Red Velvet - Dessert in a Glass

On my hubby’s last trip to the liquor store, I asked him to surprise me with a type of red wine that I never had before.  When he walked through the door with Red Velvet red wine by Cupcake Vineyards (could the name of this wine be more perfect and enticing?) my eyes lit up; he knows me so well, not only was our wedding cake red velvet, but I just can’t resist anything that is cake flavored.  I was so excited to pour myself a glass of dessert.  The wine has a creamy taste of chocolate and blackberries, with a slight mocha aftertaste.  Although the flavors may sound sweet, this is not a sweet red wine; the wine is a mixture of Zinfandel, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.   While this wine is quite tasty, it is definitely a slow sipping type of wine because of the bold taste and kick it has.  If you are just starting to drink red wine and prefer something that has less of a kick to it, I would recommend starting off with a sweet red wine or Pinot Noir and working your way up to this one.  If you love a stronger tasting red wine, then this is perfect for you.  This is a great wine to have with dinner, especially with spicy food, and it is a match made in heaven when paired with a dessert. 

Alcohol Content: 13.5%

Price: $12 a bottle

Mix it Up!



Venetian Sunset

 I went to Olive Garden this past weekend; besides being beyond excited to have the breadsticks there (how amazing are the breadsticks?) I was also very excited to have the Venetian Sunset, my favorite Olive Garden mixed drink.  The Venetian Sunset is made with Martini & Rossi Asti, along with pineapple and cherry juices…and yes, it is as delicious as it sounds and looks.  Martini & Rossi Asti has a great flavor by itself (it’s my favorite type of champagne), but the pineapple and cherry juices make this drink that much more irresistible.  The Venetian Sunset has the perfect amount of sweetness to it and the bubbles from the champagne makes the drink taste more like a soda than an alcoholic beverage.  This is one drink that you just NEED to try.



Moscato Citrus Berry Splash

 After ordering my precious Venetian Sunset, another wine based mixed drink on the drink menu caught my eye, the Moscato Citrus Berry Splash; doesn’t this just sound like the perfect summer drink?  This drink is made with sparkling Moscato wine, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and whole fresh blueberries.  The drink looked very pretty (yes, drinks can look pretty!) and I just couldn’t wait to try it.  Similar to the Venetian Sunset, the Moscato Citrus Berry Splash tasted like a soda because of the fizz from the sparkling wine, however, this drink was not as sweet as the Venetian Sunset and I would’ve preferred a tiny dab of grenadine, but overall, it was a yummy drink. 

The best part about these drinks is that they seem to be so easy to make!  They would be the perfect summertime girls’ night beverages.