There’s an alchemy that happens when red wine meets creativity, a transformation that takes something already delicious and spins it into something delightfully unexpected. At Bonterra, we’ve always believed that good wine should be fun, not fussy. The most memorable moments often happen when you break the rules, mix things up, and rediscover your favorites in a whole new way.
Enter Ranch Wine: our breezy new collection that brings a fresher, more playful spin on red wine. With Chillable Cherry Wild Raspberry—a flavor-forward red blend made from sustainably grown California grapes—we’ve created the perfect canvas for red wine cocktails that are as fun to make as they are to sip. Think less formal dinner, more backyard hang. This is wine that invites experimentation, celebrates spontaneity, and turns low-key nights into something more special.
Whether you’re looking to warm up after a winter day or mixing things up for your next gathering, delicious red wine cocktails deliver versatility, a fizzy flavor profile, and the kind of easygoing sophistication that defines the Ranch Wine experience. Let’s explore how to make a red wine and ingredients into unforgettable drinks, shall we?
Why Red Wine Works in Cocktails
Traditional reds have their place—paired with a perfectly cooked steak, sipped fireside, slow and contemplative. But some occasions call for something a little more playful. Something that invites mixing, chilling, and pouring with ease. That’s where Bonterra Ranch Wine comes in, especially our Chillable Cherry Wild Raspberry. With bright, fruit-forward flavor and a lighter feel than classic reds, it’s made for refreshing twists and creative riffs. It is a great red wine to use for an easy winter cocktail you can make at home.
This vibrant red blend brings lively notes of cherry and wild raspberry that shine whether served over ice, infused with seasonal spices, or shaken into something new. Unlike heavier dry red wines that can overpower a cocktail, Chillable Cherry Wild Raspberry keeps its balance—thanks to approachable tannins and fresh acidity—while playing beautifully with other ingredients.
Think of it as the friend who fits in at a formal dinner or a backyard hang alike. Whether you’re adding citrus for lift, spices for depth, or herbs for complexity, this wine brings the kind of built-in versatility that makes cocktail mixing feel easy.
Ranch Wine is made from sustainably grown California grapes, part of Bonterra’s wider commitment to conscious farming and Certified B Corp practices. That means every pour comes with a little extra peace of mind, plus a lot of bright, bold flavor. It’s wine with nothing to prove, perfect for mixing things up or just kicking back.
Essential Ingredients for Red Wine Cocktails
Creating exceptional red wine cocktails doesn’t require a fully stocked bar or specialty ingredients. The beauty of working with Bonterra Ranch Wine’s Chillable Cherry Wild Raspberry lies in its ability to transform with just a few thoughtfully chosen additions. Here’s what you’ll want to keep on hand for impromptu red wine cocktail creation.
The Foundation
Start with Ranch Wine Chillable Cherry Wild Raspberry—your versatile base that works equally well chilled or warmed. Its vibrant fruit flavors and sessionable, lower-ABV character make it perfect for both the Hot Cherry Toddy and the Chilled Cherry Toddy featured in this guide. Keep a few bottles on hand; it plays well with more occasions than you’d think.
Spirits and Enhancers
Quality whiskey—bourbon or rye—adds depth and warmth to cherry-based cocktails. The caramel and vanilla notes in bourbon complement the wine’s fruit character beautifully, while rye brings a peppery complexity that creates interesting contrast. Choose a mid-range whiskey; you don’t need top-shelf for mixing, but avoid anything you wouldn’t enjoy on its own.
Fresh Elements
Citrus is non-negotiable. Fresh lemons provide brightness and balance, cutting through the wine’s subtle sweetness while enhancing its fruit notes. Always use fresh-squeezed; the difference between fresh lemon juice and bottled is the difference between a good cocktail and a memorable one. Keep lemons on your counter where they’ll stay at room temperature, making them easier to juice.
Honey serves as both sweetener and texture builder. Its floral notes complement the wine’s berry character while dissolving smoothly in warm or cold preparations. Choose a local honey if possible, as it adds a sense of place to your cocktails that generic supermarket varieties can’t match.
