MIXING DRINKS, THE ORIN SWIFT WAY
Great on their own, even better in a spritz.
AUGUST 13, 2025
THE REBELLION OF THE WINE COCKTAIL
Ditch the formalities.
That’s the attitude we share with a growing cohort of winemakers that are determined to take the stuffiness out of wine culture. And as much as we love a great wine glass or an interesting decanter, you don’t need anything fancy to appreciate a great glass of wine.
Enter, the dead-simple, impossible-to-mess-up easy wine cocktail. And before you object, yes, you can appreciate a great wine even if it’s mixed, and no, it’s not hard to make. If you’re just getting into wine, it’s a perfect way to wrap your head around it—after all, the only way to get better at tasting wine is to drink more of it. Luckily, most wine cocktails are a no brainer to make. All you need is a punchy wine, a mixer like soda or tonic, some ice and a thoughtful garnish.
Start with a bold and characterful base wine like Blank Stare, our full-bodied Sauvignon Blanc with zesty green and tropical notes. Let it shine on top of some soda and citrus, or flip the script and go savoury with frozen jalapeños, a neat trick that adds earthy spice while keeping your wine cold, no equipment needed. Think of it as a spicy sangria without the added sugar from fruit juice.
Recipe: Spicy Stare
INGREDIENTS
- Chilled Blank Stare Sauvignon Blanc
- Sliced frozen jalapeño
- Soda water (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Fill a large wine glass with ice
- Add 2-4 slices of frozen jalapeño
- Fill 2/3 with Blank Stare Sauvignon Blanc
- Top with soda water (optional)
The Rise of Mixable Wines
It’s easy to appreciate wine on its own but when mixed, it can reveal entirely new flavors. Picking the best mixer comes down to highlighting certain flavors in the wine. A more neutral soda like a flavored seltzer or tonic can highlight a fuller-flavored wine like Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. As for the best wine for spritzers? The best ones bring abundant flavor, fruit and complexity that stand out when combined with other ingredients. As a good rule of thumb, white wines bring fruit, acid and texture, while red wines highlight bold red fruit and savory spice.
Recipe: Porcelain Frosé
INGREDIENTS
1 bottle China Doll Rosé
½ cup sugar
8 ounces strawberries, hulled, quartered
2½ ounces fresh lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS
Pour an entire bottle of China Doll Rosé into a 13×9″ pan and freeze until almost solid (it won’t completely solidify due to the alcohol), at least 6 hours.
Meanwhile, bring sugar and ½ cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan; cook, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Add strawberries, remove from heat, and let sit 30 minutes to infuse syrup with strawberry flavor. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl (do not press on solids); cover and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.
Scrape rosé into a blender. Add lemon juice, 3½ ounces strawberry syrup, and 1 cup crushed ice and purée until smooth. Transfer blender jar to freezer and freeze until frosé is thickened (aim for milkshake consistency), 25–35 minutes.
Blend again until frosé is slushy. Divide among glasses.
For a different direction, a not-so-simple dark rosé like China Doll can bring all of the above—savory fruit, ripe acid and a creamy texture—while holding its own in a cocktail, needing little more than soda and ice. Make it your own by experimenting with different flavors of soda and different fruit, citrus or herb garnishes.
Recipe: You Go Spritz
INGREDIENTS
- 6 fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 lime sliced
- 1 oz elderflower syrup or elderflower liqueur
- 4 oz You Go First chilled
- 2 oz club soda chilled
- Ice cubes
INSTRUCTIONS
- Ensure your You Go First Sparkling Wine and club soda are well-chilled before starting.
- Fill a large wine glass with ice cubes. Add the mint leaves and lime slices to the glass.
- Lightly muddle the mint leaves if desired, to release their aroma.
- Pour in 1 oz of elderflower syrup or liqueur.
- Slowly add 4 oz of chilled You Go First to maintain its bubbles.
- Add 2 oz of chilled club soda.
- Give the drink a gentle stir to mix the ingredients without losing too much carbonation.
- Garnish with an additional mint sprig or lime slice if desired.
Pairing Perfectly
White and rosé wines are often first pick for wine spritzers, but reds also make for intriguing and easy summer wine cocktails. The dark spice of Abstract, our flagship California blend, pairs perfectly with Cola in the infamous half-and-half mix of red wine and Cola. Or try it with tonic water, which gives red wines an aromatic boost while making them surprisingly refreshing, almost like a makeshift Lambrusco.
Recipe: Mezcal Rouge
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ oz simple syrup
- 1½ oz blanc vermouth
- ¾ oz mezcal
- ¾ oz cognac or brandy
- Orange & Lime
- 2 oz club soda
- 2 oz Mercury Head
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the simple syrup, vermouth, mezcal, cognac and juice of ¼ orange and ½ lime to shaker with ice.
- Shake until frosted on outside of shaker.
- Pour into glass with your choice of ice.
- Top with club soda then with Mercury Head wine.
Recipe: Mezcal Blush
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ oz simple syrup
- 1½ oz blanc vermouth
- ¾ oz mezcal
- ¾ oz Cognac or brandy
- Orange & Lime
- 2 oz club soda
- 2 oz Scissors Sparkling Rosé
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the simple syrup, vermouth, mezcal, Cognac and juice of ¼ orange and ½ lime to shaker with ice.
- Shake until frosted on outside of shaker.
- Pour into glass with your choice of ice.
- Top with club soda then with the Scissors Sparkling Rosé.
Recipe: Monk’s Margarita
INGREDIENTS
- 1 medium lime
- 1 1/2 oz blanco or silver tequila
- 3/4 oz simple syrup
- Ice
- 1/2 oz of Palermo
INSTRUCTIONS
- Refrigerate or freeze a coupe or old-fashioned glass for 5 minutes.
- Halve 1 medium lime. Cut 1 thin lime wedge from one half, then juice the remaining lime pieces until you have 1 ounce.
- Pour the lime juice, 1 1/2 ounces blanco tequila, and 3/4 ounce simple syrup into a cocktail shaker.
- Fill the shaker halfway with ice, seal, and shake until the outside of the shaker is very frosty, about 20 seconds.
- Pour through a strainer into the glass.
- Very slowly pour 1/2 ounce Palermo over the back of a small spoon into the drink until it pools onto the surface. Garnish with the lime wedge.
No Rules Allowed
When it comes to wine, there are really no rules—you have free will to enjoy it how you want. Wine is an organic product that, like any other, can be combined with other ingredients to surprising effect. That’s the kind of creative logic that not only powers what we do, it fuels any culinary pursuit, from food and wine to crafting cocktails. Being less precious with wine can only open up possibilities for play and experimentation. Try it out for yourself and invite us over when you do.
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