Rosé Spritz - Elderflower & Strawberry Summer Cocktail

The Rosé Spritz is a light wine cocktail built with rosé, elderflower liqueur, fresh lemon, and sparkling water. Floral sweetness meets crisp acidity and gentle carbonation, while strawberries add a fresh finishing touch. This Rosé Spritz is easy to build directly in the glass and works especially well for brunches, warm-weather gatherings, and relaxed celebrations.

A Modern Take on the Wine Spritz

No documented creator or historical origin is stored for this recipe. Rather than following a traditional Italian aperitivo spritz formula, it uses still rosé wine as its base and adds elderflower liqueur, citrus, and sparkling water. The result fits comfortably into the modern wine-spritzer style, with a lighter, fruit-forward profile suited to contemporary brunch and summer drinking.

What You'll Need

Ingredients

• Rosé Wine - Provides the dry, fruity wine base and the drink's pale pink color.
• Elderflower Liqueur - Adds floral sweetness and aromatic depth.
• Sparkling Water - Lengthens the drink and supplies refreshing carbonation.
• Lemon Juice - Adds enough acidity to keep the wine and liqueur balanced.
• Strawberries - Provide a fresh fruit garnish that complements the rosé.

Useful substitutions: Club soda can replace sparkling water. Raspberries can stand in for strawberries, while a dry sparkling rosé can replace the still rosé for a more effervescent variation.

Equipment

• Large wine glass
• Bar spoon
• Ice

Floral, Crisp, and Built for Easy Sipping

Elderflower gives the cocktail noticeable floral character without turning it into a heavy liqueur drink. Rosé keeps the base light and fruity, lemon adds definition, and sparkling water prevents the sweetness from lingering. Building everything over ice also makes this an especially practical cocktail when serving several guests.

Substitutions & Variations

• Make it drier: Choose a dry rosé with bright acidity.
• Add more bubbles: Replace the still rosé with dry sparkling rosé.
• Change the fruit: Garnish with raspberries or a thin lemon wheel instead of strawberries.
• Add an herbal note: A small sprig of mint or basil works well with the elderflower.
• Use club soda: It is a straightforward substitute for sparkling water.

Helpful Tips

• Chill the rosé and sparkling water before mixing so the ice does less work.
• Add the sparkling water near the end and stir gently to preserve carbonation.
• Fresh lemon juice gives cleaner acidity than bottled juice.
• Use firm, ripe strawberries for the garnish so they hold their shape in the glass.
• For a group, combine the rosé, elderflower liqueur, and lemon juice ahead of time. Keep the mixture cold, then add sparkling water and garnish to each glass just before serving.