Forget Frosé: This Summer Is All About Rosé Lemonade

From fruit-flecked sangria to slushy frosé, rosé has played a starring role in a range of summer cocktails for at least the past half-decade. But more recently, the pink-hued staple has taken a sweet new form: rosé lemonade.

Admittedly, the lightly sweetened and slightly tart cocktail—sometimes referred to as “La Rosénade”—has yet to reach full-on trend status. However, it’s gaining steam across the globe. In New York City, a version is on the menu at Jane Restaurant. Spots across France also feature it, from the brasserie Marius in the Loire Valley to HoBistro in Puy-de-Dôme. And in Texas Hill Country, you’ll find it at Piccolina, an elevated Italian ice spot. Other examples abound.

Many versions are spiked with vodka, but the most basic formula is dangerously easy to make, requiring just two ingredients: lemonade and rosé. When swirled together, the result is a low-abv refresher ideal for long summer afternoons.

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Barry Bayat, founder and CEO of Rumor, a rosé producer in Provence, says he’s personally seen rosé lemonade (and experimentation with rosé in general) rise in popularity in the South of France. In that way, ”a glass of rosé has become more similar to a cocktail than a traditional glass of wine,” he says. 

Perhaps it’s a natural result of rosé’s ascendance. Rosé production in the Mediterranean has grown significantly in recent years. Today, roughly 80% of current wine production in the Mediterranée IGP, which covers approximately 26,934 acres of vineyards, is rosé. Rosé cocktails, in turn, have seen a steady rise in popularity in recent years. Perhaps it’s partly due to their resemblance to the now ubiquitous spritz—both are refreshing and lower in alcohol. 

Célia Papaix, a food editor at the Paris-based publication Demotivateur has written about rosénade. She thinks of the two-ingredient version as ideal “for pool parties or summer parties with your friends,” she tells Wine Enthusiast. “It’s very easy to make and everyone likes it. For me, rosé lemonade is very trendy because it’s so simple and refreshing for summer. You don’t need to be a bartender to create this kind of drink, and that’s the secret.”

At Piccolina, founder Christina Harmon added a rosé lemonade to the menu when she noticed “a growing trend of rosé-inspired beverages in the culinary world,” she says. It’s one of their most popular drinks, especially in the summer. There, the lemonade is hand-squeezed and married with a Prosecco rosé, which delivers effervescence and notes of ripe red berries and rose petals. 

“We serve it in a disposable Champagne flute on ice, which can be taken around Main Street, as Fredericksburg allows for open containers,” she says. “I personally love the beautiful ombré effect in the glass, as we top the lemonade with rosé.”

Of course, any bottle of rosé will work in what we suspect will be a summertime standby. Here’s a simple recipe to get you started.

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Rosé Lemonade Recipe

Recipe by Barry Bayat

Instructions

Step 1

Make simple syrup: Combine cane sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to boil for 3 to 5 minutes until the sugar is dissolved completely. Remove from heat.

Step 2

Make lemonade: Add freshly squeezed lemon juice to the simple syrup, and allow the mixture to cool completely.

Step 3

Fill a glass with ice cubes. Pour equal parts lemonade and rosé, and enjoy.

Published: June 4, 2024