While mulled wine is delicious, the great thing about wine cocktails is that they can be made immediately. So if you were counting on the wine to pep up the party and the vintages just didn’t deliver, you can still save the evening. Veggiewala’s got three super easy wine cocktails you can serve on the spot as long as you’ve got a couple of bar staples on hand.
The French 75
Type of Wine: Champagne or sparkling wine
Other ingredients: Gin, lemon juice, simple syrup or superfine sugar
Popularized by: The Stork Club
Directions: Combine 2 ounces gin, 1 ounce simple syrup (or 2 tsp. superfine sugar), and 1 ounce lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Strain into a Champagne flute and fill with Champagne.
The Kalimoxto (Kalimocho)
Type of Wine: Red Wine
Other Ingredients: Cola
Popularized by: The Spanish
Directions: Stir equal parts red wine and cola over plenty of ice. Variations include adding a splash or Ouzo or blackberry liqueur.
The Crimean Cocktail
Type of Wine: White Wine
Other Ingredients: Orange liqueur, soda water, lemon juice
Popularized by: Presumably the Crimeans. Then again, it’s really not that popular…yet.
Directions: Mix together 2 ounces white wine, 1 ounce orange liqueur, 1 ounce soda and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a shaker filled with ice. Can be served over ice or straight up in a martini glass.
Currently based out of Boston, Jesal is a blogger, freelance writer, yoga enthusiast and lifelong vegetarian who spent four years eating her way through New York City and various other cities around the globe. After answering hundreds of emails and phone calls answering the question, "Where's a cool place I can take my vegetarian friend out to eat" she started Veggiewala to efficiently share her knowledge of the vegetarian food scene with curious carnivores, flexitarians and other vegetarians.
Oooh, the kalimocho. The bane of every Spanish university student’s existence. In my experience, you either love it or hate it. For me, it’s foul stuff, really. But a fun recipe to try out!
Cheers!
Laura – very true. It can be a polarizing experience. Personally, I think it’s way better than drinking a bad bottle of wine.