What makes a wine cocktail? Is it simply a cocktail with wine in it? Yeah, pretty much. The delicious and exciting trend of the wine cocktail is growing, and we’re really excited about it for several reasons. Most importantly, there are so many types and styles of wine that it opens almost limitless possibilities as the base ingredient of cocktails. You know better than anyone what tastes good to you. Here is a guide to building delicious wine cocktails that fit your preferences perfectly.

First things first, the basic components you’ll find in good cocktails (While many cocktails don’t incorporate all of these, a minimum of two are usually found, helping to create balanced beverages.): Sweet is simply what adds the sweetness to a cocktail. Most commonly used are sugar (often in the form of simple syrup), agave, maple syrup, honey or juice. Wine can also bring the sweetness to a cocktail if it has enough residual sugar. Missouri fruit wines make great wine cocktails. Sour adds the acidity needed for a great cocktail. Citrus such as lemon, lime or grapefruit are fairly obvious, but wine can also add the sour or tart flavors you’re looking for if it is acidic enough. Vidal Blanc for example is a Missouri varietal often noted for its refreshing acidity. Spice doesn’t just mean to heat such as you’d get from jalapenos or cayenne pepper. It also refers to textures that feel spicy in your mouth such as bubbles or higher alcohol content. Sparkling wines or a fizzy mixer such as lemon-lime or club soda can add spicy texture to a wine cocktail. Savory flavors make things interesting. They also help balance out sour or bitter flavors that may show through from some wines. Strong tannins, like the ones found in many Missouri Norton wines for example, may be smoothed out by adding a savory flavor from herbs, vegetables, or spices.

When creating your own wine cocktail, consider these basic components. Mix and match with your preferences for a delicious beverage. If you need some inspiration, here are some tried and true Missouri wine cocktail recipes to get you started: Norhattan Illegal Rosé The Missouri Mule Marking Twain Fox Trotter St. Paul Sidecar Missouri wine pairs well with creating cocktails!