Let The Festivities Begin: Holiday Drink Recipes
Wine is a given for the holidays, but let’s spice up this season with homemade delicious and cozy cocktails. Since this year has looked a little different, it’s time to level up your holiday drink game. You could even send the recipes you love from this list to your friends and host a holiday happy hour!
This collection of recipes is perfect for both casual gatherings, more formal sit down dinners or a zoom party with your family.
Cheers!
Mulled Wine (with a twist!)
Quentão de Vinho
Brazilian Mulled Wine
We're starting off in the Southern Hemisphere! Whether you are craving classic Mulled Wine or want to try this Quentão de Vinho, a deliciously warm and aromatic warm red wine drink from Brazil, both will make your house smell incredible and will keep you warm through the winter. The sweet and spicy beverage is traditional in its home country and can make the perfect holiday alternative to mulled wine or cider.
What You'll Need
1 bottle of McBride Sisters Collection Black Girl Magic 2018 California Zinfandel
2 small red apples
1 orange, skin peeled
1 cup of brown sugar
6 cinnamon sticks
¾ cup of diced ginger root
2 cups of water
12 whole cloves
250ml cachaça (sugar cane brandy)
Two limes sliced thinly
Garnish: orange peel, sliced apples, cinnamon
Recipe
1. Cut the apples into slices.
2. Combine the cloves, cinnamon sticks and the cup of sugar into a saucepan that is heated over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the ingredients are caramelized.
3. Add the wine, water, cachaça, sliced apple, ginger and orange peel and heat until the mixture is simmering.
4. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the mixture is strong and fragrant.
5. Strain the mixture into serving mugs.
6. Garnish with sliced apples, cinnamon and orange peel.
Holiday Wine Spritzer
Spritz up your night with everyone’s favorite holiday fruit, cranberries. The honey, apricot and floral tones of the Riesling will pair well with this bitter fruit, while the ginger ale will top it off with a kick.
What You'll Need
3 cans of the She Can Coastal Berry Dry Rosé Spritzer
3 cups of cranberry juice
3 cups of ginger ale
1 cup of fresh cranberries (or another festive berry if cranberries aren’t available)
1 lime
Sugar for rim
Garnish: rosemary sprigs
Recipe
1. In a large jug combine the bottle Riesling and cranberry juice until well mixed.
2. Rub lime around the rims of 4-8 glasses and dip into a plate with sugar to decorate the rims.
3. Pour into the sugar-rimmed glasses and top with ginger ale, cranberries and rosemary sprigs to decorate.
Christmas Sangria
This is the perfect festive, easy-to-make beverage that will be sure to delight your guests and add a holiday aesthetic to the drinks table. This delicious sangria can also be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until you are ready to serve to your guests.
What You'll Need
1 bottle of McBride Sisters Collection Black Girl Magic NV New Zealand Sparkling Brut
1 bottle of McBride Sisters Collection Black Girl Magic Merlot
¼ cup brandy or apple brandy
½ cup sparkling apple cider
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup of halved cranberries
¼ cup of whole cranberries
1 large Granny Smith apple, chopped
Garnish: rosemary sprigs, cinnamon sticks or orange slices
Recipe
1. Combine all the ingredients in a large pitcher and stir well until sugar dissolves.
2. Make sure to refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
3. Serve chilled and garnish with rosemary sprigs, cinnamon stick or orange slices.
Festive Cinnamon Pear and Apple Mimosa
A twist on the classic mimosa, this cinnamon pear and apple mix will bring your winter tastebuds to life. A beverage that could be just as well consumed in front of a roaring fire as it could be at a backyard picnic, the pear and candied lemon of our McBride Sisters Sparkling Brut perfectly complement the core ingredients of this festive refreshment.
What You'll Need
1 bottle of McBride Sisters Collection Black Girl Magic NV New Zealand Sparkling Brut
¼ cup cinnamon whiskey of your choice
¾ cups apple cider
¼ cup pear juice
One ripe pear cored and sliced
Cinnamon sticks
Garnish: thyme or sage sprigs
Recipe
1. Combine sparkling brut, apple cider and pear juice in a pitcher, then stir in the cinnamon whisky.
2. Add sliced pear and apples and leave in the fridge for half an hour to let the flavors develop.
3. Garnish with apple slices, cinnamon sticks and thyme or sage sprigs.
Pomegranate Rosé Holiday Margarita
Another twist on a classic, this pomegranate Rosé margarita will appeal to both tequila aficionados and Rosé lovers alike. The aromas of orange blossom and raspberry from our McBride Sisters Rosé will pair with the floral pomegranate notes to provide an exciting sensory experience. Once you try this twist, there will be no turning back!
What You'll Need
½ cup of McBride Sisters Black Girl Magic 2019 California Rosé
¼ cup of agave silver tequila
3 teaspoons of agave syrup
One lime, half squeezed
One cup of pomegranate seeds
Ice cubes
Salt
Garnish: mint, lime wheel and pomegranate seeds
Recipe
1. Place the tequila, lime juice, agave, pomegranate and Rosé all together in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice.
2. Shake well for about 15-20 seconds so that all ingredients are well-combined.
3. Rub the other half of the lime around the glasses and dip into a plate filled with salt to create the salt rim.
4. Fill the glasses with ice and strain the pomegranate Rosé margarita.
5. Garnish with a lime wheel, mint and additional pomegranate seeds.
