It’s the month of love, and we’ve got two holidays worthy of a festive cocktail: Galentine’s Day (Feb 13!) and Valentine’s Day. Good thing we have no shortage of recipe options for you guys. There are a couple of boxes these cocktails needed to tick. They need to be beautiful, have super romantic vibes and be a tad special (bonus if they’re red or pink).
Kiss From a Rosé
The ingredients are simple: vodka, cranberry juice, soda water, rosé wine and sliced strawberries cut into hearts because Galentine’s Day guys. And it’s friggin’ delicious. Plus, the cocktail will take on a natural ombre effect, making it oh-so-gorgeous. Your friends will be impressed. Grab the recipe here.
Love Potion #9
This baby is a twist on a gin sour. It’s got gin, lime juice, simple syrup, egg whites and pomegranate juice. In addition to pomegranate juice giving our drink that much coveted red hue, the fruit is also a prominent player in aphrodisiac lore. Pomegranate’s are known as a culinary symbol of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. To add to the mystique, some say the forbidden fruit of the Bible was not apple at all, but a pomegranate. Make sure to bust out this fun fact while you’re sipping on this bevy with your drinking partner. Grab the recipe here.
French 77
Are you a fan of rose water? People tend to love it or hate it. We’re into it, but a little definitely goes a long way. If you get the ratio just right though, it’s fabulous. Definitely adds a lot of flavour to desserts and cocktails. We were inspired to concoct a bevy with rose water, which we know would go well with gin. So, we took a classic French 75 cocktail, swapped out lemon juice for grapefruit, sparkling wine for sparkling rosé and added rose water. We were thrilled with the end result. The rose water is subtle, but totally adds depth to the cocktail. Grab the recipe here.
Sorbet Mimosa
Yes, you read that headline accurately. We made a mimosa even better by adding sorbet. Obviously, a simple mimosa is always delicious, but this is like a special occasion mimosa. It wasn’t as sweet as we thought it would be either, the sorbet just added a smooth texture and a layer of deliciousness. Choose a pink sorbet, like raspberry, cherry or strawberry to make it fitting for the occasion. Grab the recipe here.
Rosé Lemonade
You may think rosé and lemonade is a strange combination, but trust us. It’s kind of like a mimosa, but better! It’s easy to make and not too sweet. A great option as a brunch or daytime cocktail. Make it special by garnishing with edible flowers. Grab the recipe here.
Mimosa Bar
Everyone likes a good mimosa. It’s the perfect pairing for just about any brunch and they’re not so boozy that they can’t be crushed as soon as your eyes are open. This is a great way to start Valentine’s Day. But what’s even better than a single mimosa? A mimosa bar. As soon as there’s a bar set-up you know you’re expected to have at least two. You have options so each one can be different than the last. This is an especially great idea for a Galentine’s Day party. A good mimosa bar has a variety of juices, fruits and lots of bottles of bubbly at the ready. Grab the instructions for setting up your own here.
Frosé
That’s right: rosé that’s blended with all your favourite things to create an adult slushie so perfect it seems like it was plucked right out of your dreams. We blended our rosé with watermelon and raspberries but you can get creative as you want with the additions. We’ve also seen strawberries, peaches and other melons added in to the mix. The moral of the story is there’s no wrong way to do it, you’re limited only by your imagination. Grab our recipe here.
Passionfruit Sour
I know we say this all the time, but this is one of our favourite cocktail creations. The star ingredient is homemade passionfruit simple syrup. Passionfruit has a unique flavour – the smell instantly takes you to a tropical climate. While the fruit smells sweet, it’s quite tart, which is why infusing it in a simple syrup works so well. The syrup is mixed with vodka, pineapple juice, lemon juice, egg white and sparkling wine for a beautiful, frothy texture that’s worthy of a special occasion. Grab the recipe here.
Red Wine Hot Chocolate
We weren’t entirely sure about pairing hot chocolate and red wine, but we can confirm it’s absolutely delicious. So trust us on this one. It’s crazy rich, so better as a sipper in a small mug than a full on Venti size cup. Grab the recipe here.
BONUS: Wine and Chocolate Tasting
We thought we’d share a fun activity perfect for Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s Day alike. We’ve got six wine and chocolate paring ideas paired with a downloadable sheet with tasting notes to set you up for an epic night in. Grab the instructions here.
