Tag Archives: Red

5 Ways to Make Your Fourth of July Red, White and Deliciously Boozy

Cocktails / June 23, 2017 / No Comments.

The Fourth of July is a holiday celebrated by all Americans. Some spend it with family, others with friends. Some head to the beach while others lay by the pool. The one thing almost every does? Other than pray to the sun gods for good weather? Drink.

Have you ever been to a July Fourth party without alcohol? We think not. There are coolers stocked with beer, tables set up with Red Solo Cups scattered among bottles of liquor and a few bottles of wine chilling in the fridge for the fancier type.

And of course there’s food. LOTS of food. Most of that food being red, white and blue. Pretty much every variation of strawberries, blueberries and bananas you can imagine.

But you can eat fruit any day. We want booze. Red, white and blue booze, to be exact. Thankfully, Smirnoff hooked us up with some sweet patriotic cocktails to make your Fourth of July red, white and deliciously boozy.

The Chilled American
Ingredients:
– 1 oz. Smirnoff Red, White & Berry Vodka
– 1/2 Bottle of Smirnoff ICE Original premium malt beverage
– 0.5 oz. Blue curaçao
– 0.5 oz. Grenadine
Directions:
-Fill a tall glass with ice. Add grenadine first, then slowly pour the blue curaçao over the grenadine, then do the same with the Smirnoff ICE. Finally, add the Smirnoff Red, White & Berry Vodka as a floater and enjoy!

Triple Berry Mojitini (Courtesy of Megan Marlowe, Strawberry Blondie Kitchen)
Ingredients:
– 3/4 cup Smirnoff Red, White & Berry Vodka
– 6 oz. Blackberries
– 1 Handful mint leaves
– 6 oz. Raspberries
– 4 tsp. Sugar
– 1 Bottle club soda
– 1 cup limeade
– 1 cup ice
Directions:
– Optional: rim the glass with sugar if desired.
– In the bottom of the glass, place 1 tsp. of sugar and a few torn mint leaves. Muddle.
– Add 2 raspberries, 2 blackberries and 2 cherries, then muddle with the sugar and mind until liquefied.
– Pour 1.5 oz. Smirnoff Red, Whit & Berry vodka into the glass. Top with 1/4 cup limeade, crushed ice and a splash of club soda.
– Garnish with a cocktail pick of a raspberry, blackberry and lime wedge.

Fourth of July Spiked Snow Cones (Courtesy of Grandbaby Cakes)
Ingredients:
– 5 cups ice
For the Raspberry Punch Syrup:
– 1/4 cup Smirnoff No. 21
– 2 cups water
– 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
– 1 cup fresh raspberries
– Optional: Red food coloring
For the Blueberry Punch Syrup:
– 1/4 cup Smirnoff No. 21
– 2 cups water
– 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
– 1 cup fresh blueberries
– Optional: Blue food coloring
Directions:
– Add ice 1 cup at a time to heavy duty blender and finely crush ice until it becomes snow consistency/pure white. Repeat until all ice is finely crushed then add to a container and place in the freezer.
– For syrups, add water, sugar and raspberries to one medium sized pot over medium/high heat and repeat with blueberry ingredients in a separate pot over medium/high heat.
– Bring both pots to a boil and continue tons simmer until they reduce. Strain each mixer into separate bowls then stir 1/4 cup of Smirnoff into each bowl.
– Add individual syrups to two separate squeeze bottles and refrigerate until completely cool.
– To serve, scoop snow ice into small cups and squeeze syrup over each cup and enjoy!

Spiked Sherbet Punch (Courtesy of Grandbaby Cakes)
Ingredients:
– 1/2 cup pineapple chunks, fresh
– 5 cups lemon lime soda
– 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
– 1/3 cup Smirnoff Raspberry
– 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
– 1 can limeade concentrate
– 1 can pink lemonade concentrate
– 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
– 2 cups pineapple juice
– 8 scoops rainbow sherbet
Directions:
– In a large punch bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, limeade and pink lemonade concentrate. Next stir in lemon lime soda and confectioner’s sugar until sugar dissolves.
– Whisk in Smirnoff Raspberry until everything mixes together.
– Toss in fresh raspberries, pineapple chunks, and strawberry slices. Lastly, add scoops of rainbow sherbet to punch and serve immediately.

