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Sparkling Grapefruit Cocktail

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Alex Lau

This beautiful, bubbly summertime drink is fancy enough to enjoy on your yacht… or inner tube!

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 1 Servings

Ingredients

1 large ruby red or pink grapefruit
¼ cup sugar
2 ounces gin (preferably Hendricks)
½ ounce fresh lemon juice
1 sprig tarragon
2 ounces French sparkling wine (such as Crémant de Bourgogne)
Ruby red or pink grapefruit wedge (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Remove zest, along with some of the white pith, from grapefruit in wide strips with a vegetable peeler. Bring sugar and ¼ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, swirling constantly, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add grapefruit zest, pushing down to submerge. Let sit 30 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup.

    Step 2

    Combine gin, lemon juice, tarragon, and ½ ounce syrup in a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice, cover, and shake vigorously until outside of shaker is very cold, about 20 seconds.

    Step 3

    Strain cocktail into an old-fashioned or rocks glass filled with ice. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with grapefruit wedge.

    Step 4

    Do Ahead: Syrup can be made 1 week ahead; cover and chill.

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