This effervescent and citrusy red wine cocktail is summer-ready, preps in minutes, and is simple to turn into a pitcher! Rosso d'estate is a fun, three-ingredient variation on a popular warm weather sipper. This 'red wine of summer' uses easily-accessible Italian ingredients and features a balanced flavor that tastes fancier than the work involved.
Rosso d'estate is my tongue-in-cheek, Italian-leaning version of tinto de verano, a popular summertime drink in Spain. Like its inspiration, red wine and lemon-flavored soda are poured over ice and then garnished with citrus. Some versions include a small touch of something else, like sweet vermouth.
With an Italian red, an Italian sparkling lemonade, and an Italian liqueur, this summer red wine cocktail is really good. Like even better than I thought it would be, good.
I played around with the proportions to land on this version that I think balances the boldness of a fuller-bodied red wine with the sweet-tartness of sparkling limonata. Throw in a bittersweet liqueur for complementary complexity and this little three-ingredient drink seriously punches above its weight.
If the extent of your red-wine-over-ice experience is from drinking sangria, know that this Italian red wine cocktail is lighter in mouthfeel, won't hit you over the head with sweetness, and makes an even more barbecue- or pool party-appropriate beverage.
What You'll Need
Red Wine: I'm far from a wine connoisseur so I'll say to use a red wine that you like. Nothing spendy! Keep in mind it'll be diluted by the limonata, so something medium- to full-bodied (and not light) is recommended. I've used Sangiovese and Primitivo for this Italian red wine cocktail.
Sparkling Limonata: The easiest to find here in the U.S. would be cans of Sanpellegrino Limonata, and that's not a bad thing because it's delizioso. Hazy in appearance with a bold lemon flavor, I find it has a gentler effervescence than traditional sodas. And speaking of, it's really quite different (and about 25% less sweet) than lemon-lime sodas like Sprite or 7Up so I wouldn't substitute.
Optionally, Aperol: Not required and a swerve away from the two-ingredient simplicity of the original, this is my "something else". A small amount of this orange-y and herb-y bittersweet liqueur adds an x factor to a very basic wine cocktail and easily ups the fancy factor.
Garnish: Thinly-sliced lemon and orange rounds tie this summery red wine cocktail together. I cut the orange rounds further in half to more comfortably fit in the glass.
How to Make a Rosso d'Estate
This one is easy - no specialty bar tools required. In fact please don't break out the cocktail shaker because this drink is carbonated. Simply pour the wine, limonata, and Aperol, if using, over ice and stir. Tuck a lemon and orange round into the glass when serving.
Want to make a pitcher? For six servings, stir together one 750-ml bottle of wine, three 11.15-ounce bottles of Sanpellegrino sparkling limonata, and six tablespoons of Aperol. The 4:5 ratio will be slightly off but this kind of recipe doesn't need to be super precise. Don't prepare this too far ahead of time as the carbonation will go flat the longer it sits.
Tips and Tricks
- Glassware: This type of Italian red wine cocktail can be served in highball glasses, stemless wine glasses, or tumblers. It's pretty versatile. Just make sure your vessel is large enough, at least 16 ounces, to account for ice in addition to the 9 ½ ounces of liquid with room to stir.
- Better ice: Standard crescent-ish freezer-made ice cubes are...basic. For cocktails and mocktails I like to use either a large square ice cube (I've had these big silicone ice cube molds for ten years) or buy cocktail-style ice cubes, seen here. They're perfectly clear and just look *fancier* than freezer-made cubes. A 5-pound bag lasts a long while and is around $3-4 at my grocery store.
- A recipe for later: Into the idea of Italian red wine drinks? Keep this recipe for Italian mulled wine (known as vin brulé) on deck for the colder months.
More Summertime Sippers
Did you enjoy this recipe? I’d love for you to leave a star rating and a comment review in the recipe card below!
Rosso d'Estate (Summer Red Wine Cocktail)
Ingredients
- Ice
- 4 ounces chilled Italian red wine medium- to full-bodied
- 5 ounces chilled sparkling limonata such as Sanpellegrino
- ½ ounce Aperol optional
- Lemon rounds for servong
- Halved orange rounds for serving
Instructions
- Fill a minimum 16-ounce highball glass, tumbler, or stemless wine glass with ice. Pour in wine, sparkling limonata, and Aperol, if using. Stir to combine and garnish with lemon and orange rounds for serving.
Notes
- Red wine - Go for an affordable, medium- to full-bodied Italian variety like Sangiovese or Primitivo.
- Sparkling limonata - This can be found in 11.15-ounce can six-packs and is often stocked in the soda aisle. One can yields roughly two drinks. I don't recommend subbing in lemon-lime soda.
- Pitcher - Prepare this soon before serving as you run the risk of the carbonation going flat the longer it sits. For six servings, stir together one 750-ml bottle of wine, three 11.15-ounce bottles of Sanpellegrino sparkling limonata, and six tablespoons of Aperol in a pitcher, then pour over ice into glasses. These measurements are slightly off from the 4:5 ratio but it's a really forgiving recipe.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Plus receive periodic recipe newsletter emails.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
Food Safety and Nutrition Disclaimer
Comments
No Comments