Wine is the gemini of alcohol. Not only does it pair just as well with fancy-ass pasta as it does pizza (and chips and dip and chicken fingers and literally anything), but there’s so! much! you! can! do! with! it!
There are red wine co*cktails for the “Omg, I hate anything sweet” sippers, sugary white wine for the “I want to feel like I’m literally drinking juice” peeps, and rosé for the, well, drinkers who want to turn the f*ck up any time of year.
Sure you can drink it straight up, but you'd be doing this ~super~ tasty alcoholic nectar a disservice if you didn't use it as the base of a co*cktail.
They’re easy, tasty, packing ABV, and simple to throw together. Sometimes it really is as easy as hard liquor + wine + agave (or simple syrup). But if you need some guidance or inspo, here are 33 recipes to get your head in the wine co*cktail game.
Oh, unrelated, (but also very important): Cosmo makes wine now and it's so effing good! You can scope it out here!
1
Pinto Noir-tini
Pour 1 1/2 oz. pinto noir (like ours *wink*), 1 oz. vodka, 1/2 oz. dry vermouth in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir until the glass is chilled. Strain into a martini glass and serve with a couple of Amerena cherries.
2
Frosé
Combine 1/4 C. sugar and 1/4 C. water and stir over low heat (or microwave) until sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature, then pour the sugar syrup into a large, chilled pan and add a bottle of Bonterra rosé. Stir to combine and return to freezer until mixture is nearly frozen—at least six hours. (BTW, because of the high alcohol content, the mixture will not freeze solid).
When ready to serve, scrape frozen wine into a blender and process until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses, garnishing with fresh herbs, citrus, or flowers.
Recipe from Bonterra organic vineyards
3
Grapefruit Spritz
Add 1 1/2 oz. of grapefruit juice, 1/2 oz. of sweet vermouth, and 1-2 T. of simple syrup to co*cktail shaker. Fill the co*cktail shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain the liquid into an iced glass, top with 4 to 5 oz. of Riondo's prosecco, and garnish with a slice of grapefruit.
Recipe from Riondo
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4
Spicy Summer
Combine 1 1/2 oz. of tequila, 1 1/2 oz. of lime juice, and 1 oz. of simple syrup in a shaker. Cut two 1-inch cubes of watermelon and one circular slice of jalapeño pepper and add to the shaker. (If you want it less spicy, omit the pepper seeds).
Muddle until thoroughly blended. Add ice and shake for at least 30 seconds. Double strain into a wine glass over a large ice cube. Then fill a glass to the top with BABE Rosé with bubbles and garnish with mint, rose, and jalapeño.
Recipe from BABE wine
5
Sauvignon Blanc Summer Sangria
Mix one bottle of Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Collection Sauvignon Blanc, 3/4 C. vodka of your choice, 1/2 C. tropical fruit juice, 6 tbs. thawed frozen lemonade concentrate, 2 T. sugar, 1 package of fresh raspberries, 1 package fresh blueberries, and 2 C. club soda.
Recipe from Sterling Vineyards
6
Tropical Twist
In a co*cktail shaker, combine 1/2 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice, 1/2 oz. honey syrup, and 1/2 oz. of rum. Add ice and quickly shake. Add 2 oz. of Giuliana's prosecco, then strain into a champagne flute. Garnish with a lime peel and serve immediately.
Recipe from Giuliana
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7
Grapefruit Rosé Smash
Combine 1/2 C. Belleruche rosé, 1/2 C. ruby red grapefruit juice, and 1 1/2 C. ice. Blend until smooth, then serve over a co*cktail glass and garnish with mint leaves.
Recipe from Belleruche
8
Pineapple Sangria
Mix 1 bottle of Seven Daughters moscato, 1 C. coconut rum, 1/4 C. triple sec, and a splash of pineapple juice, orange juice, strawberries, oranges, and lemons.
