Wine Cocktails

There is a long European tradition of classic drinks made with wine, and author A.J. Rathbun believes it's high time to give the world of wine cocktails its due. With his signature wit and flair, he explores the delicious art of mixing wine cocktails and shows readers how easy it is to enjoy a favorite wine in a whole new way. In four recipe chapters that cover reds and rosés, white wines, sparkling wines, and after-dinner treats, Rathbun mixes things up with juice, herbs, liqueurs, spirits, and spices to create such cocktails as the Champagne Bowler, Venetian Spritz, Sake'd Saint, Valencia, and Queen Charlotte. Some recipes are clever twists on well-known cocktails - he adds flavors of vanilla and pear to make a new version of the mimosa, and mixes mint and lime to create a lighter, white-wine cousin of the mojito. Others are brand-new creations destined to become classics in their own right.

With a section on the basics of making wine cocktails, and gorgeous color photos throughout, Wine Cocktails is sure to broaden anyone's thinking about wine and please even the most skeptical oenophile. These drink recipes offer an easy way to be festive while keeping things on the lighter side. Bottoms up!