11/03/05 Wine Cocktails

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran and today I want to talk about wine cocktails. Every once in awhile I like to take a break from being too serious about my wine and I start experimenting with festive ways to make what is known as a wine cocktail or even a "spritzer". Now do not turn your nose up just yet. We entertain a lot and not everyone wants a glass of red wine when it is over 90 degrees. Not everyone wants that much alcohol either so my guests are appreciative of an alternative. So today - here are some alternatives to straight wine. You want to serve something light and summery but you do not want the cost or the effects of hard liquor drinks. Try starting with a few variations on the traditional brunch beverage the mimosa. For those of you unsure  a mimosa is a combination of orange juice and sparkling wine. To this basic drink, try adding a few drops of cranberry juice. Alternatively, mix any tropical juice with the sparkling wine and garnish it with a squeeze of lime. To incorporate still wines combine club soda with Sauvignon Blanc and a squeeze of lemon. Believe it, or not, there are some good red wine punch recipes out there, such as Sangria. Just use decent quality red wine and good fresh fruit. Yes, you will probably have to add some simple syrup to make it really good. All of these beverages offer delicious and refreshing alternatives on a hot summer day in the backyard or beside the pool. Cheers! Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at vine to wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.