Grapefruit And Rosemary White Wine Spritzer Recipe

By the time Friday evening rolls around, you might find yourself craving a good cocktail — but at the same time, nothing sounds better after a grueling week than simply pouring a refreshing glass of wine. Which to choose? There's a solution to that predicament, and it's not exactly sangria. Instead of a pitcher of infused wine and fruit, developer Michelle McGlinn takes a more cocktail-forward approach to infusing wine, working just one glass at a time to develop a unique but easy drink. Keeping both the ease of pouring a glass of wine and the complexity of a balanced cocktail, this grapefruit and rosemary white wine spritzer is the perfect way to relax at the end of a long week.

Starting with your favorite semi-dry wine, this cocktail takes a page from sangria and uses sliced grapefruit to add a citrusy pop to the wine. The charred rosemary not only gives an earthy, aromatic layer to the wine, but also adds a smoky layer reminiscent of a mezcal paloma. If you like bubbles, this is the drink for you: The final layer of club soda finishes the drink with a poppy layer of effervescence not unlike an Aperol spritz. For a drink that is refreshing, sophisticated, and — most of all — easy, look no further than this grapefruit white wine spritzer.

The ingredients list for this cocktail is short and sweet: You'll first need a semi-dry white wine, like pinot grigio or a sweet sauvignon blanc. Next, you'll need a grapefruit, a sprig of rosemary, and some club soda. If you like your drink extra-chilled, prepare some ice cubes, too.

If desired, fill a wine glass with ice.

Add the slice of grapefruit.

Add the wine and then the club soda.

Garnish with a rosemary sprig so that the top of the sprig is above the rim of the glass.

Carefully light the edges of the rosemary to char.

Serve immediately.

In this recipe, the rosemary is lightly charred at the top only to invoke an aroma of smoke. This is a technique that focuses on scent more than flavor, since the charred rosemary won't be infused into the drink (if it was, the drink would taste bitter). For a more intense smoky flavor, the drink would instead need to be smoked. Smoked cocktails are usually made with wood chips or powder, but can also be made with herbs to infuse a more delicate scent into the drink. In this case, the drink can be smoked using the rosemary sprig.

To do this, first find a slate or otherwise heat proof surface and add the rosemary. Light the rosemary until flames appear, then cover with the overturned empty wine glass (and remember to wet the glass first). The flames will go out and produce smoke that fills the glass. Let the smoke fill the glass for a minute, then remove the glass and quickly finish the cocktail. This way, the glass is scented and the cocktail will take on more of the smoked rosemary flavor. To infuse the whole drink with a strong smoky flavor, try using a smoking chimney or cloche instead.

A white wine spritzer may sound like a sweet and fruity drink, but it is actually very dry. Not dissimilar to the famously bitter Aperol spritz, the drink balances semi-dry wine with club soda, a dry and muted topper. If you like white wine already, it is likely you will enjoy this crisp cocktail; however, if the grapefruit and club soda make the wine too dry for your tastes, there are some adjustments you can make.

The first thing we recommend when making this drink sweeter is to change the topper. Instead of club soda, try lemon-lime soda like Sprite, or even swap for prosecco. To sweeten the drink without altering the crisp flavor of the wine, keep the club soda and instead change out the wine. For this, we recommend a sweet riesling or even a moscato. Lastly, if you don't like the bitter taste of grapefruit, swap for a sweeter citrus fruit like oranges or a slice of lemon.