Pink drinks sometimes get a reputation as sickly sweet, rose-flavored sippers, but this drink certainly breaks that stereotype. Perfect for picnics or as an evening cocktail, the Rosé Paloma is the perfect union of dry, floral rosé and smooth, bright tequila. Bright fresh citrus bonds well with the agave nectar and brings out the best of a good Blanco tequila. The addition of soda water means you can soften the impact of the spirits in this drink to suit practically any pallet as this cocktail is dangerously drinkable.
In 25 years I could never get my father, a hobbyist winemaker and French wine enthusiast, to drink a glass of rosé with me, but while making classic Paloma for him one day, I snuck in some rosé and topped it with soda water. His response after enjoying that first cocktail was the words “keep them coming” which is exactly what anyone making a cocktail wants to hear.
Of course, the secret to this drink is using fresh citrus, good tequila, and a great rosé. As I learned through years of “exhaustive testing” a great rosé tastes like the best of both red and white wine. While rosé can come in a variety of sweetness levels and colors, the shade of the wine can come from a variety of sources including grape skins, blend levels, or Saignée (French for “bleeding” although no actual blood is used). This means there is a variety of flavors out there, so whether you prefer a lollipop red sipper or a dry provincial bottle from France, there’s probably a rosé out there for you.
Rosé Paloma
Prep Time: 5 min
Ingredients
- 2 OZ. DRY ROSÉ
- 1.5 OZ. BLANCO TEQUILA (LIKE HERRADURA SILVER)
- 1 OZ. FRESH LIME JUICE
- 1 OZ. FRESH GRAPEFRUIT JUICE
- 0.5 OZ. BLUE AGAVE NECTAR
- 1 BOTTLE OF SPARKLING WATER (USE LESS FOR A STRONGER DRINK)
Garnish
- GRAPEFRUIT SEGMENT (OPTIONAL)
- EDIBLE FLOWER (OPTIONAL, SEE PRO TIPS)
Directions
Pro Tips
- Edible flowers can be bought freeze-dried from the supermarket or plucked right off your favorite orchid, hibiscus, or rose. Not all flowers are edible, however, so do some research before reaching for your nearest bouquet.
- It’s also important to note that orchids can be difficult on sensitive stomachs, and while flowers add to the appearance of a cocktail, they won’t impart much of a flavor.
Sustainable Spirits
Brown-Forman-owned, Casa Herradura, is the oldest tequila-producing hacienda in the world. Committed to producing their award-winning, traditional tequila sustainably, Herradura uses traditional sand, brick, and stone ovens that reduce the energy and water used to process agave into tequila. To reduce their energy consumption further, Herradura saves their spent agave fibers and uses the fibers as biofuel to power their operations. Through these traditional, sustainable operations, Herradura saves 950,000 gallons of water (about one-and-a-half Olympic-size swimming pools) and keeps 700 tons of carbon dioxide (the emissions equivalent of roughly 152 cars) out of the atmosphere every year.
