The Lala Berry Wine Cocktail
This bevvy is somewhere between a refreshing glass of white wine and a fruity cocktail. Its originator happens to be my best friend, known to me as Lala. Way back when, she was the caretaker of sorts for a luxury Tribeca loft which belonged to a legendary French artist. It was very French–it even had a secret mistress door in the bedroom closet that exited to the hallway.
Before she and I moved to Red Hook, Brooklyn in our own little loft, we spent the humid, always sunny summer drinking this. It was simple, and bright, and hit my taste buds right: berries soaked in vermouth and topped with Gruner or a dry Riesling.
Take a bunch of mixed berries and soak in vermouth (you can stick to your own favorite berry if preferred, but the cornucopia of berry textures is wondrous; each type of berry absorbs the vermouth differently into itself.) My friend Lala did it with dry vermouth, I do it with sweet vermouth. It’s really a preference. I like adding a little sweetness, since the Gruner I like to use is very crisp and dry.
We once drank a whole lot of this nectar and went paint shopping in Soho on a Saturday afternoon. So many colors, so little time. All this, and you get your allotment of antioxidants too.
Even something so simple as this beverage can transport you to a very specific, sweet memory and place in time. I take a sip now of Lala’s berry wine cocktail on our sunny green garden balcony in another end of Brooklyn, and I miss my friend.
Thanks for the recipe, Lala.
Lala’s Berry Wine Cocktail
Equipment
- Shaker
Ingredients
- 4 cups White wine (Gruner or Dry Riesling) (1 bottle works)
- 1 cup Sweet or dry Vermouth (your preference)
- 10 oz package of mixed berries (or your favorite berry)
Instructions
- Pour the berries into a deep bowl and add the vermouth. Make sure to mix the vermouth in with the berries completely. Leave for at least an hour to soak. You can soak in the refrigerator to make sure it is also chilled.
- Spoon some berries (about two tablespoons, or more or less if you prefer) and some vermouth juice into a glass.
- Add chilled white wine and fill to capacity. Enjoy all summer long!
Notes
- As said, you can change up this recipe in many ways: using one or a particular mix of berries, sweet vs. dry vermouth, or different kinds of white wine (dry works best).
- You can chill the berries for as long as you like, at least until softer berries like the raspberries start to break down.
- You can also add some seltzer for a little extra spritz!