Bursting with sweet strawberry flavour and just a hint of floral aroma, this frozen rosé wine cocktail is the perfect refreshing patio drink!
I recently returned from my second wine tour this summer in the Okanagan Valley here in BC. And while my overflowing wine cellar suggests that it was a very successful trip it was certainly distressing to see the havoc being wreaked by wildfires in the BC interior. The extreme heat this summer has come with a terrible price for many communities across our province and we can only hope for cooler weather and rain to bring an end to this difficult wildfire season.
Despite the heavy smoke we were able to visit many of our favourite wineries along with a few new ones. I was especially delighted to find several new rosé wines this year. One of my favourite rosés is Pink Mountain from Moraine Winery in Penticton BC. It works great with this recipe, and I find that it freezes well. A few others that stood out this year were the 2020 Oracle from Corcelettes Estate Winery in Keremeos, the 2020 Rosé from Little Engine Winery in Penticton, and the 2019 Foxly Rosé from Foxtrot Vineyards in Naramata.
Rosé wine was made for summer. Blend it with frozen strawberries and elderflower liqueur and you’ve got the perfect heat and thirst-quenching beverage to enjoy while waiting for cooler days ahead!
Ingredient Notes
Rosé wine: The star ingredient! I like to use frozen rosé wine rather than adding ice cubes which would only dilute the mixture, so you will need to plan ahead. I usually choose a rosé that is slightly off dry. The easiest method is to pour the wine into ice cube trays and freeze it overnight. If you don’t have ice cube trays, then you can pour the wine into a shallow pan to freeze. You can break up the frozen rosé wine before using – it won’t be too hard.
Keep in mind that most wines won’t freeze completely solid due to the alcohol content. In fact, I have had different results when using different rosé wines, some freeze more solidly than others. Don’t worry if your rosé wine doesn’t freeze completely and is slushy, you will be adding another frozen component to the drink. I also find that freezing the wine longer will sometimes help it to solidify. Freeze the wine at least overnight or longer if you can. I have found that 2 nights yields good results.
Frozen strawberries: In this drink the frozen berries play two roles. One, they add delicious, sweet strawberry flavour. And two, they play the part of ice cubes in creating the perfect, icy slush! Use frozen strawberries directly from the freezer and don’t let them thaw.
Elderflower liqueur: The elderflower liqueur is certainly optional, but I simply adore its delicate flavour. My favourite brand is St. Germaine which is made by distilling the aromas of over 1000 hand-picked elderflower blossoms into its uniquely shaped bottle.
Sugar: I like my cocktails on the sweet side, so I add simple syrup to this strawberry elderflower frosé. I usually use a 1 to 1 ratio when making simple syrup but with this drink I really don’t want to dilute it too much with excess water, so I use a ratio of 2 parts sugar to 1 part water. This syrup will be thicker than normal.
I suggest using a syrup simply to ensure that the sugar will be completely dissolved in the final drink – and it helps to add a bit more liquid while blending. However, I will confess to occasionally skipping this step and just adding the granulated sugar to the blender along with the other ingredients. After blending, the sugar is completely dissolved so it’s up to you which method to use!
How to Make Strawberry Elderflower Frosé
The hardest part of this drink is remembering to freeze the rosé!
A day or two before you want to make your strawberry frosés, pour a bottle of rosé wine into ice cube trays. One bottle of wine fills two ice cube trays with a little left over which I pour into a small container. Freeze overnight.
Next, prepare the simple syrup. Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and gently heat over medium heat just until the sugar is dissolved and then remove from the heat. Allow to cool completely before using or all your hard work freezing the rosé will be ruined!
To prepare the frosé, add the frozen rosé wine cubes to a large blender, high speed if you have one. Add the frozen strawberries along with the simple syrup and elderflower liqueur. Blend until smooth. You may need to stop the blender and scrape down the sides periodically, especially in the beginning when the berries are frozen hard. It should take about 30 to 60 seconds to blend the strawberry frosé. Blend until the frosé is a smooth, slushy consistency. If you keep blending, then the drink will begin to melt.
Pour into wine glasses, add a straw, and enjoy!
More Fruity Summer Cocktails
If you love fresh summer cocktails with fruity and floral flavours, try out these recipes:
