This post is sponsored by Stella Rosa. Learn more about the full line of Stella Rosa wines here!
Spring is in full swing and warmer weather means more outdoor happy hours! This time of year is all about spritzes, sparkling wine, and rosé, so I’m very excited to partner with Stella Rosa to share a fun and bubbly cocktail featuring their Pearl Lux Rosé.
This sparkling Pink 75 will help you welcome rosé season in style, with flavors of strawberry, guava, citrus, and orange blossoms.
Want to win a Stella Rosa gift box? Enter the cocktail contest here!
The Pink 75 is a vibrant, fruity cocktail that’s perfect for celebrating spring and summer, even if the party is just a virtual happy hour with girlfriends during self-isolation.
These days the demand for simple cocktail recipes you can easily make at home is greater than ever, so although this recipe uses a specialty cocktail syrup, I’ve included a list of substitution options to make it as easy and accessible as possible, no matter your situation.
Just because we’re stuck at home doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy great cocktails!
Light and effervescent wines for everyone
If you’re not familiar, Stella Rosa is the leading brand of semi-sweet, semi-sparkling wines. These unique wines are tremendously popular and they’re currently the top imported Italian wine in the United States.
The line was created by the Riboli family of the San Antonio Winery in response to customer demand for slightly sweeter and more refreshing wines.
The resulting wines are a fun and lightly effervescent style of wine made with Asti grapes, which lend a bright, floral, and fruity character.
The classic, or L’Originale line of Stella Rosa wines are “frizzante”, meaning that they have a gentle effervescence that adds a lovely mouthfeel and balances the sweetness of the wines.
The lightly sparkling quality of a frizzante wine is produced through partial fermentation. Partial fermentation also means that the wines are lower in alcohol.
Low-ABV drinks are more popular than ever, and the wide variety of Stella Rosa flavors means there’s truly something for everyone.
In addition to the L’Originale and Luxury lines, Stella Rosa also makes several fully sparkling wines, including my favorite, the Pearl Lux Rosé.
Stella Rosa Pearl Lux Rosé
Stella Rosa Pearl Lux Rosé is a dry sparkling wine with delicate floral and citrus flavors, making it very enjoyable all on its own.
But of course I can’t resist dressing up a bubbly pink wine with summery fruit flavors and a splash of citrus! The Pearl Lux Rosé is crisp and a little fruity, with notes of sweet orange and orange blossom.
This wine can be paired with a number of dishes, but I think it goes particularly well with savory starters and cheese plates, as well as light and fruity desserts (think summer staples like strawberry shortcake or even key lime pie).
Inspired by the classic champagne and gin cocktail, the French 75, my Pink 75 is a rosy rendition made with vodka, strawberry, guava, lime, and the crisp Stella Rosa Pearl Lux Rosé.
The subtle floral flavors of the rosé pair beautifully with tropical fruit and give the cocktail a breezy, summer vibe.
What’s in a Pink 75:
- Stella Rosa Pearl Lux Rosé
- Vodka
- Guava syrup
- Fresh strawberries
- Fresh lime juice
How to make the cocktail:
- To make a Pink 75, pick a perfect ripe strawberry and chop it into a few pieces for easier muddling.
- Add your strawberry and freshly squeezed lime juice to a cocktail shaker and use a muddler to pulverize the fruit.
- Next, add your vodka and guava syrup to the cocktail shaker, then fill it ¾ with ice. Shake until well chilled, then fine strain the liquid into a champagne flute. Top the cocktail with chilled Stella Rosa Pearl Lux Rosé, and garnish with an edible flower (if desired).
Recipe substitutions
This recipe is made with a pink guava syrup, which is easy to find on Amazon.
However, if you don’t want to wait on having a syrup shipped, you can make your own guava syrup using store-bought guava nectar, or you can skip the guava and substitute with a quick simple syrup for a super easy version that still tastes great!
The simple combination of strawberry, lime and the Pearl Lux Rosé is still delicious, even without tropical guava flavor.
To make a guava syrup from guava nectar (a sweetened juice blend), start by combining equal parts guava nectar, sugar, and water.
I find it easiest to mix the water and the sugar together first, making a simple syrup, and then add the guava nectar once the sugar has fully dissolved.
Note: Depending on the sweetness and flavor intensity of your guava nectar, you may need to tweak this recipe. If it needs more guava flavor, add another measure of guava nectar and taste again. See recipe notes below for detailed instructions.
Simple syrup is a very simple blend of equal parts water and sugar. No need to even heat the water – just combine equal measures and stir until the sugar dissolves.
I like to make small batches of ½ cup or 1 cup measures and it really takes just a minute or two for all of the sugar to dissolve. Store your syrups in closed containers in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Want another even easier option? Skip the syrups and add an ounce of guava nectar to the muddled strawberry and freshly squeezed lime juice. This variation won’t be as intensely guava-flavored, but it is also very tasty!
Want a chance to win a Taste the Magic Gift Box filled with Stella Rosa merchandise? Here’s how to enter:
- Create a unique cocktail recipe featuring any Stella Rosa wine
- Take a picture of your creation
- Upload the photo, cocktail ingredients and instructions at StellaRosaWines.com
You may also enjoy:
Pink 75
Ingredients
- 1 oz vodka
- .75 oz guava syrup
- .75 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 strawberry
- 4 oz Stella Rosa Peal Lux Rosé
Instructions
- Hull and quarter the strawberry and add it with freshly squeezed lime juice to a cocktail shaker.
- Muddle the fruit to extract the juices.
- Add the vodka and guava syrup to the cocktail shaker, then fill it ¾ with ice.
- Shake until chilled, then fine strain into a champagne flute. Top the cocktail with chilled Stella Rosa Pearl Lux Rosé, and garnish with an edible flower (if desired).
Notes
- If you’re not able to buy guava syrup, or don’t want to wait to have it shipped, you can make your own at home from store-bought guava nectar (a sweetened guava juice blend). Use the same amount of syrup as called for above (.75 oz).
- If you don’t want to make a syrup, you can also try replacing the syrup in the recipe above with 1-1 1/2 ounces of guava nectar. Depending on the flavor and sweetness of your guava nectar, you may need to adjust the amount used.
- If you can’t find guava nectar, you can skip the guava flavor altogether and make a basic simple syrup instead. Use the same amount of syrup as called for above (.75 oz).
- ½ – 1 cup guava nectar
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
