s post.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
I’ve fallen head over heels in love with this luscious, dark, bittersweet cocktail inspired by the most romantic movie ever created.
And I don’t say that lightly. The competition in the Romance category was fierce. Long-time favorites Truly, Madly, Deeply and Somewhere in Time put up quite a fight.
But here’s what put Umbrellas of Cherbourg over the top:
- Catherine Deneuve
- It’s entirely sung
- It’s entirely sung in French
And that scene.
That beautifully heartbreaking scene in the train station. With the stunning long shot of a bereft Catherine Deneuve on the platform as her love’s train pulls away. And the music swells and you’re totally crying your eyes out.
The film is a beautiful tribute to young love. Fierce and all-consuming and utterly optimistic. When Geneviève sings “Je t’attendrai” (I will wait for you) she means it with all her earnest young heart.
But war tears them apart.
Sadly, Guy and Geneviève don’t live happily ever after. For some, that’s a disappointment. But that’s precisely why I love it so much. It doesn’t end “happy.” It ends “real.”
Their circumstances change. They make choices that lead them away from each other. How many of us nail the fairy tale ending on the first try?
But the opportunity to love and be loved is a gift. Whether or not you end up together, the love you create together rewires your heart. And every time you love you become capable of even greater love.
So, true love may not always last. But it is eternal.
So, what if my plan has worked?!? What if I’ve got you dying to make this cocktail tonight but you don’t have Lillet Rouge or Lambrusco on hand?!? Drizly to the rescue! Go to their web site, click a few buttons and your alcohol will meet you at your doorstep. So many things in life are hard. Getting your alcohol doesn’t have to be one of them. Cin cin!
- 4 ounces grapefruit infused gin
- 3 ounces Lillet Rouge
- 1 bottle dry, red Lambrusco
- grapefruit rind/twist for garnish
Combine gin and Lillet Rouge in ice-filled cocktail shaker.
Stir well and strain into 2 chilled cocktail glasses.
Top with Lambrusco and garnish with grapefruit twist. Serve with love.
- Here's a how-to for infusing your gin with grapefruit if you'd like to do it yourself.
- Time on this recipe does not include infusion time (I did mine for two weeks.)
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