Lillet Rosé is a 34 proof lightly fruity and floral aperitif made with Bordeaux grapes. To get to know it is an opportunity to make a new friend—a splash of sparkling water and a few local berries and a snazzy, refreshing summertime cocktail is ready in seconds.

Back in the empire building days, it was the Greeks and Romans who first mixed water and wine. In the everybody-should-have-this cocktail reference book, SPRITZ, Talia Baiochi and Leslie Pariseau explain that the practice of diluting concentrated wines helped mitigate the unruliness that could transpire during a symposium of drinking thinkers all convivially gathered to discuss philosophy.  Centuries later, the spritz—as we know it today—is a decidedly Italian aperitivo cocktail and a low-alcohol before dinner drink with a distinctively subtle bitter undertone intended to stimulate the appetite.

This recipe only strays from the original in that it has been adjusted to serve a crowd, that sparkling water has been added, and frozen peach slices are substituted for ice cubes to mitigate dilution on a hot summer’s day when this aperitif is most welcome.

 

 

 

cuisine Italian
difficulty Simple
season Summer
serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle dry rosé wine
  • 1 1/2 cups Lillet Rosé
  • 1 1/2 cups hibiscus tea
  • 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup simple syrup
  • 3 ounces Aperol
  • 1 1/2 cups sparkling water
  • 1/2 bottle sparkling wine
  • 3 firm peaches
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • Mint, garnish

Directions

  1. Slice each of the peaches in half and remove the pits. Slice each of the peach halves into 4 slices and toss with lemon juice to prevent browning.
  2. Place the peach slices on a parchment lined QUARTER SHEET baking pan and freeze until solid.
  3. When ready to serve, pour the rosé, Lillet Rosé, lemon juice, simple syrup, and Aperol into a pitcher.
  4. Add half of the frozen peaches to the pitcher and place three slices of frozen peaches into each serving glass.
  5. Top the pitcher first with the sparkling water and then with the sparkling wine and pour into the glasses with the peach ice cubes. Garnish with mint and serve immediately.