Wine cocktails can be polarizing. Some people adore them, while others can hardly stomach the idea of using wine in a cocktail.
As someone who endeavors to see both sides of most coins, I admit that I had reservations about cocktails made with wine. Then my brother made his sangria for me. How could I deny the summer-in-a-glass lusciousness of his spiked wine punch? It was cold, fruity and fun – and opinion swaying.
I’ll likely drink my wine on its own more often than not, but there are certain times when the feeling is just right for a wine cocktail. My recipes for four wine cocktails will fit any mood. See pages 39 and 40 for recipes.
Feeling scientific
A little of this and a dash of that – if you are inclined, as I am, to be a bit of a Marie Curie in the kitchen, cocktails are the ideal place to experiment.
For a successful cocktail, wine-related or otherwise, the basic rule is to keep flavors balanced by including something sweet and something acidic. Then, choose your glass. For cocktails that pack more of an alcohol punch, use an old-fashioned glass. Prefer something made for sipping in hot weather? A highball glass will enable you to add more nonalcoholic liquids.
For my Blushing Summer wine cocktail, I used a dry Rosé as my acidic component and the orange liqueur Cointreau as my sweet ingredient. The addition of raspberries bridges the wine and the liqueur, because there are berry attributes in both. The result is a fresh and bright drink that needs only a summer sunset as an accompaniment.
Blushing Summer
• 1 ounce Cointreau
• Handful fresh raspberries
• 3 ounces Rosé
Fill old-fashioned glass with ice, add all ingredients and stir.
To make this drink long, use highball glass, add more ice and finish with sparkling pink lemonade.
Feeling nostalgic
I purchased Paul Simon’s “Graceland” from iTunes the other day. It wasn’t long before I was dancing to “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes.” All the grooving to a childhood favorite made me recall another dance-inducing hit of the ’80s: wine spritzers. Simon never sounded so good as he did in my kitchen that evening. Does the forgotten spritzer deserve a second play, too?
One rummage through my cupboards later, I had the perfect drink to pair with my return – the Flowering Wine Spritzer.
Flowering Wine Spritzer
• 1 ounce elderflower
liqueur
• 3 ounces Fumé Blanc or other white wine
• Cucumber slices
• Fresh mint
• Sparkling water
Fill highball glass with ice.
Add mint and elderflower liqueur and muddle lightly.
Add cucumber slices and wine, fill glass to rim with sparkling water and stir.
Feeling prepared
One of the many winning virtues of sangria is that it can be prepared in advance – ideal for easy summer entertaining.
Other merits of the Spanish drink include an opportunity to feature in-season fruits and to make a modestly priced wine – red, in the case of my Red Wine Sangria – the star ingredient.
Red Wine Sangria
• 1 bottle Rioja or other ripe, dry red wine, such as Merlot
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/4 cup raspberry liqueur
• 2 ripe plums, quartered
• 2 oranges, thinly sliced
• 1 pint blackberries
• 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 bottle nonalcoholic, sparkling pear cider, chilled
• Ice
In large pitcher, mix together wine, brandy, raspberry liqueur and fruit. Let sit overnight. Just before serving, add ice, lime juice and pear cider, using wooden spoon to mix thoroughly.
Feeling reflective
I look forward to any invitation from my friend and interior designer Aimee Gates, who has mastered the art of intricate but relaxed entertaining. She hosted a brunch some years back at which I learned just how wonderfully peach liqueur and Prosecco go together.
Attempting to mirror my friend’s stellar hosting abilities, my morning wine cocktail – the Perfect Aim – pays homage to her.
Perfect Aim
• 1 ounce peach liqueur (I like the Stirring brand)
• 1 ounce mango puree
• 3 ounces Prosecco
Add liqueur and mango puree to champagne flute. Fill to top with ice-cold Prosecco and serve.
Christine Moore is a Mountain View resident. For more information, visit sheepishsommelier.blogspot.com.
