WINE COCKTAIL RECIPE: Pineapple Rosemary Cooler
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. 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: Crisp and refreshing, this cooler is just as enjoyable in the air conditioning or on the patio. Ingredients For 8 Servings |
[1] A crisp wine cooler for hot summer days (photo courtesy Whole Foods Market).
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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.
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