Gin Cocktails with Sparkling Wine

*The sparkling wine in this recipe was provided by One Hope Wine.  You can read more about why I’m working with them in my post from Day 1 of this series on Wine Cocktails! 

When I started out making the cocktails for my Wine Cocktails series I thought I would just be following recipes.  I didn’t have confidence in trying to make up my own as I didn’t really know how the wine would work with the liquor.  But this was my last recipe to make and while I liked the recipe that I followed, I thought it was missing something.  And I knew exactly what it was.  Cilantro.  Not a typical cocktail ingredient but it totally works with this!  It goes great with lime and also with the gin since it typically also has some herbal notes to it.

It’s super easy to make!  You just need to remember to set out the frozen limeade a little ahead of time to thaw.  I didn’t really worry about thawing it out too much but I could see how you would be able to mix it up a little better for more balanced flavors if it was all liquid. 

Rinse the cilantro and tear off a handful of cilantro leaves.  Put them in your glass, top with the limeade and muddle. I have frozen limeade in my freezer at all times.  Not only can you use it to marinade chicken breasts but it is also a main ingredient in the world’s best margaritas.  And the stuff lasts for a really long time (so you know it is all processed and chemically and delicious). 

Add ice to your glass…

Then add your gin and sparkling wine. 

Grab a spoon and give it a quick spin in the glass.  Mmmmmm.  I love cilantro.  I know it isn’t for everyone.  If you are a cilantro hater, you could probably try it with basil.  I know a basil gimlet is one of the best drinks ever so topping it with some sparkling wine isn’t going to hurt anything.

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Sparkling Wine and Gin Cocktail

Love it or hate it, cilantro is a simple way to add tons of flavor, even to cocktails. It's a great pairing for the herbal notes of the gin. 

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword easy cocktails

Prep Time 5 minutes

Servings 2

Author Sharon Garofalow

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup frozen limeade concentrate thawed
• 1/2 cup gin
• 1 1/3 cup sparkling wine
• A few sprigs of cilantro

Instructions

1. In a glass add cilantro leaves and limeade.
2. Muddle the cilantro.
3. Add ice.
4. Top with gin and then add sparkling wine.
5. Use a spoon to give it a gentle stir.

I’m learning to really enjoy gin.  It isn’t usually my first choice of liquors but I always love them when I order a cocktail made with gin at a bar.  Need more gin cocktails?  Try out the gin sorbet float and this Meyer lemon and basil gin cocktail.

A huge thank you to all the brands, like One Hope Wine, that sent product this week so I could produce this series so I didn’t break the bank buying alcohol!  Be sure to check out all the other wine based cocktails that I shared this week!  Day 1, day 2, day 3 and day 4!