Wine Cocktail Recipes

Enjoy these wine cocktail recipes for a festive celebration, special anniversary, or just to enjoy the end of a busy week. Whether paired with hors d'oeuvres or blended into a cocktail, a little Finger Lakes wine is a perfect choice.   

Olivia

In honor of Olivia Langdon Clemens, this drink reflects a woman that is well-educated and elegant.
3 oz Glenora Brut
1 oz Finger Lakes Distilling Cassis Liqueur
Garnish with raspberries

Bellini

A sparkling wine cocktail created in 1942 at Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy in honor of the painter Geovani Bellini with a Finger Lakes sparkling wine instead of the usual Italian.
2/3 cup white peach puree (use yellow peaches if white not available)
1 teaspoon raspberry puree
1 bottle chilled Finger Lakes sparkling wine

Place 1 1/2 tablespoons puree in the bottom of each flute and add 2 - 3 drops of the raspberry puree. Add sparkling wine and serve to tall champagne flutes.

A Valentine Kiss

Like the perfect Valentine’s Day kiss, this drink will leave your lips sweet with desire and your mouth thirsty for more!
3 oz Glenora Raspberry Spumante
1 oz Saranac Ginger Beer
1 oz Knapp Brandy

Juniper Royale

Watch out – this drink will bring your taste buds alive!
3 oz Glenora Raspberry Spumante
1 oz Finger Lakes Distilling Gin
½ oz Orange Juice
½ oz Cranberry Juice
Splash of Grenadine

Kir Royale

A sparkling wine cocktail named after Felix Kir, a mayor in Dijon, Burgundy.
4 tablespoons Chambord
1/4 cup fresh raspberries
1 bottle Finger Lakes sparkling wine, chilled

Place four Champagne flutes in the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove and add 1 tablespoon of the Chambord to each flute and a few raspberries. Fill each flute to the top with the sparkling wine and serve immediately.

Sangria Recipes

Nothing tastes more like summer than a fresh, delicious pitcher of locally-made sangria.  Enjoy these recipes from some of our favorite Finger Lakes wineries.  

Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards | Red Cat on the Beach

Enjoy a Red Cat on the Beach sangria splash, a very simple sangria-style recipe featuring one of New York’s most popular wines.  Simply squeeze a lime wedge over ice, fill with 6 oz. Red Cat wine, stir, and add the umbrella straw.

Lucas Vineyards | Tug Boat Sangria

• 1.5L bottle Tug Boat Red Wine
• 1/2 11.5oz can grape juice concentrate (include 1/2 water called for on can)
• 2 sliced oranges
• 1 sliced lemon
• 1 sliced lime

Combine all ingredients in large punch bowl, pitcher or drink dispenser. Let sit for at least 1 hour, but not overnight. (The pith of the fruit can make the drink sour if left for over 10 hours.) Serve over ice and garnish with the sliced fruit.

Hunt Country | White Wine Sangria

• 1 bottle white wine - Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Cayuga White or Seyval Blanc
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 3 oranges (sliced) or may substitute 1 cup of orange juice
• 1 lemon (sliced)
• 1 lime (sliced)
• 1/2 liter of ginger ale or club soda (ginger ale for those with a sweeter tooth!) – optional
• Mixed fruit, fresh or frozen, such as sliced strawberries, peaches etc.

Pour wine in the pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the orange, lemon and lime into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and add sugar. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale or club soda just before serving. If you'd like to serve right away, use chilled white wine and serve over lots of ice.

Heron Hill Winery | Sangria
Recipe by Winemaker, Bernard Cannac

• 3 bottles of Eclipse Red
• 1 pear, diced
• 1 apple, diced
• 1 orange, peeled and sectioned
• 1 cup strawberries
• 2 cups sugar
• Club soda

Combine all except club soda, whisk to dissolve sugar, allow to rest and macerate fruit overnight. Pour over ice and top with soda (About 3 to 1 ratio). For a sweeter version, add a little more sugar or top with Lemon Lime soda instead of club soda. You can use other types of fruit too: kiwi, peaches, etc.

Fox Run Vineyards | Fox Trot Sangria

• 1 750 ml bottle of Fox Trot Red
• 1 Liter bottle of Sprite
• 1 lemon sliced
• 1 lime sliced
• 1 Orange sliced

Combine in a large pitcher and top off with ice. 

Glenora Wine Cellars | We Be Jammin’ Sangria

• 1 bottle (750ml) Glenora’s Jammin’ Red
• ½ bottle (750ml) Glenora’s Bobsled Red
• 2 ½ cups Orange Juice
• 1 liter 7-up or Sprite
• 3 Oranges, thinly sliced
• 3 Lemons, thinly sliced

Pour Jammin’ Red, Bobsled Red and Orange Juice into a large punch bowl. Add sliced Oranges and Lemons. Just before serving add the 7-up or Sprite. A great drink for the summertime! 

Mulled Wine and Egg Nog Recipes

The winter season is the perfect time to prepare a warm beverage and enjoy it in front of a roaring fire.  These two recipes include Finger Lakes wine and are sure to take the chill away.

Finger Lakes Wine Country Eggnog

1 3/4 oz Finger Lakes ruby port
1 3/4 oz Finger Lakes red wine
3 1/2 oz milk
3/4 oz cream
1/2 tsp powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
1 pinch nutmeg

Shake well over ice cubes in a shaker, and strain into a large highball glass over ice cubes. Sprinkle with nutmeg, and serve. Serve in a highball glass.

Rosemary & Riesling Mulled Wine

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp rosemary
1/4 cup honey
2 lemons
2 bottles Finger Lakes Riesling

Simmer (but not boil) the water, sugar, rosemary, and honey for 10 minutes. Add in the wine. Peel the lemons and add in the peels. Let sit for a length of time to seep in the flavors, without boiling. Strain out the larger bits and serve warm.