Red Wine Tangerine Spritzer

This red wine tangerine spritzer is a delightfully festive low ABV beverage that is perfect for the holidays or a cozy night in! This is a super simple cocktail recipe made with red wine, tangerine or orange juice, maple syrup, and soda water. Garnish with tangerine wheels and a sprig of rosemary for a delightful low alcohol cocktail.

I love a delicious holiday cocktail as much as the next gal, but sometimes crave something bright and sparkling that won’t get me super buzzed after the first round.

That’s where low alcohol or low ABV cocktails really shine!

Low alcohol cocktails make a perfect cocktail hour drink when there’s a long night ahead of you, or when you just feel like having something on the lighter side.

This red wine tangerine spritzer is just that – light yet interesting, bubbly, festive, and celebratory.

What is a red wine spritzer?

Traditionally, a red wine spritzer is just red wine plus soda water, and maybe a fruit garnish or two. The name spritzer comes from the the German word “spritzen” which means to spray or splash. Although this is a recipe for a red wine spritzer, wine spritzers can actually be made with red or white wine, and are very popular in Europe during the summer months.

This red wine spritzer recipe is my own riff on a few different types of red wine spritzers that I’ve had in the past.

I think the first time I tried a red wine spritzer was when I was visiting Spain for a work trip. It was a scorching hot day in the middle of July and I had some time off to wander the city of Madrid. I stopped at a little cafe for a snack and something cool to drink and was intrigued by a drink called “tinto de verano” – which literally translates to “summer red wine”. It’s a mix of Spanish red wine and a lemon lime soda served over ice. It was totally new to me but I instantly fell in love with the bubbly, complex, and slightly sweet wine cocktail.

For this red wine spritzer recipe I decided to play off those original flavors that I fell in love with, but give it a festive holiday vibe.

That’s where the maple syrup, tangerine juice, and rosemary come into the picture! The combination is surprisingly refreshing, layered, and inviting.

Why you’ll love this red wine tangerine spritzer

This low alcohol red wine spritzer is:

• Festive
• Fruity
• Complex
• Lightly sweetened
• Bubbly
• Easy to make
• Perfect for the holidays
• Super delicious!

Red wine tangerine spritzer ingredients

This red wine spritzer is made with some very basic ingredients, but can be spruced up with some optional garnishes if you want to get a little bit *fancy* with it 😉💅🏼

(If you’re already ready to get started, scroll all the way down to the bottom for the full recipe!)

The ingredients for this red wine tangerine spritzer are:

• Red wine – Really any type of red wine that you normally enjoy will work for this recipe. I have made it with a super light pinot noir, and with a robust and juicy cabernet – both were delicious!
• Tangerine juice – Tangerine juice is my first pick, but orange juice would also work in a pinch!
• Maple syrup – Adding the smallest amount of maple syrup to this cocktail brings a bit of sweetness and layers in some cozy warm notes.
• Soda water – Plain club soda or a citrus flavored La Croix are my top picks for this cocktail recipe.
• Rosemary and tangerine wheels to garnish – If you’re feeling fancy 😉

What tools do I need to make this cocktail?

To make this red wine spritzer, you’ll need a few basic home bartending tools. If you don’t have all of them, don’t stress – there are workarounds that I’ll share below. Whatever you do, don’t skip shaking this cocktail! It’s what aerates the ingredients and builds a perfectly emulsified and layered base for this spritzer.

These are the tools you’ll need to make this cocktail:

• A cocktail shaker
• A strainer – if your shaker doesn’t have one built in
• Something to measure the spirits and other ingredients with – This could either be a jigger or simply some measuring spoons.

If you don’t have a cocktail shaker or a strainer, this article has some awesome solutions for missing pieces for the home mixologist.

How to make this red wine tangerine spritzer

After you gather the ingredients, this red wine spritzer is ready in three easy steps! This recipe is is for one cocktail – but most cocktail shakers should be able to fit a double, or even triple batch.

Here’s the step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Gather the ingredients

Gather the red wine, tangerine or orange juice, maple syrup, and soda water, along with bartending tools.

Step 2: Add all ingredients except soda water to cocktail shaker

Add all ingredients to the cocktail shaker EXCEPT soda water with a few ice cubes. Shake vigorously for at least 15 seconds, until frothy and well chilled.

Step 3: Strain into a glass top with soda water

Strain the chilled base of the cocktail into a glass and top with cold soda water.

Step 4: Garnish and serve!

Garnish spritzer with a tangerine wheel and / or a sprig of rosemary if desired and serve immediately.

When to serve this red wine tangerine spritzer

This festive and bubbly red wine spritzer would be an excellent drink to serve as a:

• Aperitif
• Holiday drink
• Dinner party drink
• Happy hour beverage
• After dinner drink

Love this festive cocktail? Try these other NK cocktail recipes!

• Eggnog Espresso Martini
• Spiced Hibiscus Vodka Sour
• Spiced Apple and Tangerine Spritz
• Honey Rose Kombucha Margarita

If you make this red wine spritzer please let us know by leaving a REVIEW and RATING below!

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