DrinkWire is Liquor.com’s showcase for the best articles, recipes and reviews from the web’s top writers and bloggers. In this post, Arsenic & Lace offers an elderflower and concord grape cocktail.

Concord grapes are a true sign of fall. With thick, sour skins and a luscious, sweet interior, they’re harvested in September through late October. When I see them at the market I know exactly what I’m making — an Enzoni! If you’re not familiar with this drink it is a citrusy and fruity Negroni variation invented by Vincenzo Errico of Milk and Honey in NYC c. 2003. You can use any grape but my favorite is the Concord due to its rich flavor and vibrant hue. I’ve replaced the sugar with elderflower liqueur for a slightly more floral take for this Elderflower Concord Grape Cocktail.

Elderflower Concord Grape Cocktail

1 oz. Gin

1 oz. Campari

3/4 oz. lemon juice

3/4 oz. elderflower liqueur

5 concord grapes.

Add lemon juice and grapes to a shaker and muddle. Add the rest of your ingredients, shake with ice, and strain over ice into a double rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel and grapes. Sip and enjoy!

I love the rich flavor the grapes bring to this Elderflower Concord Grape Cocktail. It’s hard to feel guilty about drinking when Concord grapes bring so much added health benefits. Did you know that Americans who eat purple and/or blue fruits and veggies (Concord grapes, blueberries, plums, eggplant) had smaller waistlines, lower blood pressure and reduced markers of inflammation compared to those who didn’t eat purple/blue foods? They’re also nutrient rich and provide benefits similar to drinking red wine. Many of the beneficial polyphenols found in Concord grapes are the same as those present in red wine and promote cardiovascular health. I’ll take extra grapes in mine, please!

The elderflower lightens this drink up a little but also adds complex notes that complement the botanicals in Gin and the fruity bittersweetness of Campari. For something fizzy, you can turn this into a highball and add club soda. If you want to up the ABV I highly recommend topping it off with sparkling wine. The more sparkles the better. Am I right? Cheers to the weekend and finally a few days that feel like Fall here! I had to close all the windows yesterday I was so cold. I’ll be sipping one of these Elderflower Concord Grape Cocktails, earing a cozy sweater and painting pumpkins tomorrow. How will you be spending your weekend? Let me know in the comments below. xo

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