Wine-inspired cocktails at the Pool Bar

As the warm weather sets in, much of Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine’s day-to-day life is spent by the pool. David Vicente awaits you there with surprising cocktails to make your stay even more refreshing. One of them is the wine mojito, a recipe he reveals in this post.

Freshness is the first rule of everything that is served by the pool. Fun and inviting preparations that maximize enjoyment in a unique environment. «It brings a new perspective,» says our bartender David Vicente. «Most clients come here for the wine and we provide a different approach. After visiting the winery, touring the estate, eating in one of the restaurants and enjoying the spa, the pool and its cocktails round off the experience».

Vicente, 35, joined the Abadía Retuerta team five years ago when the hotel first opened the swimming pool. Back then, the hotel had a classic cocktail menu, but a bolder touch was introduced to turn these drinks into the main attraction at the Pool Bar. After a comprehensive training course at the House of Mixology in Madrid, he now serves drinks that are a result of this acquired training and his passion for the vibrant world of cocktails.

Wine in cocktails

Wine is nevertheless an important ingredient in some of his flagship drinks. In addition to the Wine Mojito, for which a recipe is explained later on, guests can choose between LeDomaine Refresh, that blends in melon, vodka and white wine, and Summer Selection, made with watermelon, red wine and cherry syrup. Another signature drink at the Pool Bar is LeDomaine homemade sangria with fresh strawberries and black tea.

For David Vicente, wine is lively and delicate. This means that it can change if it is stirred or shaken. «Rather than what you mix it with, the question is how you mix it and blend it,» he says.

In his experience, it’s best to add the wine at the end. He also recommends not to dilute it in too much water to preserve its aromas and to exercise great care when mixing it with distillates as wine, having a lower alcohol content, may be overpowered. His advice to avoid concealing the wine is to use non-aged white spirits.

Making a wine mojito

Follow David Vicente’s indications step by step to make this simple cocktail at home using some of the Selección Especial that you uncorked during your most recent meal.

Ingredients::

40 ml (1.35 fl oz) liquid sugar

30 ml (1 fl oz) Abadía Retuerta Selección Especial

40 ml (1.35 fl oz) white rum

10 mint leaves

Half a lime, diced

Preparation::

Crush the lime with the sugar and the raspberries and then add the mint leaves. «It’s important to do it this way because you may get bitter notes if you crush the mint,» David advises. Mix with a spoon and add crushed ice. Next, add rum, wine and crushed ice right up to the top (see picture). Top up with soda and garnish with a sprig of mint and raspberry.

Advice for aspiring cocktail aficionados

David Vicente also shares a few tips for anyone wishing to learn more about cocktail making.

Passion and curiosity to be able to enjoy it
Some knowledge of the technique and the ingredients being used. «In cocktail-making, it’s important to adapt the technique to the product,» he says.
Use fresh, quality products, bearing in mind that «good ingredients do not have to be the most expensive ones».
Paying attention to the presentation. «Cocktails hit one in the eye.»