Spices and Aromatics
For warming winter variations, stock cinnamon sticks (not ground cinnamon, which clouds the drink), whole cloves, star anise, and dried orange peel. These aromatics transform simple cocktails into complex, layered experiences. Store them in airtight containers away from light to preserve their essential oils.
Garnishes That Matter
Fresh and dried fruit elevate presentation while adding flavor. Brandied cherries, fresh apple slices, and orange wheels all work beautifully with red wine cocktails. For the rim of a Chilled Cherry Toddy, mix equal parts cinnamon and sugar, a simple touch that transforms a good drink into something special.
Signature Ranch Wine Cocktail Recipes
These two cocktails showcase Ranch Wine Chillable Cherry Wild Raspberry’s remarkable range: one warm and comforting for cold winter nights, the other refreshingly chilled for when you want something unexpected. Both are simple enough for impromptu entertaining yet sophisticated enough to impress your most discerning guests.
Hot Cherry Toddy
This soothing red wine cocktail reimagines the classic hot toddy through a wine-centric lens. The combination of Chillable Cherry Wild Raspberry Ranch Wine’s vibrant fruit notes with whiskey’s warmth creates a drink that’s both comforting and complex, perfect for après-ski gatherings or cozy nights by the fire.
Ingredients (serves two):
• 4 oz Chillable Cherry Wild Raspberry Ranch Wine • 1 oz whiskey (bourbon or rye works best) • 1½ cups hot water • 4 tsp honey (to taste) • 1 lemon, juiced • Optional spices: cinnamon stick, whole cloves, star anise, or a small piece of orange peel
Instructions:
In a small saucepan, gently heat the wine with any optional spices and hot water. This is key: you want to warm the mixture, not boil it. Boiling will cook off the alcohol and can make the wine taste harsh. Watch for gentle steam rising and small bubbles forming around the edges, your signal to remove from heat.
While the wine warms, prepare two mugs by dividing the whiskey, honey, and fresh lemon juice between them. The honey will begin dissolving on its own, but a quick stir helps. When your wine mixture is perfectly warmed—fragrant and steaming but not boiling—pour it over the whiskey-honey-lemon base in each mug.
Stir gently to combine all elements. The honey should dissolve completely, creating a silky texture that coats your palate. Garnish each mug with a lemon slice, a cinnamon stick, or a twist of orange peel. The aromatic oils from these garnishes will release with the warmth, adding another layer of sensory pleasure.
Tasting notes: This red wine cocktail opens with bright citrus and warming spice, giving way to cherry and raspberry notes from the wine. The whiskey adds depth without overwhelming, while honey rounds out any sharp edges. It’s the kind of drink that makes you want to curl up with a good book and lose track of time.
Chilled Cherry Toddy
Who says all toddies have to be hot? This innovative red wine cocktail takes classic toddy components—whiskey, honey, lemon, and warming spices—and serves them chilled over ice. The result is a drink that’s both refreshing and complex, perfect for those seeking winter flavors without the warmth.
Ingredients (serves two):
• 4 oz Chillable Cherry Wild Raspberry Ranch Wine • 2 oz whiskey (bourbon or rye works best) • 1 lemon, juiced • 4 tsp honey (to taste) • Ice • Cinnamon + sugar mix (for rim) • Optional garnishes: sliced apple, orange, or brandied cherries
Instructions:
Begin with the presentation, setting the tone for the entire sipping experience. Run a lemon wedge around the rim of two rocks glasses, then dip each rim into a shallow plate of cinnamon-sugar mixture. This creates a beautiful, aromatic rim that adds both visual appeal and a sweet-spice element with each sip.
Fill each prepared glass with ice. In a cocktail shaker, combine the Chillable Cherry Wild Raspberry Ranch Wine, whiskey, fresh lemon juice, and honey. Here’s the trick: add a few small ice cubes to the shaker and shake vigorously for about 15 seconds. This not only chills the mixture but also helps the honey emulsify completely, creating a silky texture.
