How do you make happy hour even better? Simple, you just turn your glass of wine into a cocktail! It’s easier than it sounds and requires zero mystical powers (a plus for us muggles).
We’ll be focusing on Italian wine cocktails, but feel free to do some experimenting based on the recipes below!
Lambrusco Sangria
Ingredients
- 1 ounce brandy
- 1 ounce Tuscan Sangiovese wine
- ¾ ounce blood orange juice
- ½ ounce Cherry Heering
- ¼ ounce Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
- ¼ ounce lime juice
- Lambrusco, to top
- Blood orange slice, for garnish
Directions
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine all ingredients except Lambrusco and garnish.
- Shake well, and strain into Burgundy glass.
- Fill glass with fresh ice, then top with splash of Lambrusco. Garnish with blood orange slice.
Whiskey and Nero d’Avola Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Bulleit Rye Whiskey
- ¼ ounce orange liqueur
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- 1 ounce Nero d’Avola
- Brandied cherry, for garnish
Directions
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine first four ingredients. Shake well, and strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Gently pour Nero d’Avola over back side of spoon to float atop drink.
- Garnish with brandied cherry.
Dirty Martini with a Paolo Bea Santa Chiara Twist
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces Hendricks Gin
- 1 ounce Trebbiano wine
¼ ounce olive brine - 4 dashes blanc rhum agricole
- 2 dashes orange bitters
- Pickles and pickled vegetables, for garnish
Directions
- Combine all ingredients except garnish in mixing glass filled with ice. Stir well, and strain into stemmed cocktail glass. Garnish with pickles and pickled vegetables.
Ease Up
Ingredients
- 4½ parts Prosecco Rosé
- ¾ parts cucumber syrup
- Watermelon cube
- Thinly sliced cucumber
Directions
- Muddle cucumber with water and allow to sit overnight. Strain the water and then combine the liquid with equal parts sugar. Build in a highball glass, garnish with small watermelon cube and a cucumber slice on a skewer.
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