Photo: Victor Protasio
The Pineau Spritz is a product of a looming apéro dînatoire and an excess of half-drunk bottles of sweet Pineau des Charentes and dry sparkling wine in the fridge. The combination of lightly fruity Pineau with plenty of citrus and bubbles (plus bitters and honey syrup) makes for a drink worthy of company on even the tightest of timelines. Shake in batches of 4 for a crowd, multiplying everything but the Angostura bitters—just add 6 dashes. Repeat until everyone is suitably tipsy.
Recipe reprinted from Apéritif: Cocktail Hour the French Way. Copyright © 2018 by Rebekah Peppler. Photographs by Joann Pai. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
Ingredients
Ice cubes
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) Pineau des Charentes
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Honey Syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
2 (1 1/2-inch) lemon peel strips, divided
Sparkling wine
How to Make It
Step
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice; add Pineau des Charentes, lemon juice, syrup, and bitters. Hold 1 of the lemon peel strips by a long edge, skin facing down in shaker. Pinch peel strip to express citrus oils; drop into shaker. Cover and shake vigorously. Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass, top with sparkling wine, and garnish with remaining lemon peel strip.