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       INTRODUCTION

      Rosé isn’t a wine that fits conveniently into one category in terms of style, grape or flavour profile – it’s a complex group that includes sweet, dry, still and sparkling wines produced all over the world!

      There are, however, three things that rosés do have in common: they’re pink (although they vary from pale to surprisingly dark), they pair well with food, and they’re fabulous cocktail mixers, the latter being the focus of this book. I won’t boggle your mind with the ins and outs of rosé (although you will learn a bit about how it’s made and what to expect from certain regions or grape varietals) – there are plenty of books out there that cover all of the finer details. Instead, I want to invite you on the journey of discovering rosé cocktails! Rosé is one of the best wines for mixed drinks, with its flavour of strawberries or watermelon. It works perfectly with many spirits (whisky, gin, vodka, tequila, rum) and almost any additional flavours, from fruits to herbs and spices. And although seen as a summer wine, it’s a great fit for cocktails at any time of year.

      My goal is to give you some basics on mixing up great cocktails, and to inspire you to explore some unusual flavours. This book includes some incredibly simple drinks – like the Pink Wine Spritzer – as well as a rosé twist on familiar drinks like the mojito and the gin and tonic. There are some very special cocktails that display unique flavour combinations, such as the Lychee Ginger Martini and the Rosemary & Basil Fizz. And you’ll find that I love to use homemade ingredients. Of course, given the topic, there are also plenty of frosé and sangria recipes. I’ve found inspiration in the drinks that others have created, and hope to inspire you to take these to a new level. I’m not a wine critic or expert, but a writer who has spent over a decade studying mixed drinks and is grateful to be able to share that knowledge with others. Cocktails are meant to be fun, and wine should be fun. When the two come together, you know a party’s on its way!

       WHAT IS ROSÉ?

      In nature, there are red grapes and white grapes, and within those, hundreds of varietals are used to make red and white wine, respectively. There are, however, no pink grapes, so how does one get the pink wines designated as rosés?

      Rosé is not defined by the grape, but by the method. The catch is that since rosés are not varietal-dependent like other styles of wine, they offer a vast range of different flavour profiles. There are sweet rosés, a surprising number of dry rosés and plenty of sparkling rosés to choose from. Rosés are made in every corner of the globe, although there are areas in major wine-making countries that specialise in it. You will notice regional differences at times, just like with other wines, and you will encounter bottles that are a complete gamble. Will it be sweet or dry? Sometimes it’s very hard to tell, but that’s part of the fun!

      If your experience with rosé has been limited to white zinfandel (yes, the sweet wine that captures the attention of many young drinkers is a rosé), then you’ll be delighted to know that there really is a rosé for every wine drinker.

      HOW IS ROSÉ MADE?

      There are a few different methods for making rosé. The most common method used today begins with the juice of red grapes remaining in contact with the grape skin for a few days before the skin is removed. This short period of maceration results in a blush-coloured wine.

      A few rosés use a direct pressing method whereby the grapes are pressed with the skins, which are then removed straight away, leaving behind a light pink juice.

      A third approach is the saignée process (pronounced sehn-yay, French for ‘to bleed’). In this case, a little of the red wine juice is ‘bled off’ early in the maceration process while the wine is still pink. The result is both a useable rosé and a red wine.

      Used less often, a fourth technique involves blending a red and

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