Don’t Judge Me Mondays: Blackberry Red Wine Spritzer

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My husband and I for some reason have a lot of booze in our house.  I’m not sure how we acquired so much….don’t get me wrong, we like a cocktail now and then but aren’t really big drinkers.  We started looking through it all and couldn’t believe what we had!  One afternoon during nap-time, we spent some time organizing it and putting it all one spot.  It’s not going to change the world, but it made me happy to accomplish something. At that point, I decided we might as implement a 4:00 happy hour while I’m unemployed. It’s been a fun point in our day to have a glass of wine, a beer or a fun cocktail.  

The cocktail I’m sharing was actually one I made for a virtual book club night, but it was only possible because I saw all my tasty booze options. :). We had a black raspberry liqueur, part of a bottle of red wine, and some leftover thawed blackberries.  I figured that was a good starting point and I was right!  Ginger ale got added to the mix to add some bubbles, which I wasn’t sure which would work but it was the perfect thing!

Let’s get to it!

In a small glass or jar, put the berries and the black currant liqueur (black raspberry or framboise would work here too). Muddle the berries to squish them.  Now fill your cocktail glass with a few ice cubes.  Add the muddled berry mixture to that glass. 

Now pour in the wine.  When using a wine, make sure it’s a full-bodied red, like a Cab rather than a lighter wine like a Pinot Noir. 

Give that a stir and pour in the ginger ale.

Gently stir it all together one last time and put a blackberry on top to garnish, if you’re fancy.

I love this cocktail because it’s refreshing but still feels just right for the season with the red wine in it.  It’s also a great way to use up the last bit of a bottle of red you might have on hand.

Cheers!