As summer approaches, you’ll need a refreshing drink that will hydrate you and tickle your taste buds. Part of doing so involves quenching yourself with a tasty cold cocktail that will not only cool you down but will make you feel good. Wine cocktails are not only full of yummy goodness, they are essentially a mix of one or more spirits paired with an enticing fruit flavor, alongside other tasty ingredients. This summer, tempt your taste buds with one of these summer appropriate wine cocktails.
We all know that wine has a reputation for being a drink that makes one look more elegant, but you probably didn’t know there are actually a wide variety of wine cocktails that you can incorporate with other delicious flavors, contained in a spirit, sugar, or bitter. While some are sweet, others are a little more on the dry side and some that even entail a hint of smoothness. No matter what you prefer, when incorporating wine cocktails into your culinary repertoire, you’ll elevate your drink to new heights, since this boozy beverage is celebrated not only for its health benefits but renowned for its sophisticated quality.
1. Wine Spritzer
A wine spritzer is one of the most popular varieties of wine cocktails there is. Known for their crisp, refreshing, light taste, wine spritzers are the perfect go-to summer cocktail that incorporates a blend of white wine, club soda and lemon, and a dash or orange and lemon bitters.
What You’ll Need
- 3 ounces of white wine
- 1 ounce of club soda or mineral water
- Orange or lime wedge for garnish
How To Make It
1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
2. Fill the glass with the wine.
3. Top the wine with the club soda or mineral water.
4. Garnish with an orange or lime wedge. Sip and enjoy!
*Yields 1 serving
2. Sangria
if you enjoy a little kick in your drink, then sangria is anything but typical. This punchy drink is sweet, moody with a pinch of zest and traditionally incorporates red or white wine, lemonade, fruits and a cocktail of spices to liven it up. The sangria originally comes from Spain, however, there is no one way to make it, which means you can make it as bold or as pared down as you’d like. Likened to a punch with red wine, the sangria is served in bars all across America and has no plans of going anywhere anytime soon.
What You’ll Need
- 1 750 ml of dry red wine
- 1/2 cup of fresh orange juice
- 1/2 unpeeled lemon, sliced
- 1/2 unpeeled navel orange, sliced
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1/2 cup of brandy
- 1/2 cup of Cointreau or orange liqueur
What To Do
1. Place wine, fruit slices, and juice into a heat-proof pitcher.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, water, brandy, and Cointreau just to a simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
3. Pour remaining ingredients into the pitcher, then chill for at least 1 to 24 hours. Serve in a sangria glass over ice and enjoy!
*Yields 12 servings
3. Kir
Kir is traditionally a mix of dry white French wine blended with Crème de Cassis, a dark red-current liqueur. When mixed with champagne, there is the Kir Royale, an elevated, bubblier version, which is typically set aside for special occasions. However, you don’t have to wait until that special moment to pop the cork. Kir can be enjoyed with a variety of liqueurs at any time. Enjoy Kir with Crème de Mûre, derived from blackberries, or a Crème de Pêche, flavor that is extracted from fresh peaches for a refreshingly tart flavor.
What You’ll Need
- 3/4 cups of white wine or champagne
- 4 teaspoons of Crème de Cassis liqueur
What To Do
1. Pour the Creme de Cassis into a wine glass.
2. Then add the white wine.
3. Serve and enjoy!
*Yields 1 serving
4. Mimosa
You don’t have to necessarily be a morning person to enjoy the refreshingly tart taste of the mimosa, which is a blend of crisp white champagne paired with orange juice or any other citrusy drink. This beverage is extremely easy to make and lends a bubbly fruitiness that awakens the senses and adds a little zest to your day. While some recipes call for triple sec, a colorless orange flavor liqueur which enhances the flavor of the mimosa, it isn’t required to appreciate the taste of this particular beverage. Don’t just limit yourself to the orange, as there are other options to help fill your mimosa cravings, such as peach, raspberry and even cranberry juice for a unique and irresistible charm.
What You’ll Need
- 3/4 cups of champagne, chilled
- 1/4 cup of orange juice
What To Do
1. In a small bowl, mix the champagne and the orange juice until well blended.
2. Pour the ingredients into a champagne flute. Chill or add ice if needed.
3. Serve in a champagne flute and enjoy!
*Yields 1 serving
5. Bellini
The Bellini is an Italian beverage made of Prosecco and the nectar or purée of peaches. Similar to a mimosa, both beverages require the use of bubbly wine to blend with a fruit juice. However, unlike mimosas are associated with orange juice, while the Bellini always contains a peach nectar to help it obtain its sweet taste. While the original recipe called for sparkling wine and a hint of Prosecco, you can make it your own, with a flat wine.
What You’ll Need
- 2 ounces of peach juice or pureed nectar
- 4 ounces of Prosecco
What To Do
1. Pour peach juice into a champagne flute.
2. Gently and slowly top with sparkling wine.
3. Serve and enjoy!
*Yields 1 serving
6. Kalimotxo
A Kalimotxo is a blend of red wine and cola that has it’s origins in Spain. it is generally served over ice in short tumblers or lowball glasses and is served at a host of events. A proper Kalimotxo should essentially taste like a coke, with a wine aftertaste. A perfect blend of both, using half of each ingredient, lends the best flavor. You can use any cheap wine, as that is the point, to mask its flavor.
