Red wine may not seem like the most obvious ingredient for a cocktail, but good red wine cocktails are a lot more varied and delicious than you’d think they’d be.
10th November 2024 | Pairings & Recipes | 5 minute read
The best red wine cocktails
The most popular cocktails to use red wine are sangria and mulled wine which we have thoroughly covered in previous blogs, be sure to check them out too!
All the recipes listed will make one cocktail so simply multiply if you want to make more.
A few of these cocktails use simple syrup. You can buy this but it’s so easy to make. Just boil an equal amount of water and granulated sugar together until the sugar dissolves.
Kalimotxo
The Kalimotxo is one of those things that sounds really weird but is actually amazing! This delicious drink is very popular in Spain where it is said to have originated, so it’s only fitting and proper to use a Spanish red wine for this one.
Ingredients
- 90ml Spanish red wine – our recommendation is the Conde de Valencia Gran Seleccion
- 90ml full-fat Coke
- Slice of lemon
Method
- Put the red wine and Coke into a glass together with some ice cubes.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Garnish with a bit of lemon.
Devil’s Margarita
In this twist on the traditional margarita a float of red wine is added. The float is easy and highly effective to create, you just need to add the red wine slowly over the back of a spoon and it will float on top of the rest of the cocktail.
Ingredients
Method
- Mix the tequila, simple syrup and lime juice together in a shaker with some ice.
- Strain into a margarita glass.
- Very slowly add the red wine over the back of a spoon so that it floats on top of the cocktail.
- Garnish with a slice of lime.
Classic Red Wine Spritzer
Simple cocktails are often the best ones as the below recipe demonstrates. The classic spritzer uses half sparkling lemon and lime and half red wine. It might be a bit of a shame to use a prestigious red wine for this but if it’s not delicious on it’s own it probably won’t be that nice as a spritzer.
Ingredients
- 150ml red wine
- 150ml sparkling lemon and lime
- Slice of lemon to garnish
Method
- Mix together with some ice.
- Garnish with slice of lemon.
New York Sour
The New York Sour is an update on the traditional Whisky Sour and has the addition of a red wine pour. Use the same method as the Devil’s Margarita and the red wine will sit on the top of the cocktail.
Ingredients
Method
- Put bourbon, lemon juice and simple syrup into a shaker with ice and shake well.
- Strain into a glass.
- Slowly add the red wine on top using the back of a spoon so it floats on top of the cocktail.
- Add lemon slice to garnish.
Nouveau Sangaree
With flavours of apple, cinnamon and maple syrup, the Nouveau Sangaree is a proper autumn winter cocktail. It will work best with a light and fruity red wine like Beaujolais. We’d recommend something like the Les Pierres Partagees Beaujolais Villages.
Ingredients
- 60ml fruity red wine
- 45ml calvados
- 15ml sloe gin
- 10ml maple syrup
- Dash of Agnostura bitters
- Apple slices to garnish
- Bit of grated cinnamon
Method
- Stir together the red wine, calvados, gin, maple syrup and bitters with some ice.
- Strain into a cocktail glass.
- Garnish with slices of apple and a bit of grated cinnamon on top.
Venetian Cooler
Not to be confused with the Venetian Spritz which is similar to the classic Aperol Spritz, the Venetian Cooler blends red wine and rum for a spicier, more wintery drink. It would quite frankly be a bit rude not to use a Venetian wine for this. A red like the Ca’ Vegar Bardolino would be perfect.
Ingredients
- 90ml red wine
- 30ml golden rum
- 20ml lemon juice
- 15ml simple syrup
- 2 dashes of Agnostura bitters
- Slice of lemon or lime to garnish
Method
- Mix all ingredients together in a shaker with ice.
- Strain over fresh ice into a tall glass.
- Garnish with lemon slice.
Kitty Highball
The Kitty Highball is another cocktail which tastes particularly good in the colder, darker months of the year. Red wine and ginger sound a bit odd together but it really does work beautifully.
Ingredients
- 60ml red wine
- 15ml ginger syrup
- 90ml ginger ale
- Squeeze of lime juice
- Slice of lime to garnish
Method
- Put crushed ice into a tall glass.
- Add all the ingredients and stir well.
- Garnish with a slice of lime, lemon or orange.
Red Wine Cosmopolitan
In a delicious twist on the classic Cosmopolitan cocktail, the usual cranberry juice is replaced with red wine. Something full-bodied and punchy will work well, for example the Vat 27 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot.
Ingredients
Method
- Mix all ingredients together in a cocktail shaker.
- Strain into a cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a slice of orange.
We hope you enjoy trying these intriguing red wine cocktails as much as we did! If you need to stock up on some red wines, hit the button below to shop our extensive selection.
