Ottawa, ON
August 4, 2017
Today’s theme: Refreshing and easy to make wine cocktails for summer entertaining.
Today on CTV Morning Live, CTV’s Melissa Lamb and Sommelier Matt Steeves whipped-up some super refreshing and easy to make wine cocktails that are perfect for your long weekend summer entertaining. Check out the CTV video here!
Entertaining in the summer is the perfect occasion to treat your guest to some refreshing wine cocktails. With a few simple ingredients, you can easily prepare these refreshing wine cocktails that you and your guests will be certain to love!
Serving cocktails that incorporate summertime favourite ingredients, like watermelon, strawberries, pineapple, mint, ice cream, and white wine (my recommendation is Sauvignon Blanc) is a great way to enhance your backyard summertime entertaining and ensure your guests stay refreshed in the heat of the summer sun.
Today we’ve selected a few of our favourite wine cocktails, including poolside-perfect cocktails, terrific aperitif cocktails, to some very decadent and refreshing dessert cocktails as there’s a cocktail for every portion of your summertime hosting.
These wine cocktails offer the perfect solution to cooling off on those hot summer days and nights, and when you’re hosting a crowd they’re great as many can be made ahead of time and served to many without delay.
Here’s the list of summer wine cocktails we mixed on CTV Ottawa Morning Live today:
- Cucumber Cocktail
- Crawford Smash
- Kim in the Swim
- Pina Kimlada
- Kim de la Crème
Each of those cocktails are super easy to make, with a few key ingredients you’ll be well on your way to serving your guests some delicious
Recipes:
CUCUMBER COCKTAIL
Stay cool with this perked up party-pleaser. A cucumber and Kim Crawford cocktail just may be your favorite sippable splash of summer.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 lime thinly sliced
- Fresh mint leaves
- 1/4 cup of lime juice
- 1/4 cup of honey (or add a bit of Rosewood Mead (honey wine) for a slightly less sweet beverage).
- 1 bottle of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 liter bottle carbonated water, chilled
DIRECTIONS
In a large pitcher, combine cucumber, lime slices and 12 mint leaves. In a small bowl, stir together lime juice and honey until combined. Add wine, stirring gently. Cover and chill for at least two hours. Add soda water and serve over fresh ice.
Enjoy as an aperitif or pair with your summer meal.
Matt’s review of the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc: Kim Crawford continues to be one of the most appreciated Sauvignon Blanc expressions around the world. The 2016 vintage shows the characteristics of Marlborough that the world has grown so fond of. Expressive passion fruit, guava, and grapefruit interlaced with sweet herbal tones. Mouthwatering citrus and lemongrass on the long crisp fruit finish. Year after year, Kim Crawford manages to produce quality wines at a great price making them a top selling brand around the world. Enjoy with seafood, lightly spiced Asian cuisine, salads, and fish tacos, and try some delicious Kim Crawford and wine cocktails to enhance your summer entertaining. 90 points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca
INGREDIENTS
- 4 oz Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
- 3-4 lemon wedges
- 1 oz simple syrup
- Mint sprig
DIRECTIONS
Muddle Mint, lemon and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker
Add Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice
Garnish with a mint sprig
Enjoy the Crawford Smash throughout the afternoon poolside, or enjoy it as an aperitif before your summer meal.
KIM IN THE SWIM
INGREDIENTS
- 1 oz Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 oz vodka
- 1 oz fresh juiced watermelon
- 1 oz simple syrup
- 1/2 oz lemon
- 1 1/2 oz soda water
- Dash of grapefruit bitters (or a splash of Split Tree Cocktail Co’s Grapefruit Cordial or Dillon’s Lime Bitters available at LCBO)
- Grapefruit peel for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Mix first five ingredients in a shaker and pour over ice in a highball glass. Top with soda water. Add a dash of grapefruit bitters and garnish with grapefruit peel.
Enjoy your Kim in the Swim after splashing around in the water and before your meal as a great aperitif.
Pina Kimlada
Want a wine float that will transport you to the tropics? Mix 1 part Sauvignon Blanc, 2 parts pineapple juice and 1 scoop coconut ice cream to make your own wine float. Not a fan of pineapple juice, no problem, simply use Sauvignon Blanc and add ice cream to make a super delicious and refreshing dessert cocktail.
