A wine cooler wasn’t my first drink, nor was it my second. But it was probably my third through ninth.
Which is why the two handcrafted wine cooler offerings at the just-opened Double Barrel Roadhouse in front of Monte Carlo piqued my interest. What would a “real” wine cooler not called sangria taste like?
Though I was initially enticed by the fruity Blackberry Cooler, I actually relished the Sparkling Wine Cooler more, the snappy impression from the Prosecco’s carbonation balanced by the sophistication of St-Germain. Infusing elderflower, cucumber and pomegranate in the same drink may be so 2009, but I appreciated the refreshingly subtle blend of otherwise prominent flavors.
And speaking of refreshment: This beverage—and Double Barrel’s Strip-side patio—all but demand day drinking, just as that malty bubbly did during my teenage summers.
Ingredients:
2 oz. cucumber water
3 oz. La Marca Prosecco
¾ oz. St-Germain
¾ oz. lemon juice
¾ oz. simple syrup
Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice
1 slice of cucumber
Method: Cucumber water: Blend equal amounts peeled and unpeeled cucumber, add preferred amount of water. Cocktail: Add cucumber water, lemon juice, syrup and St-Germain to glass. Add ice, then Prosecco. Slowly top with pomegranate juice to taste. Garnish with cucumber slice.
