As the worst of the summer heat approaches, many of us spend the day dreaming about going home to sit by the pool with a cool cocktail or a glass of wine. Times are tough, though, and purchasing the absolute best in terms of wine isn’t something we can do every day. Using lower-cost wines and mixing them into cocktails is one way of creating a cool and refreshing alcoholic beverage you’re bound to enjoy. Here are a few refreshing cocktails you may want to mix with your favorite red wines this summer.

Cardinal Cocktail

A Cardinal Cocktail falls into a category of beverages know as Kirs, or berry flavored cocktails. All you need is a red wine and some crème de cassis, which is a liqueur made from blackcurrants from France. Fill your wine glass with ice, pour in an ounce of the crème de cassis, and fill the rest of the glass with red wine. You can make this with your favorite red wine or with a wine that isn’t as sweet or flavorful as you usually like. Whichever you choose, this sweet cocktail is bound to please. READ MORE »