Strain the mixture into your prepared glasses over fresh ice. The double-straining (shaking with ice, then pouring over fresh ice) ensures your drink stays cold without becoming diluted too quickly. Garnish with your choice of fresh apple slices, orange wheels, or a few brandied cherries speared on a cocktail pick.
Tasting notes: This red wine cocktail surprises with its balance, the chill emphasizing the wine’s bright cherry and raspberry notes, while the whiskey adds depth. The cinnamon-sugar rim provides a sweet-spice hit with each sip, while honey creates a luxurious mouthfeel. It’s refreshing yet substantial, playful yet sophisticated.
Pairing Red Wine Cocktails with Occasions
Adaptability is the name of the game. These red wine cocktails work beautifully across seasons and settings, from casual weeknight dinners to festive celebrations. Understanding when and how to serve each variation helps you make the most of their versatile character.
Winter Gatherings
The Hot Cherry Toddy shines during cold-weather entertaining. Serve it at holiday parties, après-ski gatherings, or intimate dinners by the fire. Keep a pot warming gently on your stove, allowing guests to serve themselves throughout the evening. The aroma alone—cinnamon, citrus, and warming wine—creates an inviting atmosphere that makes people want to linger just a little longer.
This red wine cocktail pairs beautifully with seasonal appetizers: spiced nuts, cheese boards featuring aged cheddar and fig jam, or roasted root vegetable crostini. The wine’s fruit-forward character complements without overwhelming, while whiskey and spices stand up to bold flavors.
Unexpected Brunch
The Chilled Cherry Toddy makes an unexpected brunch cocktail that breaks from the usual mimosa or Bloody Mary routine. Its cinnamon-sugar rim adds a festive touch, while the combination of fruit, spice, and spirit creates complexity that stands up to heartier brunch fare. Serve it alongside bacon, egg dishes, or French toast for a pairing that surprises and delights.
Transitional Seasons
Ranch Wine Chillable Cherry truly shines during those in-between moments—early fall evenings that still carry summer’s warmth, or late spring days when the chill hasn’t quite left the air. The red wine’s versatility means you can adjust your serving method to match the weather: serve it chilled over ice when temperatures climb, or warm it gently when the evening brings a chill.
Casual Entertaining
Perhaps the best thing about these red wine cocktails is how they transform casual entertaining into something special without requiring elaborate preparation. Keep this Ranch Wine favorite on-hand in your refrigerator, and you’re always ready for impromptu gatherings. Mix up a batch of Chilled Cherry Toddies for a backyard barbecue, or warm a pot of Hot Cherry Toddies for a last-minute game night.
When it comes to Bonterra wine, we’re big believers that good wine shouldn’t wait for a big occasion. Whether it’s a Tuesday night with friends or a spontaneous backyard hang, wine should show up easily, taste great, and make the everyday feel just a little more special. Delicious, done better.
Tips for Mixing Ranch Wine Cocktails at Home
Mastering these red wine cocktails doesn’t require bartending school or specialty equipment. With a few simple techniques and quality ingredients, you’ll create drinks that rival anything you’d find at your favorite cocktail bar. Here’s what we’ve learned from countless batches made in our own kitchens.
Temperature Matters
For the Hot Cherry Toddy, gentle warmth is crucial. You want the wine steaming and fragrant, not boiling. Use medium-low heat and watch for small bubbles forming around the pan’s edges, your signal to remove from heat. Boiling wine tastes harsh and loses its aromatic qualities, so patience pays off.
For the Chilled Cherry Toddy, proper dilution is key. The double shake-and-strain method (shaking with ice, then pouring over fresh ice) ensures your cocktail stays cold without becoming watery. If you’re making multiple drinks, prepare them in batches of two to maintain optimal temperature and dilution.
Proper Glassware
Presentation enhances the drinking experience. For hot cocktails, use heatproof glasses or ceramic mugs that can handle warmth without becoming too hot to hold. Clear glass allows guests to appreciate the wine’s beautiful color and floating garnishes, while ceramic creates a cozier, more intimate feel.
For chilled cocktails, rocks glasses work beautifully. Their wide rim provides ample space for the cinnamon-sugar garnish, and their substantial weight feels good in hand. Chill your glasses in the freezer for ten minutes before serving, a simple step that keeps your cocktail colder longer.
Fresh Ingredients
Never underestimate the difference fresh ingredients make. Fresh-squeezed lemon juice brings brightness that bottled versions can’t match. Quality honey adds complexity beyond simple sweetness. Even your garnishes matter: a fresh apple slice or a brandied cherry signals attention to detail that guests appreciate.
It’s the same mindset behind Ranch Wine: thoughtful choices in the vineyard and cellar lead to vibrant flavor that feels effortless in the glass.
Experiment with Confidence
These recipes provide a foundation, but don’t be afraid to make them your own. Add a splash of ginger beer to the Chilled Cherry Toddy for spicy effervescence. Infuse your simple syrup with rosemary or thyme for herbaceous complexity. Try different whiskeys to discover how bourbon’s sweetness versus rye’s spice changes the drink’s character.
Ranch Wine’s approachable character makes it perfect for experimentation. Unfussy by nature, Chillable Cherry invites play. Mix it with sparkling water for a simple spritz. Add it to sangria for extra depth. Pour it over ice with a squeeze of lime. There’s no wrong way to enjoy it—only ways you haven’t discovered yet.
Why Bonterra Ranch Wine is Perfect for Cocktails
We’ve spent decades perfecting the art of thoughtful winemaking at our organic winery. Our commitment to sustainable practices ensures every bottle reflects environmental stewardship and uncompromising quality. Ranch Wine channels this approach into something easygoing, creative, and built for the moment.
Sustainably sourced and endlessly mixable, Chillable Cherry Wild Raspberry Ranch Wine delivers bright, expressive fruit flavors that shine, whether chilled, warmed, or stirred into something new. It’s wine you can feel good about pouring, rooted in better practices and crafted for real life.
The beauty of the growing Bonterra Ranch Wine collection is how it’s made to meet the moment, wherever and however it finds you. No rules, no pressure. Just bright, easygoing flavor that shows up when it counts. And good news: our wine finder makes it easy to find Ranch Wine near you.
Embracing the Ranch Wine Experience
Red wine cocktails represent more than just a trend: they embody a philosophy of approachable enjoyment, creative exploration, and quality without pretension. With Chillable Cherry Wild Raspberry, we’ve created a red wine that invites experimentation while staying rooted in our commitment to sustainability and vibrant, no-fuss flavor.
Whether you’re warming up with a Hot Cherry Toddy on a snowy evening or shaking up a Chilled Cherry Toddy for an unexpected brunch cocktail, these drinks showcase how versatile wine can be when you’re willing to think beyond the usual pour. They prove that sustainability and fun aren’t mutually exclusive.
As you explore these recipes and develop your own variations, remember that the best red wine cocktails are the ones you enjoy making and drinking. Trust your palate, embrace experimentation, and don’t be afraid to break a few rules. After all, some of the most memorable moments happen when we stop taking things too seriously and simply enjoy the journey.
Ready to explore more? Browse our complete collection of Bonterra wine online, discover our guide to seasonal wine selection or learn how to create the perfect wine and charcuterie night. And if you’re ready to ensure you always have exceptional wines on hand, find Bonterra near you.
Here’s to bold flavors, sustainable choices, and the simple pleasure of mixing things up—your way.
CITATIONS
Wine Enthusiast. “5 Red Wine Cocktails That Will Change the Way You Drink.” Wine Enthusiast, https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/5-red-wine-cocktails.
VinePair. “The 9 Best Red Wines for Sangria, According to Bartenders.” VinePair, https://vinepair.com/articles/best-red-wine-sangria.
Wine Spectator. “Think Pink: Rosé and Red Wines Make for Refreshing Cocktails.” Wine Spectator, https://www.winespectator.com/articles/rose-and-red-wine-cocktails.
