Wine Slushies Force Rethink Of Boozy Refreshments

Everyone has a beloved childhood memory of cooling down in some manner on a hot summer day. Some of those memories may be similar to those of Dawn Manning, co-owner of Healdsburg's Chateau Diana Winery.

She remembers her parents, founders Tom and Diane, "used to take my brothers and me each weekend to get a (nonalcoholic) slushy as a treat. It is one of our fondest memories."

Dawn said the memory was so powerful that "we wanted to re-create that for our customers." And so, the wine slushie was born. At the Chateau Diana Winery, offerings include strawberry, watermelon, peach moscato, and sangria slushies.

It's not just the Chateau Diana Winery. Throughout Sonoma County and the city of Lodi in California, wineries are embracing this summer's hottest (or coldest?) trend. Different wineries use different wines and fruits, but the basic ingredients are always the same: wine, fruit, and lots of ice.

This fantastic treat's greatest asset is that it isn't limited to fancy tasting rooms in California vineyards; the concoction can emerge from your kitchen's humble blender. So get out the basics and experiment a bit. Toy with the amounts of ingredients. If it needs sweetness, add simple syrup; if it needs a little spark, add some citrus juice, ideally from a lemon or lime. And most importantly, find your little patch of sun to enjoy that drink in!