Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Day: A Sweet-Tart Toast to Summer
Midwest roots, summer fruit, and a little wine in the glass
There are certain flavor combinations that immediately take you somewhere.
For me, strawberry and rhubarb taste like summer in the Midwest.
They remind me of backyard gardens, farmers markets, warm afternoons, old-fashioned pies, and the kind of desserts that do not need much explanation. Strawberries bring sweetness and perfume. Rhubarb brings a sharp, beautiful tartness that makes you reach for just one more bite.
Together, they create something greater than either ingredient alone.
And now, they have their own day to celebrate.
What Is Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Day?
National Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of July. The holiday was created in 2013 by Maple River Winery in Casselton, North Dakota, a winery known for its fruit wines and its connection to regional ingredients.
In 2026, Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Day falls on Saturday, July 18.
It is a celebration of fruit wine, but I think it is also a celebration of a flavor combination that has long been part of northern and Midwestern food culture.
Rhubarb has a long history, originally associated with China before making its way into European and North American kitchens. In the Midwest, it became especially beloved and earned the nickname “the pie plant.”
And once strawberries arrived in the kitchen?
Well, the partnership was almost inevitable.
Why Strawberries and Rhubarb Work So Well Together
Cooking is often about balance.
Strawberries are naturally sweet, fragrant, and juicy. Rhubarb is tart, acidic, and almost citrus-like in its brightness.
One softens the other.
That balance is why strawberry rhubarb has become such a classic combination in pies, crisps, jams, sauces, lemonades, sorbets, and now fruit wines.
A good strawberry-rhubarb wine can carry that same balance into the glass. Depending on how it is made, it may be sweet, semi-sweet, or pleasantly dry, but the best examples still allow both fruits to show up.
The strawberry says, “Summer.”
The rhubarb says, “Wake up.”
And the wine brings everything together.
Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Spritzer
This is where I would start.
Simple, cold, refreshing, and not overcomplicated. Sometimes the best way to appreciate a fruit wine is to let it do most of the talking.
Ingredients
4 ounces strawberry-rhubarb wine
2 ounces sparkling water or club soda
Ice
Fresh strawberries, sliced
Fresh mint, optional
Small piece of fresh rhubarb, optional
Directions
Fill a wine glass with ice.
Pour in the strawberry-rhubarb wine and top with sparkling water.
Gently stir and garnish with sliced strawberries and fresh mint.
For a slightly sweeter version, add ½ ounce of strawberry syrup.
For a brighter version, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Shear Taste tip: Serve this with a light summer salad, grilled seafood, or a simple cheese board.
Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Cocktail: The Summer Garden
This cocktail is bright, botanical, and refreshing. I love it with gin, but vodka works beautifully if you want the fruit to be the star.
Ingredients
3 ounces strawberry-rhubarb wine
1 ounce gin or vodka
½ ounce fresh lemon juice
½ ounce strawberry syrup or simple syrup
2 ounces sparkling water
Ice
Fresh strawberry
Fresh mint or basil
Directions
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
Add the strawberry-rhubarb wine, gin or vodka, lemon juice, and syrup.
Shake well.
Strain into a wine glass or rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
Top with sparkling water and gently stir.
Garnish with a strawberry and fresh mint or basil.
A Few Variations
The Garden Version: Use gin and fresh basil.
The Brunch Version: Top with sparkling wine instead of sparkling water.
The Midwest Lemonade Version: Combine strawberry-rhubarb wine with fresh lemonade and sparkling water over ice.
That last version feels especially perfect for a hot July afternoon.
Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Cake
This cake is moist, tender, and full of the flavors that make strawberry rhubarb so special.
The wine adds fruitiness and depth to the cake, while a simple wine glaze gives it a beautiful finish.
Ingredients
For the Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup strawberry-rhubarb wine
½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
1 cup fresh strawberries, diced
¾ cup fresh rhubarb, finely diced
For the Wine Glaze
½ cup strawberry-rhubarb wine
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Grease and flour a 9-inch round or square baking pan.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients alternately with the strawberry-rhubarb wine and sour cream. Mix just until combined.
Gently fold in the diced strawberries and rhubarb.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for approximately 40–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool for 10–15 minutes.
Make the Glaze
Combine the wine, sugar, butter, and lemon juice in a small saucepan.
Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce for approximately 8–10 minutes, until slightly thickened.
Brush or drizzle the glaze over the warm cake.
For an extra-moist cake, poke a few small holes into the top before adding the glaze.
Serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or fresh strawberries.
Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Poached Fruit
This is one of my favorite ways to turn the flavors of strawberry rhubarb wine into a simple dessert.
The result is somewhere between a fruit compote and a dessert sauce.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
1 cup fresh rhubarb, sliced into ½-inch pieces
1 cup strawberry-rhubarb wine
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Directions
Place the strawberry-rhubarb wine, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt in a saucepan.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–5 minutes, allowing the sugar to dissolve.
Add the rhubarb and cook for approximately 3 minutes.
Add the strawberries and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
The fruit should soften while still retaining some shape.
Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
Serve over:
Vanilla ice cream
Pound cake
Cheesecake
Shortcake
Pancakes or waffles
This is the kind of recipe I love because it is simple enough for a weeknight but elegant enough for a dinner party.
A Flavor Worth Celebrating
There is something very special about foods that feel both nostalgic and new.
Strawberry rhubarb is familiar. Most of us have tasted it in a pie, crisp, jam, or dessert at some point.
But put those same flavors into a bottle of wine, pour it into a cocktail, bake it into a cake, or reduce it into a sauce, and suddenly the familiar becomes something new again.
That is what I love about cooking.
Ingredients have histories. They carry memories. But they also give us room to create.
For me, strawberry rhubarb is one of those perfect Midwestern combinations. It is humble, seasonal, and deeply connected to the way many of us cook—using what grows around us and finding ways to make it special.
So this Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Day, I say celebrate it however you like.
Open a bottle.
Make a spritzer.
Shake a cocktail.
Bake a cake.
Or simply sit outside with a glass of strawberry-rhubarb wine and let summer do what summer does best.
Sweet. Tart. Bright. A little nostalgic. And completely delicious.
— Shear Taste
Midwest Roots, Global Flavors.
SOCIAL MEDIA CAPTION
🍓🍷 Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Day is here! 🍷🍓
There are some flavor combinations that just taste like summer—and strawberry rhubarb is one of them.
Sweet strawberries. Tart rhubarb. A little Midwest nostalgia. And now, a beautiful fruit wine that brings it all together.
This year, I’m celebrating with:
🍓 Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Spritzers
🍸 The Summer Garden Cocktail
🍰 Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Cake
🍓 Strawberry Rhubarb Wine Poached Fruit
From the backyard garden to the farmers market and the dessert table, strawberry and rhubarb have always been a perfect pair.
Sometimes the best flavors are the ones that remind us where we come from.
Cheers to summer, Midwest ingredients, and a little wine in the kitchen!
🍓🍷
#ShearTaste #MidwestRootsGlobalFlavors #StrawberryRhubarb #StrawberryRhubarbWineDay #MidwestFood #FoodBlog #SummerRecipes #FruitWine #MinnesotaFood #SeasonalCooking #FarmersMarket #FoodAndWine
