What the Last Bottle Team Drinks After Hours
At Last Bottle HQ, we drink a lot of wine. It’s kind of the job. But once the laptops close and we head home for the day, not everyone keeps it strictly vinous. Turns out the wine pros of Napa Valley are just as likely to reach for cocktails, beer, or something delightfully unexpected once they’re off the clock.
Here are our go-to after-hours drinks, straight from the team.
The Paper Plane
Kaitlyn Russell, Director of Marketing
The Paper Plane first took flight in 2008 at a New York City cocktail bar, created by legendary bartender Sam Ross. Since then, it’s landed squarely in the heart of Last Bottle’s Director of Marketing, Kaitlyn Russell.
“Paper Planes are zippy, refreshing, flavorful,” she says. “And the best part is they’re equal parts, so they’re effortless to mix.”
The recipe calls for equal parts Aperol, bourbon, Amaro Nonino, and fresh lemon juice, shaken with ice until frosty. Kaitlyn recommends pouring it into your cutest cocktail glass and garnishing with a citrus peel or mint leaf. She likes to sip hers while taste-testing whatever’s on the stove that night.
Oaxaca Old Fashioned
Chad La Tourette, Director of Growth
This is the cocktail that helped fuel the mezcal boom in the United States. The Oaxaca Old Fashioned is smoky, sophisticated, and surprisingly approachable.
Named for mezcal’s birthplace in Oaxaca, Mexico, the drink blends equal parts mezcal and reposado tequila, stirred with a bar spoon of agave nectar and two dashes of Angostura bitters. Finish with an orange peel and you’re set.
“I actually wasn’t an Old Fashioned fan until I had the Oaxaca Old Fashioned,” Chad says. “It opened the door to whiskey for me.”
Negroni
Ryan Anderson, Director of Purchasing
One of Italy’s most iconic cocktails, and still eternally on trend. The Negroni is said to have been born in Florence in 1919, when Count Camillo Negroni asked for his Americano with gin instead of soda water.
Ryan is a Negroni purist. “It can be made one way, and one way only,” he says. Equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. His picks? Hendrick’s Gin and Carpano Antica Formula. Serve it on the rocks (Ryan’s preference) or straight up.
Soju and Yakult
Allison Cone, Junior Copywriter
This is where worlds collide. Equal parts soju, Yakult, and Sprite are shaken into a frothy, creamy, wildly refreshing cocktail.
Soju is Korea’s most popular alcoholic beverage and a growing category in the U.S. It’s a clear, distilled rice spirit with an ABV that typically hovers around 20 percent. Yakult, on the other hand, is a sweetened probiotic drink, kind of like a sippable yogurt. Together, they somehow make perfect sense.
“Jinro is my go-to,” Allison says. “It’s widely available and a reliable crowd pleaser.” She was first introduced to the combo at a UCLA library staff party, where guests chased soju shots with Yakult. Skeptical at first, converted immediately. Some soju brands even offer yogurt-flavored versions, which she recommends in a pinch.
Strawberry Margarita
Sarah Lundstrom, Director of Customer Service
A classic is a classic. Who’s going to argue with a great strawberry margarita?
The original margarita dates back to the 1940s, while the strawberry version appeared in a 1953 issue of Esquire. Sarah’s ideal recipe includes triple sec, 100 percent agave tequila, fresh-squeezed lime juice, and a blended mix of strawberries and simple syrup. Shake, pour over ice, and serve in a salted rim glass, though Sarah prefers hers without the salt.
Her go-to spot? Frida’s Mexican Grill in Napa Valley, paired with Enchilada Suiza and plenty of chips and salsa.
Dry-Hopped Saison
Haley O’Brien, Senior Sales Coordinator
Saison is a Belgian-born beer style known for its light body, high carbonation, and dry, spicy character. Dry hopping adds aromatic layers of citrus, floral notes, and subtle earthiness.
Haley describes it as “lovely,” with flavors of lemon, orange, spice, and a gentle hop bite. Her favorite places to sip a saison include Cadet Wine & Beer Bar and St. Clair Brown Winery & Brewery in Napa. Best pairing? Pepperoni pizza. No notes.
Manhattan (With Extra Luxardo Cherries)
Andie Laufer, Customer Service Representative
If you’ve ever emailed Last Bottle customer service, you may have crossed paths with Andie Laufer. She’s a delight. And after a day of saving the world one inbox at a time, she reaches for a classic Manhattan.
The key detail here is the garnish. “I need the Luxardo cherries,” Andie says. “If they’re maraschino, then no.”
The Manhattan is traditionally made with two parts whiskey, one part sweet vermouth, and a dash of bitters, stirred and never shaken. Garnish with brandied cherries or a lemon twist. If you’re drinking with Andie, it’s extra Luxardos, no exceptions.
Whiskey Lemonade
Krissy Lopez, Customer Service Representative
“Whiskey hits the soul with relaxation,” says Krissy Lopez, and we’re inclined to agree.
When she’s not drinking it neat, her go-to is a whiskey lemonade. Just whiskey, fresh lemon juice, sugar, and water. In the summer, she adds lavender simple syrup for a floral twist.
Think of it as a whiskey sour stripped of all pretension. No egg whites, no fuss, just tangy, refreshing, soul-hitting goodness.
Chablis
Blake Van Treese, President, Last Bottle Wines
Even after a full day in the wine business, Blake keeps it on brand. His drink of choice? Chablis.
Hailing from northern Burgundy near Champagne, Chablis is a lean, mineral-driven expression of Chardonnay, typically made with little to no oak. It’s crisp, citrusy, and quietly complex.
“Chablis still offers some of the best value in the wine world,” Blake says. “It’s versatile, complex, and thought-provoking, but it can also double as a porch or poolside pounder.”
Pro tip from the boss: decant your Chablis. More often than not, it makes a better wine. And if it’s a classic vintage, expect oysters and caviar to make an appearance.
Drink Like The Last Bottle Office
Now that you know how we drink outside of the office, it's time you learned what we're sipping on from nine to five. See what wine we are drinking today with our daily offer.
