Next time you’re looking for a fun cocktail, try these delicious red wine cocktail recipes using Finger Lakes Wine Country's famed red varieties like Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot to name a few, paired with easy to find ingredients. Cheers!
Easy & Delicious Finger Lakes Red Wine Spritzer
- 1 bottle of red wine (For a dryer version, we recommend Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. For a sweeter version, try Wagner Vineyards Sunset Red)
- Club Soda
- Fresh Blackberries, or berry of your choice
Fill your glass half full with ice and add a few berries. Pour in your red wine. We recommend the Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon if you’re a fan of dry red wine or if you prefer a semi-sweet red wine, try Wagner Vineyards’ Sunset Red. Fill until the glass is half full. Top off with club soda and serve.
Finger Lakes Bishop Cocktail
- 1 oz. of Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery Blaufränkisch or any dry Finger Lakes red wine
- 3 oz. of rum
- 1 teaspoon of simple syrup (instructions below)
- ½ lime juice freshly squeezed
Combine Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery Blaufränkisch, rum, simple syrup, and freshly squeezed lime juice into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously until completely chilled and strain into a red wine glass.
Simple Syrup Instructions
- 1 cup of water
- 1 cup of white sugar
In a small saucepan add water and sugar and bring to a boil stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute.
After simmering, remove from the heat and let the syrup sit for 30 minutes and store in a container easy to seal and serve from.
Simple syrup stays good for around 30 days with refrigeration.
Finger Lakes Red Wine & Bourbon Mixer
- 3 oz of Heron Hill Winery Eclipse Red
- 1 oz of Finger Lakes Distilling McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey
- ¾ oz of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ oz of Simple Syrup (instructions above)
- ½ oz of Campari
- Lemon slice for garnish
- Fresh rosemary & thyme for garnish
Add your Heron Hill Winery Eclipse Red, Finger Lakes Distilling McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey, simple syrup, lemon juice, and Campari into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass with a few ice cubes.
Add a lemon slice with the fresh thyme and rosemary for garnish and serve.
Upstate New York Sour
- 2 oz of Finger Lakes Distilling McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey
- 1 oz of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup
- 1 oz of Glenora Wine Cellars Black Diamond Express
Combine Finger Lakes Distilling McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey, lemon juice, and maple syrup into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for about 30 seconds.
Strain drink into a low ball, Old Fashioned, or short drinking glass. Add 1-2 ice cubes.
Hold a spoon with the backside up over the glass and gently pour the Glenora Wine Cellars Black Diamond Express over the surface of the drink creating a red wine top layer and serve.
Finger Lakes Red Wine Mule
- 4 oz Ravines Wine Cellars Maximilien
- 1 oz Finger Lakes Distilling Vintner's Vodka
- 1 lime worth of freshly squeezed juice
- Finger Lakes Cider House Ginger Bear (Ginger Beer)
Combine your Ravines Wine Cellars Maximilien, Finger Lakes Distilling Vintner’s Vodka, and freshly squeezed lime juice into a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled and strain into a copper mug with a few cubes of ice. Top off with ginger beer and serve.
