Do you love wine or know someone who does? Are you finding it hard to discover some enjoyable cocktails because you just wish you were sipping wine every time you drink one? If you’ve ever encountered this issue, you may want to consider trying some wine cocktails instead. Although wine cocktails aren’t for everyone, they can provide a lighthearted way to enjoy a refreshing beverage while having a little fun too. In this article, we’ll show you eight delicious wine cocktails you’ll want to try to make right away.
Kir
2-1/4 oz white wine, dry is best
¼ oz crème de cassis
Add the crème de cassis to a wine glass. Slowly and carefully pour in the white wine to top it. Do not stir the drink and do not chill. Serve immediately.
Note: By using champagne instead of white wine, you can make a Kir Royale as opposed to a standard Kir.
Wine Martini
1 oz peach schnapps
½ oz cranberry juice
3 oz pink pinot grigio
1 maraschino cherry
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and chill a cocktail glass. Pour in the peach schnapps, then add the cranberry juice and slowly pour in the wine. Seal and shake well to combine. Strain the drink into the chilled cocktail glass and top with the maraschino cherry to garnish.
White Wine Spritzer
¼ cup club soda
¾ cup white wine (any, but dry is best)
1 lemon rind
If possible, chill the club soda and wine to be very cold before preparing. Pour the wine into a tall wine glass. Top with the club soda and garnish with the lemon rind. Do not stir.
Note: If you prefer, you can squeeze a small amount of lemon juice and grate some of the peel into your spritzer for a more overly lemon flavor.
Peach Sangria
1 cup peach juice
½ cup peach liqueur
1 bottle Moscato, pre-chilled
3 sliced peaches
1 cup sliced strawberries (raspberries are also acceptable)
In a large pitcher, pour in peach juice. Add peach liqueur and slowly stir in the whole bottle of Moscato. Add the sliced peaches and strawberries or raspberries and stir again. If possible, chill for an hour or two before serving. Pour over ice into cocktail glasses to serve.
Blackberry Champagne
1 cup water
1 cup white table sugar
1 cup fresh blackberries, not frozen
4 pieces of fresh rosemary
1 bottle of champagne (sparkling white wine is okay if you prefer, but champagne is preferable)
Add blackberries to a small saucepan with water and table sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn to low and let simmer for 15 minutes or until the syrup coming from the blackberries turns bright pink. Drain and reserve the syrup from the blackberries; keep the blackberries as well. Let both cool, then evenly divide the syrup between each of four champagne glasses. Top with champagne and serve with the cooked blackberries and a piece of rosemary each.
Berry Sangria
1 bottle medium red wine, chilled
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 apple, diced into cubes
1 cup sliced pitted cherries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blackberries
1 cup blueberries
2 cups lemon-lime soda, chilled until ready
¾ cup brandy
Ice
In a very large pitcher, add strawberries, apples, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Pour over wine and add brandy. Stir to combine thoroughly. Chill in the refrigerator for one to four hours before serving. When you are ready to serve, top with the lemon lime soda and stir to combine. Serve over ice in cocktail glasses.
Brandy Punch
1 cup raw sugar
4 lemons, peeled (reserve peels)
8 oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
8 oz dark rum
24 oz cognac or similar
40 oz cold water
Large ice block
Ground nutmeg
Add lemon peels and sugar to a large punch bowl and let stand at room temperature for 4 hours. Add lemon juice after 4 hours and stir to dissolve sugar. Pour in rum, cognac, and water, and stir to combine thoroughly. Carefully slide the ice block into the punch for chilling. Garnish the punch bowl with the ground nutmeg. Serve in punch glasses as needed.
Watermelon Sangria
1 cup vodka
1 bottle white wine, sweet
1 cup white table sugar
6 cups watermelon, cubed
1 cup sparkling water
½ cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
Lime slices
Place watermelon into a blender with sugar and blend until thoroughly combined and smooth. Strain the water melon mixture through a fine strainer into a pitcher. Stir in vodka and white wine. Squeeze lime juice into the pitcher and stir to combine as well. Add the sparkling water ¼ cup at a time, tasting in between to get the right balance of flavors for your preferences. Chill for 1 hour and serve topped with lime slices for garnish.
Did you find the right wine cocktail to suit your needs? Of course, there are plenty of others out there, and we’ve really only scratched the surface of wine cocktail options. However, these can provide you with a great starting point, especially if you’ve never tried one of these delicious drinks before. Take your time checking out the list above and considering your options, and you’ll be sure to find a wine drink you’ll want to sip at your next big get-together. Many of these can be made in larger batches to serve guests, too, so they’re even more convenient and useful for parties and gatherings.