Enjoy this delicious dessert cocktail with your summer desserts, or treat your poolside guests to a mid-afternoon treat when the kids are eating their ice cream cones.
KIM DE LA CRÈME COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS
- 1 bottle Kim Crawford Rosé, well chilled
- 3 cups sliced strawberries
- 1/3 cup sugar
- Club soda
- 1 carton vanilla ice cream
- Edible flowers to garnish
DIRECTIONS
Makes 5 servings.
In a medium bowl mix the strawberries and sugar. Cover and let sit for 30-90 mins mixing occasionally. Divide the strawberries and any juices between 5 rocks glasses, add wine and a splash of club soda. Top with a generous scoop of ice cream. Garnish with your favorite edible flowers.
Tips
– Use coconut based ice cream for dairy free/vegan option.
– Substitute peaches, raspberries or any of your favorite summer fruit for the strawberries.
– Use honey instead of sugar for a richer flavor.
This is the ultimate treat to enjoy after a summer meal, and my recommendation, pair it with your strawberry shortcake…treat your guests to some dessert with their dessert.
Additional Summer-perfect wine cocktails:
CRAWFORD CUPID
INGREDIENTS
- 3 oz Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
- 3/4 oz grapefruit juice
- 1 tbsp simple syrup
- Sparkling water
- Ice
- Crème de Cassis
- Sage leaves and grapefruit for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Mix Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, simple syrup and grapefruit juice in a shaker or mixing glass with ice.
Strain over ice into serving glass and fill with sparkling water.
Top with a splash of crème de cassis and garnish with sage leaves and grapefruit twist.
Makes 1 cocktail
WATERMELON COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS
- 2 oz watermelon juice
- ½ oz lemon juice
- 1 oz vodka
- 1 oz Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
- 1½ oz sparkling water
- lemon twist
DIRECTIONS
Pour watermelon juice, lemon juice and vodka into a high ball.
Fill with ice.
Pour in Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc.
Stir.
Top with sparkling water and a lemon twist.
RHUBY RAD COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS
For the Cocktail
1 1/2 oz Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz rhubarb syrup
1/2 oz Lillet Blanc Aperitif
Rhubarb Ribbon for Garnish
For the Rhubarb Syrup
3/4 cup thinly chopped rhubarb
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Pinch of orange zest
DIRECTIONS
For 1 batch (8 servings) rhubarb syrup:
Add the sugar, water, rhubarb and orange zest to a medium saucepan.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until syrup thickens slightly and rhubarb starts to soften and break down (approx. 15 minutes).
Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Use the back of a spoon to push on the rhubarb to extract any remaining liquid from the pulp. Let cool and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
For the cocktail:
Add lemon juice, rhubarb syrup, Lillet Blanc and Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanco to a shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain over new ice into a coupe glass. Garnish with a rhubarb ribbon.
Note: a vegetable peeler works well for making long rhubarb ribbons.
Freezing blueberries and adding them to your wine cocktails is another great way of keeping your drink chilled without watering down the flavour. Also, at the end of the drink you’ll have a few tasty blueberries to snack on before the next round is ready.
Use funky shaped ice cube trays to freeze a bit of your wine in advance and simply add to your wine to keep it that much cooler a bit longer while you enjoy it in the summer sun. Pick some up on Amzaon.ca
Fennel Fizz Cocktail
INGREDIENTS
1 bottle Kim Crawford Chardonnay, well chilled
1 cup sugar
1 ¼ cups water
1 ½ tbsp fennel seeds
½ fennel cut into 6 wedges
Club soda
Fennel or dill fronds to garnish
DIRECTIONS
Makes 5 servings.
In a small saucepan bring sugar, water, fennel seeds to a boil. Simmer 15 min, cool 30 mins or overnight, strain to remove seeds.
Divide the wine between 5 ice filled glasses, add 1 to 2 tbsp fennel syrup to each glass, stir. Garnish with the fennel wedges and fronds. Add a splash of club soda and serve.
————————————
Tips
-save any leftover syrup covered, in the fridge, up to 6 months.
-premix the wine and syrup for efficiency
Quercus Vino 
Leave a Reply