Turn Trashy Rose Into Amazingly Good Cocktail Syrup
My dumb mild weather habit of buying super cheap rose, convincing themselves and others that “I’m not picky,” only to discover that I actually I kind of picky, and that five dollars a bottle of wine gives me an almost instant headache. And yet I insist, filling my refrigerator with unfinished bottles of shitty rose wine.
The only thing horrible rosé wine has is its beautiful color, so it seems a shame to use it as a frosting remover, although you certainly could. To preserve its hue – and strength – I prefer to gently heat it with an equal amount of table sugar to create a great cocktail syrup with its own alcohol content. Sugar hides the less pungent qualities of the wine, while wine gives a little acidity and a lot of alcohol. It works especially well with plant-rich gin, especially sparkling wine (good tasting) or seltzer water if needed.
Simply add a cup of sugar to a cup of wine in a small saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Transfer to a glass bottle or jar, let cool, and use to sweeten and pink your favorite clear alcohol cocktails.