How To Turn Wine Into A Wine Cooler Like It's The '80s - Tasting Table

"All you need for a wine cooler is a cheap wine, liqueur, and some soda or another source of carbonation. Combine two parts wine, two parts soda, and one part liqueur with ice. It's simple and easy to batch (so long as you avoid common batch cocktail mistakes), making it perfect for serving at gatherings or simply making ahead of time to sip on later in the day. The added ingredients give it more flavor and more of an alcoholic kick,"

"While they were made at home before this, they became a commercial success in the '80s, with brands like Seagram's selling tons of them at grocery stores around the country. While wine coolers are still sold in stores today, they aren't having the moment they were back when the radio was playing new Van Halen music."

"There are some general guidelines for combining wines and liqueurs, however: liqueurs flavored like red or purple fruits, such as apple, go best with red wines, citrus or stone fruits, like peach, go best with white wines, and champagne goes well with herbal liqueurs that give it a more complex bite."

Wine coolers originated as home-made mixtures and became a commercial success in the 1980s, selling widely under brands like Seagram's. The basic recipe uses cheap wine, a liqueur, and a carbonated mixer in a ratio of two parts wine, two parts soda, and one part liqueur served over ice. The combination enhances flavor and alcohol, masks harsh wine characteristics, and suits batching for gatherings. Pairing guidelines recommend red or purple fruit liqueurs with red wines, citrus or stone-fruit liqueurs like peach with white wines, and herbal liqueurs with champagne. Examples include tempranillo with cherry liqueur and Sauvignon blanc with Limoncello.

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