Adding Wine Syrup Will Do Wonders For Your Drinks
Sometimes we aren't able to finish a bottle of wine and end up having to throw that leftover wine out. But, as it turns out, there's an innovative solution to this problem: using that old wine to make wine syrups. A wine syrup is a 1:1 mix of wine and sugar, reduced over low heat to combine. The syrups can also be customizable — you can add in an extra ingredient or two if it sounds appealing. Chantal Tseng, the founder of Cocktails for End Times, told Liquor.com, "You can also add other elements, such as lemon and orange zest or spices. Just be sure to strain out the solids when you're done." You can then use this easy-to-make wine syrup to upgrade cocktails.
Speaking to Liquor.com, Ivy Mix, the co-owner of Leyenda in Brooklyn advocated for wine syrups, stating, "In bars or at home, making wine syrup is a great way to deal with those older bottles that cannot be served again, especially old bubbly." But it's not just bubbly that will make for a great wine syrup.
Just about any wine can be used for a great wine syrup
One of the best parts about wine syrups is how versatile they are — you can make them precisely to your own wine tastes. If you prefer to drink a bubbly, then sparkling wines are a perfect fit for a syrup — but so are reds, whites, and pinks. Each kind of wine syrup then has its own set of cocktails that it pairs the best with.
For instance, Anthony Escalante, the bar manager at Phoenix's Wrigley Mansion told Liquor.com that a wine syrup made with white wine (such as a sauvignon blanc) is perfect for adding a dynamic flavor to either a Daisy or a spritz. And according to Lynnette Marrero, co-founder of Speed Rack (a female-centric bartending competition), rosé syrups and orange wine syrups also pair well with various spritzes, especially those that are agave-based.
Additionally, syrups made with red wines can be just as useful in cocktail-making — although they are a bit trickier to nail. Chantal Tseng told Liquor.com that fruity reds work best, such as zinfandels and syrahs. On the other hand, Tseng recommended avoiding reds that are too dry when it comes to making wine syrups.