There is so much to love about wine. It not only tastes great, but it is also rich in antioxidants, particularly if you’re drinking red wine. Of course, you can always open up your favorite bottle and pour yourself a glass on National Drink Wine Day, which falls on February 18 – but why not do something different? Try one of these wine based cocktails instead!
Sangria
There are a lot of variations to making this popular wine cocktail. Once you have the basic recipe down, you can branch out and get creative. Sangria is traditionally made in a giant pitcher using wine, sugar, and fruit. Remove the peels from an orange and cut into small pieces. Make sure you remove as much of the white as possible so that the sangria doesn’t get bitter. Remove the pit from a peach and cut that into small pieces with the skin still on. Add the chopped fruit to the pitcher and pour in a bottle of red table wine, 1/3 cup of brandy, 4 tablespoons of brown sugar, and ¾ cup of orange juice. Stir with a wooden spoon, cover the pitcher with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, add 1 cup of ice and pour into glasses.
Fruity Wine Spritzer
Wine spritzer is usually just wine mixed with sparkling water that has been poured over ice. While this is always a classic (you typically use equal parts of wine and sparkling water) it can also be a little boring. Fill a glass halfway with ice. Add 2 teaspoons of fruit flavored syrup of choice, such as raspberry or orange. Fill the glass halfway with wine and then top it off with sparkling water. Garnish with a few pieces of fruit. For example, if you use raspberry syrup, try adding a few raspberries to the glass. To give this cocktail an extra kick, substitute the fruit syrup for fruit-flavored liqueur.
Orange Wine Cocktail
This white wine cocktail uses orange flavors to give it a refreshing kick. It’s typically served in a martini or a wine glass. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add ½ ounce of triple sec, 2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice, and 3 ounces of white wine. Cover and shake for a few seconds until the cocktail is well mixed. Pour into a chilled martini glass and garnish it with an orange slice. This cocktail can also be made using peach flavors. Simply use peach schnapps and peach nectar instead of the triple sec and orange juice.
Mulled Wine
Mulled wine is especially delicious during the colder months. The German word for mulled wine is Gluhwein and it is literally translated to mean “glowing wine” because of the warm, glowing feeling you get when you drink it. To make a German style mulled wine; pour a bottle of red wine into a saucepan. Add 2 whole cinnamon sticks, 1 teaspoon whole cloves, 1 whole cardamom pod, 1 whole star anise, and ½ cup of sugar and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in ½ cup of brandy. Pour evenly into mugs and garnish each mug with a cinnamon stick.
These wine cocktails are perfect for National Drink Wine Day!