The 'Wine Float' Is the Frozen Cocktail of the Summer

Now that it’s unofficially summer, you’re probably wondering which cute, sassy wine drink will finally topple frosé from its throne. Although this frosty beverage requires a little more of a trust-fall, it delivers on all of the summer drink prerequisites– it’s pretty, it’s cold, and it tastes great. Get your corkscrews and ice cream scoops ready; it’s the summer of fruity wine floats.

Dropping a scoop of ice cream into wine is a move some might call “questionable,” so I understand (and expect) some initial hesitation. I was more than ready to be grossed-out by a wine float. I actually tasted mine over the sink, just in case my body rejected it. The first sip sent all of my fears packing. The wine float puts a playful childhood spin on a sophisticated adult beverage, with none of the cloying soda pop sweetness. In fact, amongst the three ingredients, you have a great deal of control over how sweet or fruity your wine float tastes.

Assembling a float is simple. Start by pouring a full glass of wine, about five ounces. Add a scoop of ice cream (or other frozen ice cream-like dessert), and pour a splash of seltzer, or club soda, over the ice cream. The mixture will bubble and fizz to create a rather stunning drink, especially if you use red wine. Serve with a garnish of fresh fruit, and a spoon so you can to get to the ice cream before it melts completely.

You can drastically change the float depending on the type of wine and ice cream you use, and how much of each ingredient you add. Those who love a sweet summer drink, for example, can try a roscato wine with a raspberry sorbet. Top the drink with a splash of seltzer and taste. If it’s too wine-forward, or too tart, add more seltzer.

I don’t like sweet drinks, so I chose a wine that’s on the dry side, but still fruity. I used Mark West Pinot Noir that, according to the label, has “delightful aromas of black cherry, strawberry, and plum.” Sounds like a float already. I didn’t want to complicate the flavors too much at this stage, so I kept it simple and grabbed a pint of Talenti Madagascar Vanilla Bean gelato. I poured, scooped, and splashed, and let the float “wow” me.

The initial fizzing and brilliant shade of pink is reason enough to make this drink for your friends. The flavor is reason enough to make it just for yourself. The wine hit my taste buds first, but it was a lighter, breezier, spritzier version of its bottled self, thanks to fizzy seltzer. The ice cream showed up much more subtly than I had imagined. It didn’t make the entire drink taste like a creamsicle, but I imagine it could if you added another scoop of ice cream. The ice cream acted as a sort of foam-topper, that added a touch of creaminess without completely dissolving into the wine (at least not at first).

I can see myself enjoying one of these on a summer day. The seltzer cuts the alcohol concentration down, so I won’t immediately get a headache, and the ice cream brings it a step closer to the devil-may-care territory of slushy cocktails. Chill your wine in the freezer beforehand, and make your wine floats to-order so you can enjoy the fizz before it fizzes out and the ice cream before it melts.