Rosé Spritzer – refreshing, light cocktail

Easy Wine Spritzer

You won’t find an easier little cocktail to make than this rosé spritzer! Just a splash of wine and a splash of club soda poured over ice is all it takes. Garnished with a fresh strawberry, it’s a pretty and refreshing libation, and low calorie, too.

Not a wine cooler…You may be more familiar with wine coolers, which were hot in the 80s. Way sweeter than a hard seltzer, they were sort of a fizzy wine punch, usually made with cheap wine, fruit pulp, and artificial flavors.

And not a seltzer. Hard seltzers are super popular right now and you’ll find about a hundred choices on the shelves at your market. A combination of carbonated water, alcohol, and fruit flavoring, they are low alcohol, low carb, low calorie, and gluten-free.

More economical. Hard seltzers and wine coolers can be a little pricey. Why not make your own? Buy a bottle of inexpensive wine and a bottle of club soda or seltzer and you’ll be able to make eight spritzers for just a bit more than the price of four hard seltzers.

Easy to customize. Economy aside, another reason you’ll love making your own wine spritzer is that it’s very easy to make it your own. You can alter the ratio of wine and club soda or add different garnishes or fresh herbs. Rosé isn’t the only wine that makes a great spritzer. Try other white or red wines. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

And so easy to make! Really, we can hardly call this a recipe. With only two ingredients, you won’t need to refer to a long list of directions. I’ll give you a quick “bartending” lesson with lots of extra suggestions and hints.

Ingredient Notes

• Rosé Wine: Choose a wine that you would enjoy drinking on its own, but don’t spend tons of money on expensive wine. This is the place to use affordable wine. Make sure your rosé is chilled.
• Club Soda: Club soda, seltzer, and sparkling mineral water are basically the same thing: carbonated water. Club soda has added minerals which enhance the flavor. Seltzer does not contain added minerals. Sparkling mineral water has naturally occurring carbonation. Choose the one you like best. You’ll also want to make sure this is chilled so that you have a nice cool beverage.
• Ice: Optional, but for a nice cold summer drink, ice is always welcome.
• Strawberry: Also optional, but isn’t it pretty and festive?

How to make a Spritzer

Chill the rosé and club soda. Really, this is important. A spritzer is best icy cold. Yeah, yeah, you’re adding ice to it and that’s cold. But warm wine and warm club soda will make the ice melt really quickly and dilute your cocktail. Not good!

Fill pretty glasses with ice and pour an equal measure of wine into each.

Next, add club soda. No need to stir!

Garnish with a beautiful red ripe strawberry. Keep reading for more garnish ideas.

Snacks To Serve with Spritzers

You’ll definitely want something to nibble on. While a bowl of pretzels or popcorn is just fine, if you’re feeling just a little more ambitious, a cheese board is always welcome. An artfully arranged board of cheese, crackers, dips, dried or fresh fruit, nuts looks really sophisticated and is easy to do.

Here are a few homemade embellishments for you to try: olive oil roasted almonds, candied bourbon pecans, baked goat cheese dip, homemade hummus, baked Brie with cranberries and bourbon pecans, and homemade tomato bruschetta. Learn how to make your own crostini, it’s super easy.

Easy Variations

• Use a different type of wine. Try these white wines: riesling, pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay or Gewürtztraminer. Be sure to take a look at my white wine spritzer with berry ice cubes. Sweeter wines like pink zinfandel, muscato, or fruit wines will make a sweeter spritzer. I love this red wine spritzer made with pinot noir and orange liqueur.
• Add a fruit garnish: A slice of citrus (lemon, lime, orange, blood orange, grapefruit) or a twist of peel make really wonderful garnishes. Try other fruits like melon, peach, blackberry, or green apple. Try this raspberry rosé spritzer, with fruit purée.
• Add an herb garnish: Try a sprig of mint, basil, lemon balm, or rosemary for a fresh herby flavor. See what’s growing in your herb garden.
• Make it sweeter: Replace the club soda with lemon-lime soda, 7-Up, or Fresca.
• Try a frozen cocktail instead: Besides being one of our favorite summer cocktails, a frosé is a wine slushie. Try this easy frosé recipe!