Cocktails with Red wine
Red wine is a still, unfortified wine made by fermenting red- or black-skinned grapes on their skins to draw out color and tannin.
ABV12–15%
Substitutes for Red wine
Dry red wine
Any bottle will do in the same amount. For sangria or mulled wine, an inexpensive fruity one is fine.
Dealcoholized red wine
Works too but makes the drink sweeter. Torres Natureo, for one, has about 34 g of sugar per liter, against usually 4 or less for a dry wine.
Rosé
Suits a punch, with lighter color and almost no tannin, but it will not give a red float.
It makes a paler, softer sangria, and as a float it gives no red layer.
Fortified wine
Port is about 20% with roughly 100 g of sugar per liter. At the same measure it makes the drink stronger and much sweeter, so use it only as a small accent.
Storage
Once opened it oxidizes and loses its fruit aroma. Recork it, refrigerate it and use it within a few days.
