7 Refreshing Wine Cooler And Spritzer Recipes
October 31, 2021During hot seasons, people are always looking for refreshing drinks to cool down with. And the best way to achieve that is by making wine coolers and spritzers!
In this post, we will go over the top recipes for making these delicious drinks. From white wine and lemonade combinations to more exotic flavors like strawberry sauvignon and vodka spritzer, there's a drink here for everyone!
1. Clear Cooler
This cooler recipe includes white wine and lemon-lime soda. There’s not much to this one, but you’ll want to be sure that both drinks are chilled before drinking. If not, you will likely need ice cubes, which would also make the beverage less flavorful when the water starts melting.
Ingredients
- 1 part White wine
- 1 part Lemon-Lime Soda or ginger ale
- 1 slice Lemon or lime , if you are feeling daring
Steps to Make
2. Fruity Cooler
A fruity wine cooler is a perfect drink for those who like things sweet and refreshing, plus you can make it in different flavors! It’s often made with wine, fruit juice, sugar, and soda to give that extra fizzy taste you love so much!
We recommend chilling the ingredients first to avoid using ice. And remember to hold your glass by the stem to keep the wine from warming up.
Ingredients
- 2 parts White wine
- 1 part Fruit juice
- 1 - 2 parts Soda water
- Fruit, freshly squeezed or crushed
- Fresh fruit for garnish
Steps to Make
- In a pitcher , mix white wine, fruit juice, soda water, and freshly squeezed fruit.
- Pour the mixture into a wine glass .
- Garnish with the fruit of your choice.
3. Sauvignon and Vodka Spritzer
A perfect summer drink, this wine spritzer is a combination of Sauvignon Blanc, vodka, orange juice, and a sweetener. When done well, you can create it just sweet enough without being too strong or too soft - the key is choosing your wine wisely!
We recommend using only a teaspoon in case you use a lemon juice concentrate. You can use fresh orange juice or store-bought if you want.
Ingredients
- 4 parts Sauvignon blanc
- 1 part Vodka
- 1 Part Fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Part Orange Juice
- Splash or more of Something sweet (Lemonade , Sprite , or 7-up )
- Orange or lemon slice for garnish
Steps to Make
4. Strawberry Sauvignon and Vodka Spritzer
This refreshing spritzer recipe with a hint of sweetness will have your taste buds asking for more. The soda water makes it perfect to enjoy all together, and the fresh fruit sweetener gives you that extra kick in the aftertaste!
Ingredients
- 3 parts Sauvignon blanc
- 1 part Vodka
- 3 to 5 Fresh strawberries
- Dash of Agave nectar
- 1.5 parts Soda water
Steps to Make
- In a shaker , lightly muddle the strawberries. Do not crush them completely.
- Add the wine, vodka, and your sweetener. Shake well.
- Pour in the desired glass over ice. Add soda water.
5. Aperol Spritz
This one combines a sparkling wine, such as Prosecco or Champagne , with an Italian amaro for a tangy taste. The bright orange of Aperol makes this spritzer look especially beautiful.
You won’t be shaking this one but rather stirring the ingredients together. It’s best when served very cold, so chill your ingredients first and use ice.
Ingredients
- 3 Parts Sparkling wine , chilled
- 2 parts Aperol (amaro), chilled
- 1 part Soda water , chilled
- Splash of fresh Orange Juice , chilled (optional)
- Orange wedge for garnish
Steps to Make
- Stir all ingredients together in a pitcher.
- Chill and serve over ice.
- Garnish with the orange wedge.
6. Campari Spritz
Again, you are mixing sparkling wine , but this time with the more bitter Italian liqueur Campari . This red drink has some sweet notes that can be brought out more with cherry, clove, cinnamon, or oranges. Be aware that Campari has double the alcohol content of the Aperol.
You can also garnish this wine spritzer with anything you want! Maybe add some lemon or orange slices to make it more refreshing. You can also use cherry or some array of spices like cinnamon sticks to give that perfect twist.
Ingredients
- 3 parts Sparkling wine
- 2 parts Campari
- 1 part Soda water
- Lemon wedge for garnish
Steps to Make
- Add Campari to a cocktail glass filled with ice and stir.
- Top it off with sparkling wine and soda water for an extra pop!
- Squeeze in the lemon wedge and stir gently, then serve. This drink tastes best with a straw for maximum enjoyment.
7. Riesling and Cointreau Cooler
Cointreau is the perfect drink for all those who love a good, old-fashioned cocktail with their friends. It is a popular liqueur that can be enjoyed with vodka. The bubbles from the club soda will give this spritzer an extra sparkle and fizz that’s perfect for hot weather!
Ingredients
- 4 parts Riesling
- 2 parts Cointreau
- 4 parts Club soda
- Splash of fresh orange juice (optional)
- Orange wedge for garnish
Steps to Make
- Stir and mix wine, Cointreau, club soda, and orange juice in a pitcher.
- Set it aside and chill for an hour.
- Pour mixture onto glass and garnish with orange wedges.
Better Ways to Make Wine Coolers
The truth is, unless you make it yourself, a wine cooler may taste like nothing more than wine and soda. You can create infinite variety by alternating wines and types of fruit juice and fruit. Unless you are careful, you’ll turn it into a sangria , which is a different kind of drink.
There are much better ways to make wine coolers, sometimes called wine spritzers . The difference is that a spritzer will have liquor, whereas a cooler doesn’t. You’ll want a tall glass , such as a Collins since a wine glass is just too small to allow for mixing flavors.
An excellent wine spritzer will require a good white wine . You can use whatever you have on hand, but it could be fun to order a variety of wines and test them out with different liqueur combinations to discover the perfect blend.
You have many of the ingredients for wine spritzers in your fridge or your liquor cabinet. If not, add these to your stash: tequila , rum , gin , or vermouth.
You may want to go for some flavors such as Cointreau (the French orange liqueur), Amaro (the famous Italian orange liqueur), or Campari (the famous red Italian liqueur).
Achieving the Right Mix
If you have a variety of ingredients, you are on your way to determining what you want the spritzer to taste like. You can keep it sweet or turn it into a more “adult” beverage. Here’s how you can turn your wine cooler into a cocktail that everyone will want to try.
For sweet tooths, you can use orange, strawberry, watermelon, apple, or white grape flavors, fruits, or juices. For those who want it dry, use tart choices like lime, cranberry, and even cucumber.
However, if you switch to red wine , you might want to stay away from cucumber, orange, kiwi, lemon, and lime.
Conclusion
It’s time to stop relying on just water and lemonade for your hot day needs. Wine cooler drinks are a great way to add some variety without breaking out the beer!
They’re so easy; you can make them with just wine and any fruit juice or soda you have around. Order yourself up a bottle of whichever kind suits your fancy (or get an entire case), and you won’t regret it!