This purple-hued spritz by Laura Sanfilippo and Tara Heffernon of Lo & Behold in Healdsburg, California, gets its zingy freshness from shiso leaves. The mint-family herb is muddled with juicy blackberries to make a syrup that’s combined with red wine.
Sanfilippo and Heffernon pair the black cherry, blackberry, and spiced notes of a Côtes du Rhône red blend with the other ingredients in this cocktail, doubling down on dark fruit and a subtle herbaceousness.
A splash of red wine vinegar adds a slight tang, while seltzer lends a bubbly finish. If you like, you can use red verjus instead of red wine vinegar for a cocktail with a fruitier flavor.
Try drizzling leftover shiso syrup over ice cream or use it to flavor plain seltzer. The blackberry-shiso syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Ingredients
Blackberry-Shiso Syrup
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2 cups blackberries
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3/4 cup granulated sugar
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12 shiso leaves
Blackberry Red Wine Spritz
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2 shiso leaves
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2 ounces red wine (such as Ariel Dealcoholized Cabernet Sauvignon or Michael David Petite Petit)
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1 ounce sweet vermouth (such as Carpano Bianco)
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3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
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1/4 teaspoon red wine vinegar
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2 ounces club soda
Directions
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Make the blackberry-shiso syrup: Place blackberries and sugar in a large bowl; stir and slightly mash until berries are broken down and release their liquid, 2 to 3 minutes. Add shiso leaves, and lightly muddle until sugar is dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. (Be careful not to muddle too much, or the leaves will turn bitter.)
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Let blackberry and shiso mixture stand, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a medium bowl or measuring cup; discard solids. Cover and refrigerate syrup until ready to use.
- Make the spritz: Slap shiso leaves between the palms of your hands to release their flavor; place leaves in bottom of a stemless wineglass, and fill with ice.
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Add wine, vermouth, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon blackberry-shiso syrup; top with seltzer, and stir.
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Garnish with fresh blackberries and a shiso leaf.
