Sparkling Lambrusco bourbon cocktail

This sparkling Lambrusco bourbon cocktail is one of my very favorite drinks. The light, semi-sweet almost berry flavor of the bubbly Lambrusco paired with the vanilla, caramel, oak taste of the bourbon and the added flavor of maple syrup and sparkling orange-mango (or orange poppi prebiotic soda) combines for a delicious cocktail. And don’t forget the cinnamon sugar rim!

I saw this recipe years ago from Martha Stewart. It was in her Everyday Food magazine in January/February 2012. She called it a sparkling red-wine cocktail and made the drink in a pitcher to serve 8 people. I also saw this recipe on howsweeteats.com in November 2019 called a Lambrusco smash. She made it in a pitcher to serve 4-6. I’ve also made this drink in a pitcher many times. For myself to drink over several days or to share with others. But then I decided to scale the recipe back to make it a single serve drink because sometimes drinking a whole pitcher yourself is obnoxious. So here we are. I highly recommend you try this cocktail. It is just so, so good!

Ingredients for sparkling Lambrusco bourbon cocktail

Lambrusco wine- I bought a 4 pack of 187ml bottles and used i small bottle which actually can make 2 drinks

Bourbon

Maple syrup- pure, not pancake syrup. You don’t need to add maple syrup if you don’t want to but I find it gives the drink a smoother and obviously a sweeter taste.

Orange mango sparkling ice- *update* I like to use orange poppi prebiotic soda

cinnamon and sugar- for the rim. Optional but highly recommended

orange slice-optional

Recipe

First, place cinnamon and sugar on a plate. Rub an orange wedge around the rim of a rocks glass. Then dip the glass in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Second, fill the glass with ice. Third, pour in bourbon, maple syrup, and Lambrusco. Stir the drink and top with orange mango sparkling ice (or orange poppi).

To health, wealth, and happiness! Cheers!