Blackberry Red Wine Spritzer

A Blackberry Red Wine Spritzer is a refreshing warm weather drink. This wine spritzer recipe mixes up in less than 5 minutes and requires just a handful of ingredients. Makes 1 blackberry cocktail.

Love blackberry cocktails? Don’t miss Blackberry Ginger White Wine Slush and Blackberry Gin Slush!

This Blackberry Sangria Spritzer recipe originally appeared at My Cooking Spot, where I was a contributor. This post was originally published on September 18, 2015. Its text and images were updated and republished in July 2021.

Oh, it’s hot outside, and we’re in the throes of a heatwave.

Good thing I mixed up this blackberry cocktail to cool off for the time being, right?

This is the PERFECT summer drink. It has a delightful blackberry flavor and pairs beautifully with most hot weather dishes.

join our party!

get our latest recipes delivered to your inbox every week — plus all my entertaining tips and tricks!

​
​

Subscribe

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

What is a spritzer?

Well, it depends on where you are and what’s being served.

The word “spritzer” is derived from the German spoken in Austria. Consequently, spritzer drinks are very popular there! Traditionally, a spritzer is a wine and soda water drink.

Fun fact: A spritzer is similar to an Italian spritz, which is usually made with sparkling wine and soda water. You’ve probably heard of the classic Aperol Spritz.

This red wine spritzer recipe is an adaptation on this classic cocktail. It involves red wine, berries, orange liqueur, simple syrup and ginger ale. It’s a bit more involved than a classic spritzer, but it’s no less delicious!

Why I love this wine spritzer recipe:

This blackberry cocktail with red wine has the flavors of sangria without the necessary soak time of sangria.

Basically, it’s the perfect summer cocktail that is ready FAST.

It’s bubbly, refreshing and crisp. It’s also something you can make one drink at a time, too. You can mix an individual glass for yourself on a weeknight after your kids are in bed because it’s QUICK.

Also: there is no cooking needed (so no need to pull out a saucepan or turn on the stove.) No cocktail shaker is necessary, either.

You can also make a batch of ’em the next time your friends come over. More on this below.

Other refreshing cocktails to try: Raspberry Mango White Wine Sangria | Frozen Strawberry Margarita | Pimm’s Cup | Dark and Stormy (Rum Moscow Mule) | Cherry Bourbon Slush

What you need to make this drink:

The Speckled Palate participates in affiliate programs. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my disclosure page for more information about these affiliate programs.

• Old fashioned glasses (or another glass of your choosing)
• Muddler
• Jigger or Mini Stainless Steel Angled Measuring Cup

Here’s what you need to grab at the store:

• Blackberries — fresh blackberries or frozen work here! Just be sure if you’re using frozen blackberries that you’ve defrosted them so that they can be muddled easily.
• Red wine — my original recipe states merlot, but you can use whatever kind of red wine you have on hand. I suggest using a red wine that’s dry (less sweet) since we’re adding sweetness and also one that’s not expensive.
• Orange liqueur — you can use triple sec, Cointreau or Grand Marnier here, as they all fall into that category. Cointreau is my favorite because it packs a ton of flavor without being excessively expensive. This isn’t a traditional spritzer ingredient, but I like the flavor it adds.
• Simple syrup — make your own (I have a guide of how to make simple syrup) or purchase a bottle from the store. Like the orange liqueur above, this isn’t a traditional spritzer ingredient, but I like the flavor it adds.
• Ginger ale — or make it spicier by using a ginger beer. Or make it a classic and add soda water or club soda instead.

How to make a Red Wine Spritzer with Blackberries

Muddle the blackberries in a glass using a muddler, then pour in the red wine, orange liqueur and simple syrup.

Give ’em a stir with a cocktail spoon.

Add ice to the cup, then top with ginger ale.

Garnish with additional berries and enjoy immediately. You can add lime slices as a garnish, if you like the color they add.

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

Spritzers are awesome and delicious drinks for entertaining because, well, they’re easy to make, they’re cheap and they’re utterly delicious.

Here are some ideas for entertaining with these red wine spritzers during the summer months ahead:

• Double, triple or quadruple the recipe. I love this wine spritzer recipe because it’s so easily scaled. You could even turn it into a pitcher drink if hosting a crowd.
• Try out different fruits. If blackberries aren’t looking good, muddle strawberries or blueberries instead!
• Let guests do it themselves. To do this, set up your home bar with the ingredients in bowls/mason jars for guests to muddle and make their own red wine spritzer. Print out the recipe, set out the tools you need and let them do their own!

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick tips and tricks to the best wine spritzer recipe

• Use cheap, drinkable wine. There’s absolutely no reason to bust out the fancy wine for this recipe!
• Find your favorite fruit! I love blackberries in this wine spritzer recipe. However, you can use another berry or fresh stone fruit, like peaches or plums, for different flavor.
• Make it a pitcher! Since this drink is scalable, turning it into a pitcher is awesome for easy entertaining. Just be sure not to mix it until just before guests are ready for it because the ginger ale can go flat.

Here’s how you can make this drink: