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Strawberry Lemon Smash Cocktail from California Wines
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Strawberry Lemon Smash: a delicious strawberry lemonade cocktail made fizzy with California sparkling wine. It’s a recipe packed with California-grown goodness from our friends at California Wines – straight from their Fresh + Delicious California Wine Cocktails eCookbook, which you can download for Free here! All the wine cocktails in the book are light + fresh but big on flavor, and loaded with Golden State produce.
OK, pick up some strawberries, a lemon, and some California sparkling wine, and let’s go!
This recipe calls for lemon simple syrup, which you can buy, but it’s totally easy to make with a couple of California lemons. Did you know lemons are in season all year round here? It’s true! In fact, California grows over 92% of the lemons available in the U.S.
To make lemon simple syrup: just combine equal parts sugar and filtered water in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves and liquid becomes clear. Then increase the heat to a heavy simmer and cook for two to three minutes and allow to cool. Flavor the syrup with lemon by adding a few lemon wheels (seeds removed) while the syrup is cooking and then strain once it’s cool. So easy!
California strawberries are available year-round too. In winter, strawberries ship from Southern California; production moves north with the warmer spring temperatures, and berries are grown throughout the state through summer. Wine is, of course, a year-round option too – so you can make this cocktail now, and then once it becomes one of your favorites, you can enjoy it anytime!
OK, time to mix one (or two) up. Get the recipe below, and download the Free Fresh & Delicious California Wine Cocktails ebook here!
Strawberry Lemon Smash
Ingredients
- 4-5 fresh strawberries diced
- 2 lemon wedges
- 2 oz. lemon simple syrup
- California sparkling wine
- ice
- garnish: strawberry and lemon wheels
Instructions
- Squeeze the juice from the lemon wedges into the bottom of a stemless wineglass, mason jar or tumbler.
- Add the diced strawberries to the lemon juice and muddle (crush) them thoroughly.
- Pour in the simple syrup and stir to combine.
- Add ice to the glass, then fill with sparkling wine.
- Stir to combine, then garnish with a strawberry and lemon wheels.
Notes
When you make this recipe, be sure to tag us on Instagram at @cagrownofficial and use #CAGROWN
Want more delicious wine recipes? Try this Golden State Sangria, these Sparkling Wine Fruit Kabobs, and this Blackberry Kiwi Mimosa too!
Recipe by K.C. Cornwell for California Wines. See more of K.C.’s work on her blog G-Free Foodie – where you can find her favorite wine cocktail, the Farmers Market!
Strawberry Lemon Smash Photos by Meg van der Kruik. See more of Meg’s work on her blog This Mess Is Ours – where you can find her favorite wine cocktail, this Mandarin Basil Sparkler.