And for those who love Smirnoff but are trying to watch their cals? You’re going to love new Smirnoff Spiked Sparkling Seltzer, with zero sugar and just 90 calories. These spiked goodies are the lowest calorie hard seltzer on the shelves. They also have delicious flavors like Orange Mango, Cranberry Lime, and Watermelon. #DrinkSmarter and raise a can of this bubbly, or any of of our Red, White & Boozy cocktails, to America. Cheers!

Wine Club Wins

Wine / November 16, 2016 / No Comments.

Somehow, November is already almost over and Thanksgiving is next week. This means relatives galore. There’s nothing worse than getting corned into discussing weird video games with your odd second cousin (How are you even related?) or even worse, getting stuck sitting next to your loud, racist uncle during mealtime. Let’s keep the conversation light shall we?

There’s one thing that every 21+ family member does enjoy and that’s wine. What better way to steer the dinner table conversation away from politics than to chat about your new favorite bottle wine that you so graciously brought.

Finding a new, delicious wine that everyone will enjoy can be difficult though. No one wants to buy a bottle that they’ve never tried before just to end up hating it and pouring it out.

The solution? Wine clubs! There are dozens to choose from, differing on experience, price, customer service and usability. Sounds a little overwhelming doesn’t it? Don’t fret- Reviews.com has your back. They did all the hard work for you. They ordered, tasted and tested the top wine clubs out there for both novice and adventurous drinkers. Check it out here.

Everyone at the table will be thankful for your expert wine selection skills.

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9 Cheap Red Wines to Drink During the Debate

Wine / October 9, 2016 / No Comments.

This election seems to be one of those tragic events where everyone knows it’s a mess but you can’t look away. And you shouldn’t! Watching the Presidential Debate is important, but we thought we would help you make it a little more fun- in a very cheap way. We have a list of red wine, some a great bargain while some you’re getting what you pay for. It’ll be sure to add some extra entertainment while watching the debate. Here are 9 crappy red wines you can drink while watching a less than perfect presidential debate:

Cherry Blossom Pinot Noir ($3.99) Friendly warning: drink it in tiny sips.

Underwood Pinot Noir ($5.49) Don’t smell it. Just drink it.

Grifone Primitive ($4.49) The taste is stronger with a lingering aftertaste

Trentatre 33 Rosso ($5.99) It’s one of the less drinkable despite not being the cheapest

Jebediah Drinkwells Meritage ($5.99) The cork can be tricky on this one

Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw Shiraz ($2.99) It has a bit off a coffee undertone

Vineyard Creek Merlot ($7.49) Fruity- in a good way

Chateau Diana Cabernet Sauvignon ($6.99) You might want to be a little drunk before trying this one

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Today, We Drink Wine.

Our Stories / February 18, 2015 / No Comments.

Finally, the day we’ve all been waiting for has arrived. For National Drink Wine Day, we expect you to do just that—drink wine, and a lot of it. Whether you’re sipping on a lavish glass of California’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon or chugging a bottle of 50 Shades of Grey branded wine, you really can’t go wrong. Red, White, Rose—why discriminate? Grab ‘em all and get drinking; we’ve collected some wine “fun facts” to get your holiday going.

1. China is the largest red wine consumer in the world: Bypassing Italy and France, the Chinese drink a lot of red wine. This may be due to the fact that the color red is considered to be lucky in China. That, plus the health benefits of red wine, is probably what keeps them filling their glasses.

2. Thank a monk: Throughout the Middle Ages, monks improved and preserved the wine making process. Thanks to them, we’ve adopted the same wine making technology today. One of the world’s most notorious Champagnes Dom Pérignon was even named after a monk, Dom Pierre Pérignon.

3. Wine is relatively healthy: Because grape skin is used in the fermentation process, red wine is proven to contain many valuable antioxidants. While white wine doesn’t utilize the skin, it still has the ability to slightly decrease your risk of contracting certain diseases.

4. Grape variety and harvest location is usually on the label: Most wines made in Europe are named after their geographical foundation. The label will also specify the type of grape (or varietal) used. For instance, Bordeaux wine is manufactured in the Bordeaux region of France, and Bordeaux varietals contain Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet, and more.

