Pineapple Wine Cooler Recipe | The Nibble Webzine Of Food Adventures

WINE COCKTAIL RECIPE: Pineapple Rosemary Cooler

July 6, 2018 at 6:56 am · Filed under Cocktails & Spirits, Food Facts - Food History, Recipes, Wine

Looking for a new drink for the weekend?

We received this sparkling wine cocktail (“winetail”) recipe a few summers ago from Whole Foods Market. Although we have been enjoying it, we never published the recipe.

WHAT’S A WINE COOLER?

The ingredients are those you might find in a punch: wine, fruit or fruit juice, and carbonated water or a soft drink like ginger ale. It may include added sugar.

In 1981, the term “wine cooler” for an alcoholic drink was launched into the national consciousness by the E & J Gallo Winery, with its Bartles & Jaymes line: a wine-based drink in various fruit flavors.

Because the flavor of the wine is largely obscured by the fruit and sugar, wine coolers represented a way to sell off the cheapest grades of wine, or substituting wine for even cheaper malt liquor.

In this recipe, you shouldn’t use a top-tier sparkling wine. A $10 bottle will work just great.

AFFORDABLE BUBBLY

You can find tasty sparkling wines from $8 to $15 a bottle. Prices vary by retailer, but keep an eye out for:

Asti Spumante from Italy: Martini Asti is about $12; the sweeter Cinzano Asti, $13, is great with dessert.

Australian Sparklers: Our favorite is Yellow Tail Bubbles in regular and rosé, $10.

Cava from Spain: For $8, look for Cristalino Brut and Cristalino Brut Rosé; Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut is $12 and Freixenet Cava Carta Nevada Semi Dry (sweeter) is $9.

Crémant from France: Numerous labels of this Loire Valley sparkler sell for $12-$15.

Prosecco from Italy: Good sparklers are available for $9-$10.

Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui from Italy

California Sparklers: In the lower ranges, look for Robert Mondavi’s Woodbridge Brut, $10 and Moet et Chandon’s Chandon Brut, $17.

Other American Sparklers:: Domaine Ste Michelle Brut from Oregon ($10) and others from New York to Texas.

RECIPE: PINEAPPLE ROSEMARY COOLER

Crisp and refreshing, this cooler is just as enjoyable in the air conditioning or on the patio.

Ingredients For 8 Servings

2 cups fresh pineapple chunks, plus more for garnish

8 small sprigs rosemary, plus more for garnish

1 bottle (750 ml) sparkling wine, chilled

2 cans (2-ounces each) ginger ale, chilled

Ice

Optional: straws

[1] A crisp wine cooler for hot summer days (photo courtesy Whole Foods Market).

Fresh Pineapple
[2] The difference is fresh, not canned, pineapple cubes (photo courtesy Del Monte).

[3] Fresh rosemary adds flavor and fragrance (photo courtesy Burpee).

Preparation

1. MUDDLE 2 chunks of pineapple with one sprig of rosemary in the bottom of a each cocktail glass, until juicy and fragrant. Fill with ice, and then pour in 1/3 cup of sparkling wine and top off with ginger ale.

2. GARNISH each with a sprig of rosemary, gently crushed in your palm to release its fragrance. Serve immediately.

Please follow and like us: