Skip to main content

Spritzes aren’t just for summer – try this winter pomegranate version

This wintery take on the beloved spritz formula uses rosé and pomegranate

pomegranate spritz dsc 1013
The Pale Rosé by Sacha Lichine

There’s perhaps no drink more iconic of summer than the Aperol Spritz, with its bright summery color, fresh flavors, and sparkling chill. But spritzes needn’t only be for summer. The essential features of wine plus sparkling water are an invitation to mix and match with different flavors, additions, and juices to create something that keeps the sparkling quality but changes to match your mood.

One such winter spritz suggestion comes from wine brand The Pale Rosé by Sacha Lichine, which offers a delicate rosé which keeps the fruity character of many similar wines but offers a drier, more delicate flavor that is well suited to mixing. If you’ve been put off trying rosé from too many encounters with very sweet options like White Zinfandel, then you might enjoy this as crisper and more subtle alternative.

Recommended Videos

To mix the rosé into a spritz, this recipe makes use of sparkling cider rather than sparkling water to work with the dry fruit flavors, and it adds both pomegranate juice and pomegranate seeds for a luxurious red color and sweet and sharp juicy addition. For those who love the bitterness of an Aperol Spritz but want a dry, sharp, fruit version for the winter, this recipe could be a winner.

The Pale Pomegranate Spritz

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoons pomegranate seeds
  • 1 oz pomegranate juice
  • 2 oz The Pale Rosé by Sacha Lichine
  • 2 oz sparkling cider

Method:

Add pomegranate seeds to a glass, pour in the juice, rosé, and sparkling cider, then serve over ice. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary for the perfect holiday flair.

Georgina Torbet
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Georgina Torbet is a cocktail enthusiast based in Berlin, with an ever-growing gin collection and a love for trying out new…
Pro advice: Summer wine hacks every host needs for perfect chill and spritz
Do it right around vino this summer
Fancy dinner

Keeping up with wine trends is a full time job. It may be summer, but there's no vacation for this drinks category. One minute it's chillable red wines, the next minute it's indigenous grape varieties from Armenia. You need a scorekeeper just to keep up.

Right now, given the time of year, it's all about keeping wines at the right temperature and having the tools in your belt for hosting properly. Fortunately, those very things are almost always trending in the wine world. It's just a matter of tweaking them accordingly to be acting just as the wine pros do, and therefor elevating your at-home wine experiences.

Read more
The booziest way to cool down this summer: Wine slushies for grownups
Frozen, fruity, and a little dangerous
A glass of Frozen Berry Margarita beside a bowl of berries on a circular tray.

Let’s be honest. Summer cocktails are usually either cloyingly sweet or too delicate to stand up to the heat. But one drink hits that elusive sweet spot between refreshing, boozy, and just plain fun — the wine slushie.
Wine slushies are the kind of cocktail that feels a little rebellious, but in the best way. They ditch the formality of wine snobbery and just lean into pure, icy cool pleasure. They’re the drink you serve at a casual backyard barbecue, a bachelor weekend, or when it’s just too hot outside for a quality glass of Pinot.
These aren’t the sugar-loaded concoctions we drank in our early 20s, or the overly syrupy frozen "frosé" we sipped poolside once and immediately regretted. We're talking real wine, blended with fresh fruit and a touch of sweetness, transformed into a grown-up slushie that feels equal parts indulgent and sophisticated. It’s the cocktail answer to a scorching July afternoon — and it’s deceptively easy to make.

Why wine slushies work
Wine already boasts a complex profile — acidity, body, and a plethora of complex fruity and floral notes. When frozen and blended, all those flavors concentrate into something borderline magical. Add in a handful of summer fruit (think strawberries, peaches, and watermelon), a touch of citrus, and maybe a splash of liqueur if you're feeling wild, and you’ve got yourself a drink that walks that delicious line between cocktail and dessert.
The beauty of the wine slushie lies in its versatility. Red, white, rosé — each brings its own unique character to the mix. And while frosé may have already had its trendy moment, wine slushies are back with a vengeance, now with more nuance and fewer offensively neon colors.

Read more
5 frozen cocktail tips that will instantly level up your summer sipping
Because you deserve better than watery margaritas.
Strawberry Margarita cocktail, front view

Warm weather is here, which means days on the beach, late nights around the fire pit, barbecues with friends, and one of my very favorite things — frozen cocktails. Frozen cocktails are essentially slushies for grown-ups, bursting with bold, fruity flavors and a fun, nostalgic twist. Plus, their bright and colorful aesthetic means they’re always photo-ready. As wonderful as they are, though, frozen cocktails can be tricky to master. If you've been looking to up your frozen cocktail game, here are five must-know tips for making icy drinks that will be the star of every summertime barbecue.

How to make a great frozen cocktail

Read more