Hip, sip, hooray! This week, we’re welcoming spring with full glasses and open arms. Our Wine Guide and guest blogger, Morgan Williams, is sharing some of her favorite Traveling Vineyard wine cocktails for the season! You won’t want to miss out on these fun yet easily crafted recipes, ready to be sipped on all spring long!
Who doesn’t love a good cocktail? Happy hour? Yes please! Boozy brunch? Double yes! Spring has sprung. All the more reason to gather with your friends & celebrate!
Recently, I planned a tasting with a Host who was excited when I presented the idea for her to do a cocktail party. She loves cocktails, but only likes wine if it is super sweet or doesn’t taste like wine (no judgement, we all have our thing!) The event was a blast, and she LOVED the wine cocktails!
With the warmer weather upon us, here are a few recipes to inspire you to please the palates of all your friends when you are entertaining this season.
Rosé Berry Bliss Punch
Happy Hour is the best hour for working professionals. Hosting one of your own? Feature this amazing recipe and suit the tastes of your dry and sweet drinkers alike.
Yield: 6 cocktails
Total prep time: 65 minutes
Here’s what you need:
- 1 (750-milliliter) bottle rosé wine (try Pearls & Kicks or Double Date depending on preference)
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 (12-ounce) package frozen pink lemonade
- 1 liter lemon-lime soda
How to mix:
- In a large pitcher, mix the wine, blueberries, and frozen pink lemonade together. Allow the flavors to marry in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Pour into champagne flutes and top each glass with lemon-lime soda.
- Serve and enjoy.
Blood Orange Champagne Cocktail
Now, let’s talk brunch! Who doesn’t LOVE brunch and is it even brunch if you don’t serve mimosas? I like to call this one a bougie mimosa – a perfect spin on the usual brunch cocktail.
Yield: 6 cocktails
Total prep time: 10 minutes
Here’s what you need:
- ¾ cup blood orange juice (about 3-4 oranges)
- 1 (750ml) bottle Three Hearts sparkling white wine
- 1 blood orange for slices for decoration
- Paper straws
How to mix:
- Place half an orange slice in each glass or on the rim. Divide blood orange juice evenly among glasses.
- At serving time top with champagne slowly, tipping glasses at 45-degree angle to minimize foaming.
- Serve immediately. Add paper straw at serving time so it doesn’t get soggy.
Grandma Jane’s Sangria
Spring has sprung and this ain’t your Grandma’s usual sangria! Super easy to make & does not require any hard liquor. If you like it a little less sweet, skip the simple syrup. I love dry red wine in this recipe but have used a dry white wine too.
Yield: 6 cocktails
Total prep time: 15 minutes
Here’s what you need:
- 1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine (try Woodvale Estates Merlot)
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup lemonade
- 1 small can pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar (known as simple syrup)
- Thin slices of orange, lemon, and lime when ready to serve
- Club soda (optional)
To make simple syrup: Pour water and sugar together in small saucepan. Turn on heat but don’t let it boil. Stir until sugar is completely clear. Let it cool down before adding to wine.
How to mix:
- Add all the ingredients together.
- The longer it sits in the fridge the better it gets. Serve very cold.
- Once you serve it… it is guaranteed to go very fast; You may want to double the recipe.
- Grandma Jane has found over the years that adding the fruit just before serving is best, to avoid any bitterness.
- You can add some club soda if you want to make it a little sparkly.
Now that you have a few new cocktail recipes to enjoy, gather your friends and have some fun! Let us know which one was your favorite.
Are you ready to sip & celebrate this spring? Host your own free wine tasting and try these cocktails for yourself! Reach out to your Wine Guide or just ask us how!