What You’ll Need
- 1/2 cup of cheap red wine
- 1/2 cup of cola
- 1 lemon slice for garnish
- ice cubes for serving
What To Do
1. Fill a tumbler with ice cubes
2. Simultaneously, pour in red wine and cola.
3. Serve and enjoy!
*Yields 1 serving
7. French 75
The French 75 is a classic cocktail composed of gin, champagne, lemon juice, and sugar, which lends quite an enticing taste of the piny flavor of gin, paired with the sweetness of the champagne, topped with a citrusy lemon tang. It is light, airy, and crisp and you’ll want to keep serving it at all your parties an is the perfect drink for hot summer days or nights because it is best served very cold.
What You’ll Need
- 2 ounces of dry gin
- 3/4 ounce of fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 ounce of simple syrup
- 2 ounces of Champagne
- Long spiral lemon twist, for garnish
What To Do
1. Combine the gin, lemon juice and the simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Then fill with ice and shake vigorously until all ingredients are blended and the outside of the shaker is very cold.
2. Strain the cocktail through a Hawthorne strainer and pour into a tall flute.
3. Top with lemon twist, serve and enjoy!
*Yields 1 serving
8. Chilled Mulled Wine
Mulled wine is a popular drink that is a mixture of red wine and spices, such as cinnamon, cardamon, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla, that are heated, to infuse the flavors, then served. Although this beverage is typically more enjoyed during the winter months, it can also be appreciated during the summer. While it is synonymous with Swedish or German origins, it is enjoyed everywhere as an elixir to relax by the campfire. Here is a recipe that you can actually enjoy all year long. Simply serve chilled for spring and summer.
What You’ll Need
- 1 liter of red wine (Pinot Noir works nicely)
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 1 orange, quartered
- 10 whole dried cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 vanilla pod, split
- 2 tablespoons of Cointreau
- 8 strawberries, washed and hulled
- Ice cubes
What To Do
1. Combine wine, sugar, orange, cloves, cinnamon and vanilla in medium saucepan.
2. Stir over medium heat for 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Then bring to a boil.
3. Pour in the Cointreau, stirring until blended.
4. Transfer mixture to a heat-proof jug, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
5. After mixture is chilled, add the strawberries.
6. Divide ice among tumblers, then pour in the mulled wine and serve immediately.
*Yields 12 servings
9. Liquid Lust Tequila Cocktail
Like the Sangria, the Liquid Lust has a robust, fruity flavor. Although both are paired with wine, the Liquid Lust is a lighter version that entails white wine, as opposed to red, which gives this passionate drink it’s citrusy punch. With an infusion of hibiscus, which lens a tart sweetness and beautiful cranberry color, this drink will be the life of the party this summer.
What You’ll Need
- 1/2 bottle of Roseangel Tequila
- 1/2 a bottle of white wine
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 ounce of orange juice
- 2 ounces of cranberry juice
- 2 oranges, sliced
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 1 lime, sliced
- 1 bunch of grapes
- 1 apple, diced
- 1/2 liter of club soda.
What To Do
1. In a punch bowl, combine the tequila, white wine, sugar, and juices, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add ice.
3. Garnish with fresh fruit. Serve and enjoy!
*Yields 10 servings
10. Blueberry-Apple Cordials
If there ever was a time to enjoy apples and blueberries, the time is now, as both fruits are ripe during the summer. What’s even better, is that you can use any ample leftovers for fruit-filled blueberry-apple cordials, a delicious blend of sparkling white wine, blueberries, apples, and brandy. This drink isn’t only full of fruity goodness, it is as tasty as it looks, with a deep, red-violet hue that stems from pureeing fresh fruit. The process of making blueberry-apple cordials take some time, so be sure to plan at least 1 month in advance if you are hosting a dinner, party, or any other special occasion.
What You’ll Need
- 2 cups of fresh blueberries
- 1 strip of lemon zest
- 2 cups of applejack brandy
- Simple syrup
- Sparkling wine or club soda
- 1 32 ounce jar
- 3 layers of cheese cloth
What To Do
1. Blend blueberries, lemon zest and brandy in a jar. Seal and place in a cool, dark place. Make sure to shake the jar daily to fuse flavors together. Keep for 1 month until mixture turns a deep, dark purple.
2. When mixture is ready, strain it into a cheesecloth, into a large pitcher or bowl.
3. Add simple syrup for taste, then chill for about 30 minutes, or until cold.
4. Serve in small glasses and enjoy!
*Yields 4 servings
11. Watermelon Moscato Slush
The watermelon is quite versatile when prepared in a number of spiked beverages, such as the margarita, adding a surprising blend of melon goodness. However, the watermelon Moscato slush is a fun way to have your drink and still feel like a kid again. All it takes are a few watermelon cubes, Moscato, some sugar and you’re good to go! Sip it by the poolside or when you need a refreshment from a long day, or as a dessert.
What You’ll Need
- 6 cups of seedless watermelon cubes
- 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup of Moscato or white wine
- Additional Moscato for later use.
What To Do
1. Place seedless watermelon cubes in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
2. Place a colander over a large bowl and strain the watermelon.
3. Blend sugar and lemon juice with the watermelon juice, until fully incorporated or until sugar dissolves. Then stir in the Moscato.
4. Place the bowl in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring with a fork, to break up ice crystals. Do not allow to completely freeze into one large block of ice.
5. When the mixture becomes slushy, spoon into a wine glass, about 3/4 cups full.
6. Pour in more Moscato, serve and enjoy!
*Yields about 4 cups
Wine is much more versatile than you may think. When paired with tart fruit juices and spirits, you have an array of cocktails that will satisfy your taste buds and cool you down this summer. Keep these recipes in mind for when you are in the mood for something savory.