Recipe from Aquia Francisco
9
Mezzacorona Fragole on Ice
Muddle a strawberry in a shaker. Combine 1½ oz. vodka, ½ oz. fresh lemon juice, ½ oz. basil simple syrup, and ice in a shaker. Shake well and pour into a co*cktail glass with ice. Top with chilled Mezza di Mezzacorona Rosé. Garnish with a fresh strawberry slice.
Recipe from Mezza di Mezzacorona
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10
Hibiscus co*cktail
Place a whole hibiscus flower in the bottom of glass. Fill glass with Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG to ¾” of the rim. Carefully spoon 2 tsp. of hibiscus syrup down the interior side of each glass.
Recipe from Santa Margherita
11
Hendrick’s Gin Midsummer Mimosa
Mix 1 part Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice with 2 parts orange juice and 2 parts sparkling wine. Garnish with an orange slice.
Recipe from Mattias Horseman, Hendrick’s Gin ambassador
12
St. Germain Prosecco
Pour ½ part St. Germain into wine glasses and add drops of Angostura bitters. Top with Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG. Garnish with a lemon slice.
Recipe from Santa Margherita
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13
Rosé Spritz
Mix 1 oz. Martini & Rossi Riserva Speciale Bitter, 4 oz. Martini & Rossi Sparkling Rosé and 2 oz. Izze Grapefruit Soda in a large wine glass over cubed ice. Top with a ruby grapefruit slice.
Recipe from Martini & Rossi
14
Sunset Over the Cape
Add 4 oz. Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, ½ oz. lavender syrup, 1 oz. grapefruit juice, and 1. oz lemon syrup in a co*cktail shaker with ice and swizzle with a bar spoon. Strain into a stemless wine glass over ice and garnish with lavender and mint leaves.
Recipe from Cape Mentelle
15
Strawberry and Rosemary Rosé co*cktail
Pour 1 bottle of DSM Brut Rosé over ice. Add 1 C. strawberry-flavored vodka and 2 C. lemon-lime soda. Garnish with strawberries and rosemary.
Recipe from DSM
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16
Smoke Tree Bushwick Punch
Fill a punch bowl with ice. Top with 4½ C. Smoke Tree Rosé, 2 C. unsweetened black tea, ¾ C. lemon juice, ½ C. bourbon, and ½ C. raw cane sugar syrup. Stir to chill and combine ingredients, then top with lemon slices and blueberries.
Recipe from Smoke Tree
17
Mezzacorona Lemon Berry Blizz
In a large wine glass, mix 1 T. frozen blueberries, 1 oz. limoncello, and ice. Top with chilled Mezza di Mezzacorona. Garnish with fresh mint and a paper straw.
Recipe from Mezza di Mezzacorona
18
Prosecco Superiore Cranberry Skewer
Put frozen cranberries on a small skewer (as many as can fit) and rinse under cold water. Dip skewered cranberries in water, then roll in granulated sugar. Place skewers on wax paper and place in freezer for 5 minutes. Fill glass ¾ with Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG. Place skewers on top of glass and serve.
Recipe from Santa Margherita
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19
Watermelon Wine Cooler
To make simple syrup, mix equal parts hot water and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Combine 1 oz. Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, 1 oz. vodka, 1 oz. watermelon juice, 1 oz. simple syrup, and ½ oz. lemon in a co*cktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a glass filled with ice. Top with soda water.
Recipe from The Raleigh
20
Ice-y Martini
Combine 1 oz. Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Ice Wine and
2 oz. vodka
in a glass, and stir.
Recipe from Karin Stanley, mixologist
Natasha Jokic
Natasha Jokić is one of Cosmo’s 2019 summer editorial interns. She’s a grad student in NYU’s Digital Journalism MA program, which is one of the many excuses she uses for being on Instagram all the time. When she’s not obsessing over everything pop culture, she’s also the drummer for a punk band that wear cowboy hats on stage – because why not?
Taylor Andrews
Former Sex & Relationships Editor
Taylor is the former Sex and Relationships editor who can tell you exactly which vibrators are worth the splurge, why you’re still dreaming about your ex, and tips on how to have the best sex of your life (including what word you should spell with your hips during cowgirl sex). You can follow her on Instagram here.
