Drinks Cocktails Wine cocktails 13 Wine Cocktails That Make Bargain Wine Shine Here's how to jazz up that ho-hum bottle that's been sitting in the back of your bar cart. By Oset Babür-Winter Oset Babür-Winter Title: Senior Drinks Editor, Food & WineLocation: New York CityExperience: Oset Babür-Winter has completed the Wine and Spirits Education Trust's (WSET) Level 3 Award in wines and was previously the magazine's associate culture editor, where she edited Obsessions. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 16, 2024 Close Rosé 75 in glasses. Photo: Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen With the power to pack fruity, yeasty, spicy, or floral notes in each pour, it's easy to see why wine is one of our favorite ingredients to use when making cocktails. Whether we're reaching for Champagne, Cava, or Prosecco to add a splash of fizz and festivity to celebratory drinks like the French 75 and Kir, reaching for an accessible red wine to make a batch of Sangria, or making a quick highball with that bottle of Port that's been hanging out in the back of our cabinet forever, wine cocktails are crowd-pleasing, easy to scale, and refreshing. Read on to learn how to incorporate wine into your next cocktail. 01 of 13 Red Sangria Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell It's almost impossible to talk about wine cocktails without mentioning the classic red wine sangria. This flexible, crowd-pleasing classic is easy to make with Grenache, which often boasts ripe red cherry flavors, or inexpensive Tempranillos, which can add spicier notes to your pitcher. Whether you're opting for stemware, rocks glasses, or water glasses, there's no wrong way to serve sangria. Get the Recipe 02 of 13 Hugo Spritz Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen Invented in 2005 by Roland Gruber, a bartender in the Northern Italian town of Naturno, the Hugo Spritz has become especially popular in recent summers. With a surprisingly dry finish, this elderflower spritz benefits from a healthy mint sprig garnish, which makes every sip feel cool and light. Get the Recipe 03 of 13 Rosé French 75 Rosé 75 in glasses. Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Fans of the classic French 75 will wonder why they haven't been using sparkling rosé to take the fizzy, celebratory drink to the next level. A combination of rosé syrup and rosé wine makes this delicate cocktail especially floral, while lemon juice adds a necessary hit of acidity to keep things from getting cloying. Get the Recipe 04 of 13 Bellini Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon According to the Cipriani restaurant group, Guiseppi Cipriani invented this cocktail at Harry's Bar in Venice back in 1948. The classic, sweet combination of peach purée, frozen peaches, and inexpensive bubbly makes this cocktail easy to sip during brunch. Get the Recipe 05 of 13 Negroni Sbagliato Matt Taylor-Gross After enjoying a recent resurgence in fame due to a viral interview bite from HBO's House of Dragons star Emma D'Arcy, the Negroni Sbagliato has once again become a mainstay. This spirit-forward cocktail calls for the classic ingredients you'll find in a Negroni, but gets a fizzy finish thanks to a splash of bubbly. 06 of 13 French 75 Chelsea Kyle / Food Styling by Drew Aichele Legend has it the French 75 was first called the Soixante-Quinze, after a French-made rifle that was used during World War I. This festive cocktail is one of our favorite ways to celebrate a special occasion. While the traditional recipe calls for Champagne, you'll find us making a French 75 with Cava or even sparkling Chenin Blanc. Get the Recipe 07 of 13 Rosé Piscine Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen French for "swimming pool" as well as "wine elongated with ice" the Piscine couldn't be easier to make — simply add a little ice to your favorite glass of rosé. This "no recipe recipe" from Rebekah Peppler's Le Sud is one of our favorite ways to cool down when the weather warms up. Get the Recipe 08 of 13 Soft Arms Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon / Glasses from Mamo If you think Riesling doesn't belong in a cocktail, meet the Soft Arms, a pleasant, low-ABV drink. Fino sherry adds salinity to this herbaceous, unexpected wine cocktail, while yuzu vinegar brings a welcome kick of acidity. Get the Recipe 09 of 13 White Port and Tonic Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Lime juice and mint add a crisp edge to this breezy highball. A base of fortified wine made from white grapes sourced from Portugal's Duoro Valley makes this two-ingredient wine cocktail taste far more complex than it is to make. Get the Recipe 10 of 13 Frozen Hula Hoop Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis This sweet yet tart blend of pineapple, raspberry, and lemon adds fresh fruit flavor to a must-make slushy frozen drink from Erick Castro. Spiked with white rum, Aperol, and dry red wine, this drink is stronger than it looks. We highly recommend making your own raspberry syrup by infusing simple syrup with fresh berries from the farmer's market. Get the Recipe 11 of 13 Stop the Hourglass Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Juicy, ripe peaches belong with cool, refreshing mint tea. The star of this drink is Amontillado sherry, which boasts notes of vanilla and toasted hazelnuts. The sherry adds a sweet, pleasant complexity to this frozen cocktail, while fresh peaches and mint tea ice cubes tame the heat from the ginger element. Get the Recipe 12 of 13 Blackberry Red Wine Spritz Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Use up your leftover red wine in this tangy, herbaceous spritz. Opt for a Côtes du Rhône red blend to accentuate the black cherry and blackberry notes in this eye-catching cocktail. Get the Recipe 13 of 13 Blackberry Kir Royale Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon This blackberry-infused riff on the classic Kir cocktail, which Drinking French author David Lebowitz calls a gateway drink for aperitif lovers. Champagne makes this celebratory cocktail a true indulgence, but you'll also find us making this drink with Prosecco, Cava, and even sparkling rosé. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit