Sparkling Red-Wine Cocktails

8 Servings

Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

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Keep the ingredients to this fabulous cocktail in your pantry and serve it to your favorite people when you are in a partying mood! Serve with GoatCheese Stuffed Mushrooms for a perfect dinner party starter. YUM!

• ¼ cup sugar (The recipe called for 1/3 cup, but it was just too much for coating the rims.)
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 large fresh orange, cut into wedges (I trimmed out the edge of each wedge and then cut each wedge in half crossways.)
• 5½ cups Lambrusco or other sparkling red wine, chilled (I used Riunite Lambrusco Emilia Italia Soft Lively Red Wine.)
• 24 ounces sparkling orange beverage, such as Orangina, chilled (I used 2 cans of Sanpellegrino Aranciata.)
• 4 ounces bourbon or other American whiskey (I used Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.)
• Ice (I put ice cubes in a large plastic bag and used my meat pounder to crush the ice.)

Mix together the sugar and cinnamon and spread on a small plate. Rub an orange wedge around the rims of 8 rock glasses (Those are the short stubby glasses.)  Dip the glasses in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat.  (You can do this in advance and store the glasses in the fridge.) Just before serving, combine the wine, the whiskey, and the orange sparkling beverage in a large pitcher.  Fill the glasses with crushed ice.  Add the cocktail mixture, and serve with orange slices.

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Note:  208 calories per serving