5. A wine’s color indicates its geographical origin: While darker shades of red and yellow wine point to warmer climates, lighter colors originated in cooler locations and may also taste lighter and less rich.

6. Women get drunk off of wine faster than men: While this seems sort of obvious (due to women’s bodies being smaller than men’s to begin with), it’s all because women have a different fat to water ratio. Women have a higher fat content, and seeing as fat doesn’t absorb alcohol, the intoxicants spread and lead to a higher BAC.

7. Wine was discovered in the Middle East (over 6,000 years ago!): The earliest findings of wine were found in Iran and date back to the Neolithic period (8500-4000 B.C.). Apparently, it’s supposed that the alcohol was even created by accident. Native yeasts combined with grapes stored in containers, eventually turning the sugars in the grapes into alcohol.

8. People can be afraid of wine: It’s called oenophobia, and it’s a real thing. Whether the fear comes from the idea of being intoxicated or from having to choose a bottle for a dinner party, some people hate wine so much that they get to the point where the drink terrifies them. That’s when you say, “I’ll drink yours.”

9. Wine won’t make you gain weight: We all know the curse of the beer belly, but never fear, there’s no such thing as a “wine belly.” Actually, drinking wine will keep your waistline trim, especially if you choose a glass over a plate of dessert.

10. Wine can improve your sex life: According to a study conducted in Italy, women who drank 2 glasses of wine per day experienced more physical pleasure than those women who didn’t drink any wine. So drink up.

What else do you find fascinating about wine? Share your fun facts with us below!

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Summertime Spirits Debuting this Season

Our Stories / July 6, 2014 / No Comments.

As we dive deeper into the depths of the summer season, we know we’re not the only ones loving those long beach days, the warm breezes, and the never-ending sunlight. But with the heat comes a need to quench your thirst, and what better way to do so than with a cocktail that both compliments and cools. Experiment with this summer’s newest alcohol releases, complete with every fruity flavor from coconut to apple.

It’s not called sweet summertime for nothing, and UV vodka encapsulates that exact mood with their new flavor, UV Sugar Crush. With a tropical and candy-like taste, UV Sugar Crush was inspired by retro candies to appeal to an every day sweet tooth. Having an aroma of bubblegum mixed with an array of fruit, this launch is one you definitely don’t want to miss.

What’s fruit without a little kick? Three Olives vodka takes a traditional fruity spirit and adds some spice with their new Jacked Apple flavor. Combining the essence of both red apple and cinnamon, this vodka is ideal for when you’re winding down after one of many scorching summer days. At only $21 per 750-ml bottle, there’s no excuse not to take a taste of this bold blend.

If you’re into sipping something a little sweeter, give Hawaiian-based Kai Vodka a try. Specializing in rice-based spirits, the brand has introduced several unique tastes to the U.S. market for about $24.99 a bottle. Lemongrass, Lychee, Ginger, Coconut—these flavors will enhance any if not all of your summer cocktails. Don’t fill like being a bartender? Go at it alone and knock back a Kai Vodka shot to take your taste buds on a trip.

We all know that margaritas are a summer staple, especially if made with premium tequila like Patrón. This season, the world’s best-selling tequila has finally crafted a triple sec to help you master your marg making skills. At 80 proof, Patrón Citronge has the subtle aroma of orange with a slightly sweet aftertaste, and at $20 a bottle, we think this new addition added to Patrón’s traditional tequila will make for an epic combination.

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Skinny Wine

Our Stories / February 24, 2012 / No Comments.

Maybe you’ve heard. Bethenny Frankel has entered the wine game with a page from the Nabisco 100-Calorie Pack playbook: introducing three new wines that, at 12%-abv, pack a mere 100 per 5-ounce serving.

New Skinny Girl wines are made by the Winery Exchange, based in Novato, California and while we haven’t tried them yet, we’re sure they are plenty acceptable and ultra-drinkable.

This makes us wonder (out loud) about why people drink wine, which is a conversation for another time. But we’re sort of sure that no one is drinking to lose weight.

Skinnygirl wine let’s us indulge a little (a few Hersey kisses) without calling it a splurge (entire sleeve of Thin Mints). Ask the bartender how many Weight Watchers points it has. Go ahead.

In the end, let’s face it, this stuff will likely fly off the shelf. Bathing suit season looms.

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