A homemade wine cooler is a chilled mixed drink made with 4 ounces of white wine or rosé, 2 ounces of fruit juice, and 2 ounces of sparkling water or lemon-lime soda. Pour it over ice, stir gently, and add citrus or fresh fruit.
Easy Wine Cooler Recipe
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Chilled white wine or rosé | 4 oz |
| Fruit juice | 2 oz |
| Sparkling water or lemon-lime soda | 2 oz |
| Ice | As needed |
| Lemon, lime, orange or berries | For garnish |
Method
- Fill a tall glass with ice.
- Add 4 ounces of chilled wine.
- Pour in 2 ounces of fruit juice.
- Add 2 ounces of sparkling water or lemon-lime soda.
- Stir gently once or twice.
- Garnish with citrus or fresh fruit and serve.
Add the carbonated mixer last so it retains its fizz. Equal amounts of wine and mixer create a lighter drink while keeping some of the wine's flavor.
Which Wine Works Best?
White wine and rosé work best because their lighter fruit flavors pair well with ice, juice and sparkling mixers. Choose a wine that is pleasant to drink, but it does not need to be expensive.
Good choices include:
- Pinot Grigio: Crisp and neutral with lemon or lime.
- Sauvignon Blanc: A good match for grapefruit, lemon and orange.
- Riesling: Works with peach, apple, orange or pineapple juice.
- White Zinfandel: Suits sweeter wine coolers.
- Rosé: Pairs with strawberry, raspberry, watermelon or cranberry juice.
Avoid heavily oaked or very tannic wines. Their stronger flavors can taste harsh after dilution with cold mixers.
Best Juice and Mixer Combinations
| Wine Cooler Style | Juice | Carbonation |
|---|---|---|
| Citrus cooler | Orange or grapefruit juice | Club soda |
| Peach cooler | Peach nectar | Sparkling water |
| Berry cooler | Cranberry or raspberry juice | Lemon-lime soda |
| Tropical cooler | Pineapple juice | Seltzer or coconut sparkling water |
| Light, dry cooler | Fresh lemon juice | Plain sparkling water |
| Sweet party cooler | White grape juice | Lemon-lime soda |
Choose sparkling water for a drier drink with less sugar. Lemon-lime soda makes a sweeter cooler with a stronger fruit flavor. Other options include club soda, seltzer, flavored sparkling water and tonic.
How to Make a Sweeter Wine Cooler
Use a sweet wine, fruit nectar or lemon-lime soda. With dry wine and plain sparkling water, add 1 teaspoon of simple syrup or agave syrup. Stir it into the wine and juice before adding the ice.
Epicurious also uses chilled red or white wine with orange juice, sugar and ice. Its recipe dissolves the sugar in water first so it mixes evenly instead of settling at the bottom of the glass.
How to Make a Dry Wine Cooler
For a dry wine cooler, use:
- 4 oz dry Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
- 1 oz fresh lemon or grapefruit juice
- 3 oz plain sparkling water
- Ice
- Lemon or grapefruit peel
Skip the soda and syrup. This version is closer to a dry wine spritzer than a sweet bottled wine cooler.
Can You Make a Wine Cooler With Red Wine?
Yes. Use a light, fruity red such as Beaujolais, Lambrusco or young Merlot. Orange juice, cherry juice, cranberry juice and lemon-lime soda all work with red wine.
For one red wine cooler, combine:
- 4 oz chilled red wine
- 1 oz orange or cranberry juice
- 2 to 3 oz sparkling water or lemon-lime soda
- Ice
- Orange or lemon slice
Chill the red wine before mixing. Full-bodied, tannic reds tend to become bitter when diluted.
How Strong Is a Homemade Wine Cooler?
A homemade wine cooler is about 6% ABV before ice dilution when it contains 4 ounces of 12% wine and 4 ounces of nonalcoholic ingredients. The final strength varies with the wine, mixer and amount of melted ice.
Vodka, schnapps or fruit liqueur will make the drink stronger. Some cocktail versions combine wine, vodka, citrus juice and lemon-lime soda.
How to Make a Pitcher for a Group
For about six servings, combine:
- 1 bottle of chilled white wine or rosé
- 12 oz fruit juice
- 12 oz sparkling water or lemon-lime soda
- Sliced citrus or berries
- Ice for serving
Mix the wine and juice in a pitcher, then refrigerate. Add the sparkling mixer just before serving. Pour the drink over fresh ice instead of adding ice to the pitcher.
Fixes for Common Problems
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Too sweet | Add plain sparkling water and fresh lemon juice. |
| Too tart | Add a small amount of simple syrup or use a sweeter mixer. |
| Too weak | Use less mixer. Adding more wine to a glass full of ice will not help much. |
| Too flat | Add fresh sparkling water just before serving. |
| Too bitter | Switch to white wine or rosé and use orange, peach or pineapple juice. |
| Too warm | Chill every ingredient before mixing. |