Ratterwick Punch (Sparkling Gin, Aperol, and Grapefruit Cocktail) Recipe

Gin, fresh grapefruit, Aperol, and sparkling wine unite for this gently bitter and incredibly refreshing cocktail. Its big-batch size makes it perfect for parties and crowds.

By
Maggie Hoffman
Maggie Hoffman is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Maggie Hoffman
Maggie Hoffman is a longtime food and drink expert whose recipes and cocktail-making tips can be found on her newsletters What to Drink and The Dinner Plan. She is the author of  The One-Bottle Cocktail and Batch Cocktails, both published by Ten Speed Press.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated January 23, 2020
20190416-Batch-Cocktails_Ratterwick-Punch-kelly-puleio
Photography copyright: Kelly Puleio © 2019

Why It Works

  • Waiting until shortly before serving to juice the citrus ensures its flavor is bright and fresh, not old and stale.
  • Adding pre-chilled sparkling wine just before serving ensures it doesn't go flat, and keeps the punch nice and cold.

Reprinted with permission from Batch Cocktails: Make-Ahead Pitcher Drinks for Every Occasion by Maggie Hoffman, copyright © 2019. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

It’s easy to welcome warm weather—and warm-weather entertaining season—when you have this simple, refreshing punch in hand. While Aperol is generally considered pretty mellow as bitter ingredients go, here it gets a fresh kick from a squeeze of grapefruit juice. Shannon Tebay Sidle of New York City’s Death and Co. brightens up the combination with a little lemon juice, sparkling wine, and piney gin. It’s a crowd-pleaser—and a host-pleaser too. Taste the punch before serving; if your sparkling wine has any sweetness, you may want to add an extra tablespoon or two of lemon juice.

Recipe Details

Ratterwick Punch (Sparkling Gin, Aperol, and Grapefruit Cocktail) Recipe

Active 15 mins
Total 2 hrs
Serves 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (475ml) gin, such as Beefeater

  • 1/2 cup (120ml) Aperol

  • 3/4 cup (175ml) 1:1 simple syrup (see note)

  • 3/4 cup (175ml) fresh lemon juice from about 3 lemons

  • 3/4 cup (175ml) fresh pink grapefruit juice from about 1 pink grapefruit

  • 1 1/2 cups (355ml) chilled dry sparkling wine

  • 8 lemon or lime wedges, for serving

  • 8 serving grapefruit wedges, for serving

  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh lemon juice, for adjusting the final drink's flavor (optional)

Directions

  1. Up to 2 days before serving, pour gin, Aperol, and simple syrup into a 2-quart pitcher and stir to mix. If not serving immediately, seal well, covering with plastic wrap if needed, and refrigerate.

  2. Up to 2 hours before serving, squeeze lemon and grapefruit juices and stir into pitcher mix. Reseal and return to refrigerator if not serving immediately.

  3. To serve, fill pitcher with ice and stir gently until outside of pitcher is cool. Carefully add chilled sparkling wine to pitcher, along with citrus wedges, and stir gently once more. Taste for balance, adding up to 2 tablespoons lemon juice, if desired. Pour immediately into ice-filled rocks glasses and serve.

Special equipment

2-quart pitcher

Notes

To make 1:1 simple syrup, combine 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup very hot water in a resealable heatproof container, such as a mason jar, and stir to dissolve slightly. As soon as it’s cool enough to handle, seal container and shake until sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool completely before use; refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Reserve any remaining simple syrup for another use (like another cocktail or sweetening iced tea or coffee, or lemonade).

Make-Ahead and Storage

The Aperol, gin, and simple syrup can be combined and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
332Calories
1gFat
47gCarbs
2gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories332
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g1%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 5mg0%
Total Carbohydrate 47g17%
Dietary Fiber 5g18%
Total Sugars 33g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 103mg515%
Calcium 61mg5%
Iron 1mg4%
Potassium 386mg8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

More Serious Eats Recipes