No stranger to an icy, suspenseful drama, Nicole Kidman was an obvious fit for Netflix’s latest miniseries, The Perfect Couple. Kidman plays novelist Greer Garrison Winbury, the matriarch of a wealthy family living on the exclusive island of Nantucket, Massachusetts. Greer is the gravitational centre of the show, in which the appearance of a dead body on the beach threatens the wedding of her son to Amelia Sacks (Eve Hewson). As the Winburys – including patriarch Tag Winbury (Liev Schreiber) – go into protective mode, a police investigation begins to expose closely guarded family secrets.
The series’ dark twists, against a serene beachside facade, are the inspiration for a new cocktail by Jason Andriske, group operations manager for Laundy Hotels. The Peachy Couple, a delicate peach and bergamot spritz, “is light and delicate and really well put together on the facade,” Andriske tells Broadsheet, “but those quite bitter pomegranate arils [seed coverings] represent the sinister twist lurking underneath.”
Directed by Oscar-, Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning filmmaker Susanne Bier, the six-episode whodunnit arrives on Netflix on Thursday September 5. To celebrate, Broadsheet and Netflix are hosting a party on Friday September 13 at Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel, where the The Peachy Couple will make its debut. It’s available from then for two weeks, until September 27 – but if you’d rather have one in hand to sip while you watch the show, Andriske has shared his recipe with us.
It’s an easy drink to make at home, involving two spirits and prosecco, plus grapefruit bitters, soda and those pomegranate arils, along with some baby’s breath flowers to garnish. Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto, an Italian bergamot liqueur, brings subtle floral and citrus notes, while the peach liqueur adds a light touch.
“It’s just leaning into the season,” says Andriske. “Probably the peach adds a little more than the Italicus. It’s really light and subtle, but adds just enough that you’ve got that [lingering] flavour profile.”
The prosecco then adds body, bubbles and sweetness, which is neatly balanced by the bitters and soda. “It’s more-ish, which is what you want in a spritz. Flavour-wise, there’s a hint of peach and a little bit of a wooded feel from the prosecco.”
Andriske says Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel is the perfect symbol of beachside elegance to match the show’s glamorous setting. “It’s one of the most iconic venues in Sydney,” he says. “It’s right on Watsons Bay Beach … You can pretty much walk right off the ferry into the hotel’s beach-club area. Then you’ve got different decks that give you that great harbour vista.”
The Peachy Couple by Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel
Makes 1 serving. Approx. 1.6 standard drinks.
Ingredients:
45ml Italicus
15ml peach liqueur
2 dashes grapefruit bitters
60ml prosecco
Pomegranate arils
Soda water
Baby’s breath to garnish
Method:
In a wine glass over ice, combine the Italicus, peach liqueur, grapefruit bitters and prosecco.
Add pomegranate arils to your liking and gently stir to mix.
Top with a dash of soda water and garnish with the baby’s breath.
This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Netflix. The Perfect Couple is now streaming, only on Netflix.
