Five ways to make your cheap wine taste good

There are people out there who love wine. They are connoisseurs. They own books about wine pairings. They swear by the expensive bottles, and they are planning trips to Napa Valley as you read this. Oenophiles, or “people who love wine,” would be disturbed by the idea of drinking cheap wine (let alone adding mixers to it), but here at Brokelyn we are not so precious. And so we present five festive summery concoctions that will make your Two Buck Chuck taste like it cost at least four bucks.

Kalimoxto
1 part wine + 1 part Coke
I prefer slightly more wine than coke, but add either to your taste. Best with a Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tinto de Verano (Red Wine of Summer)
3 parts red wine  + 1 part club soda  + 1 part Sprite or 7-up
1 slice of lemon or lime for garnish
Also works well with a white wine.

Red Wine of Any Season
2 parts wine
1 part ginger ale
1-2 slices of orange (with peel)
1 dash of Angostura bitters
Place the orange slices in the glass, sprinkle in bitters and gently muddle together. Add ice and wine. Stir. Top with ginger ale.

This is great with a Cabernet Sauvignon. I’ve also been known to throw in some mint with this if I have it in my fridge.

Fresh Strawberry Mimosas
2 parts strawberry-flavored André (or other inexpensive champagne)
1 part orange juice
slices of orange
sliced strawberries
Skewer the strawberries and orange slice together before adding to the glass.

Melon Spritzer
2 parts white wine
1 part club soda (or tonic, if you’d like it sweeter)
Melon balls (honeydew, watermelon, and/or cantalope)

If you don’t have a melon baller, you can cut the fruit into 1″ squares.

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What’s your favorite cheap wine and how do you serve it? Tell us in the comments.