Making a Pimm’s Cup usually involves gin-based Pimm’s No. 1 and ginger or lemon-lime soda, among other ingredients. To make a virgin version, start by infusing nonalcoholic red and white wines with citrus and toasted spices to mimic the herbal flavor of gin, then muddle with black tea and brown sugar to replicate the caramel flavors of Pimm’s. Add some lemon juice, fresh ginger, ginger beer, and a hint of cucumber, and you have a not-too-sweet mocktail that can hold its own against the boozy original.

What to buy: Nonalcoholic or dealcoholized wines are produced by removing the alcohol from fermented grape juice, but they do contain a minuscule percentage of alcohol. They can be found at well-stocked liquor stores or online.

Game plan: This recipe makes 2 cups each of the nonalcoholic red and white wine infusions, which is enough to make about 6 Virgin Pimm’s Cups. The infusions can be refrigerated in covered containers for up to 1 month.

Also, this recipe calls for the use of juniper berries, which pregnant women should avoid.

See more about mocktails here. And get our virgin versions of other classic cocktails at the links below:

  • Yield: 1 drink
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 15 mins, plus 3 hrs infusing time
  • Active: 15 mins

Ingredients (18)

For the nonalcoholic red wine infusion:

  • 2 tablespoons juniper berries
  • 1 teaspoon allspice berries
  • 1 teaspoon anise seeds
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1 medium grapefruit
  • 2 cups dealcoholized or nonalcoholic red wine

For the nonalcoholic white wine infusion:

  • 2 tablespoons juniper berries
  • 1 teaspoon anise seeds
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1 medium lemon
  • 2 cups dealcoholized or nonalcoholic white wine

For the drink:

  • 1 black tea bag
  • 1/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon packed dark brown sugar
  • Ice
  • English cucumber, sliced lengthwise into strips with a vegetable peeler
  • 2 ounces ginger beer

Instructions

For the nonalcoholic red wine infusion:

  1. Place the juniper, allspice, anise, and coriander in a small frying pan over medium heat and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove to a medium bowl.
  2. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the grapefruit and add it to the bowl. Add the wine and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 3 hours or refrigerate for up to 1 day. Meanwhile, make the nonalcoholic white wine infusion.
  3. When the red-wine mixture’s done infusing, set a fine-mesh strainer over a pint jar and strain the infused wine into the jar; discard the contents of the strainer. Use the infusion immediately or seal the jar and refrigerate it for up to 1 month.

For the nonalcoholic white wine infusion:

  1. Place the juniper, anise, and coriander in a small frying pan over medium heat and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove to a medium bowl.
  2. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the lemon and add it to the bowl. Add the wine and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 3 hours or refrigerate for up to 1 day.
  3. When the mixture’s done infusing, set a fine-mesh strainer over a pint jar and strain the infused white wine into the jar; discard the contents of the strainer. Use the infusion immediately or seal the jar and refrigerate it for up to 1 month.

For the drink:

  1. Place 2 1/2 ounces of the red wine infusion, 1 1/2 ounces of the white wine infusion, the tea bag, lemon juice, ginger, and brown sugar in a cocktail shaker and muddle gently. Set aside to infuse for 5 minutes.
  2. Fill an 8-ounce glass halfway with ice. Coil 1 to 2 strips of cucumber around the inside top half of the glass, then add more ice to fill the glass.
  3. Place a small, fine-mesh strainer over the glass, fit a standard cocktail strainer over the shaker, and pour the mocktail through both strainers into the glass; discard the contents of the fine-mesh strainer. Top with the ginger beer, stir gently, and serve immediately. Refrigerate the remaining wine infusions for up to 1 month.