Challenging convention through mature flavors and childhood nostalgia, Bonnie Brae Ice Cream and 7Cellars Winery have collaborated on summer’s newest hit – wine-flavored ice cream. After a successful launch on May 25, try a spoonful of the three unique flavors from now until June 30.
Bonnie Brae has been an iconic establishment for over 30 years in Denver, where they’ve offered over 120 unique ice cream flavors – like Triple Death Chocolate and Amaretto Peach. “When we can, Bonnie Brae Ice Cream tries to use local or Colorado companies for the ingredients in our ice cream, so it made sense to use a wine with an iconic Denver connection,” says Adrian Simon, Bonnie Brae co-owner.
Taking it up a notch with Denver Broncos icon and NFL Hall of Famer John Elway’s winery, the two have created the perfect summertime pairing through its 2020 Farm Collection. “John Elway has enjoyed their ice cream in the past and was excited about the collaboration to promote a strong local partnership,” says Dan Foster, certified sommelier, president and managing partner at 7Cellars.
The pairings are Cabernet Nutella Bliss, a vanilla ice cream mixed with Cabernet Sauvignon and a swirl of Nutella; Blueberry Noir Indulgence, a vanilla ice cream with Pinot Noir, fresh blueberries and chocolate chips; and Chardonnay Apricot Dream, a vanilla ice cream infused with Chardonnay, apricots and creamy mascarpone ($5.45 for a single scoop, $8.25 for pints). Although the ice cream is not boozy – only enhanced by complementary wine notes – the flavors pack a punch.
With a background in dairy and a love for the science behind ice cream, chef Silas Bonczyk, production manager at Bonnie Brae Ice Cream, has put his interest in crafting inventive flavor combinations into the pairings. “He started each ice cream flavor by trying to highlight the flavor notes of each type of wine,” says Simon.
After a tasting with chef Bonczyk, Foster, Simon and their team chose “the best of the best. We pride ourselves on excellence in every sip – the ice cream was excellence in every scoop!” says Foster. The launch was successful, as Simon says “the feedback on each of the flavors was overwhelmingly positive. People who didn’t think wine would complement ice cream were constantly surprised by how well they went together.”
Be on the lookout for another possible collaboration between Bonnie Brae Ice Cream and 7Cellars, as Simon says they still have flavor pairings to test out. “We have more ideas that we can’t wait to have everyone try!” says Foster.
Bonnie Brae Ice Cream is located at 799 S. University Blvd. and is open Sunday – Thursday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. and Friday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
All photography courtesy of Rachel Sailer Photography.