October 21, 2023
Review RecipeWine Floats
Table of Contents
These wine floats take your favorite sweet red wine, and add a scoop of creamy ice cream and seltzer water, giving you a fizzy and refreshing alcoholic treat to enjoy. Of course, there is no reason you have to save this recipe for hot weather; it would be amazing all year round.
Wine Floats Ingredients
These wine floats combine the rich tones of red wine with the creamy sweetness of vanilla, strawberry, or black cherry ice cream.
The seltzer water creates a refreshing and sophisticated dessert experience.
You’ll need:
- 1 (750 milliliters) bottle of red wine (Merlot, Pinot Noir, or Sweet Red Blend)
- ½ gallon of good-quality ice cream (vanilla, strawberry, or black cherry)
- 1-liter bottle of unflavored seltzer water
PRO TIP:
When deciding on which red wine to choose, remember to pick one that you would enjoy drinking on its own. Try to stick with medium to sweet wine for these floats. Dryer wines do not pair as well with the ice cream.
Substitutions And Additions
SELTZER: You can skip the addition of the seltzer water if you choose; however, it gives these ice cream floats that ‘old-fashioned’ soda fountain flair.
Club soda or tonic water would also work in place of seltzer water and give you the same fizziness.
ICE CREAM: When deciding on which ice cream to pair with your wine and ice cream floats, you can read the bottle and see what flavor profile your wine has.
For example, the Pinot Noir I chose has flavor notes of cherry, raspberry, and vanilla, so I decided to pair this fruity red wine with a good-quality classic vanilla ice cream.
My Merlot had flavor notes of berries and chocolate, so I paired it with strawberry ice cream (a dark chocolate raspberry ice cream would also be delicious).
My sweet red blend had flavor notes of black cherry and plum, so I paired it with black cherry ice cream.
WINE: You also make this with white wine. Choose sweet white wines such as Pinot Grigio or Riesling.
How To Make This Wine Floats Recipe
This drink only requires a few minutes to mix up right in your wine glass. Let’s get started.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
This recipe makes a smaller batch of drinks but can easily be doubled to serve more people.
STEP ONE: Pour five ounces of red wine into the wine glass.
PRO TIP:
You could also serve this in a tall glass instead of a wine glass.
STEP TWO: Scoop two generous scoops of ice cream into the glass of red wine.
STEP THREE: Top the glass of wine and ice cream with a quarter cup of unflavored seltzer water.
STEP FOUR: Enjoy!
How To Serve Red Wine Floats
These red wine floats can be enjoyed with a spoon or sipped. It is best to make individual servings as you want them.
If you are making these for a party, you can make the wine glasses extra fancy with a couple of cherries or fresh raspberries in the glass as well.
Offer your guests a choice of drinks and add our wine slushies as well.
For more frothy grown-up drinks, try our alcoholic frozen lemonade and boozy creamsicle float.
MORE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES RECIPES
Storage
ON THE COUNTER/IN THE FREEZER: You can store any extra red wine, corked and on the counter, for up to a week.
The red wine ice cream floats are best made and served immediately and won’t keep for any length of time.
Why We Love This Recipe
UNIQUE FLAVOR COMBINATION: Wine floats offer a unique twist by combining the elegance of wine with the indulgence of ice cream, creating a flavor profile that’s both sophisticated and delightful.
QUICK AND EASY: This recipe is incredibly easy to prepare, making it perfect for impromptu gatherings or when you’re craving a sweet treat without a lot of fuss.
PERFECT FOR CELEBRATIONS: Wine floats add a touch of luxury to celebrations and special occasions, making them an ideal dessert option for toasting with friends and loved ones.
Step up your cocktail game with these red wine floats. The unlikely combination of red wine and ice cream makes for a fun and fruity dessert cocktail.
Frequently Asked Questions
This drink is best made right when you plan to serve it. It won’t keep at all in the fridge or freezer.
You can tailor this wine float recipe to your personal preferences in wine tastes. Try to choose a sweeter wine, as it will blend nicely with the ice cream.
Try to pick an ice cream that complements the flavors in the wine you choose. Check the wine label and pick an ice cream flavor that matches the fruit flavors mentioned.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Screwdriver Cocktail
- Strawberry Lemonade Cocktail
- Pineapple Lemonade
- Easter Cocktail
- Mudslide Drink
- Rainbow Drink
Wine Floats
Ingredients
- 750 milliliters red wine (Merlot, Pinot Noir, or Sweet Red Blend)
- ½ gallon good quality ice cream (vanilla, strawberry, or black cherry)
- 1 liter unflavored seltzer water
Instructions
- Pour 5 ounces of red wine into a wine glass.
- Scoop 2 generous scoops of ice cream into the wine glass.
- Top the wine and ice cream with ¼ cup of unflavored seltzer water.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- When deciding on which red wine to choose, remember to pick one that you would enjoy drinking on its own. Try to stick with medium to sweet wine for these floats. Dryer wines do not pair as well with the ice cream.
- This recipe makes a smaller batch of drinks but can easily be doubled to serve more people.
- You could also serve this in a tall glass instead of a wine glass.
Nutrition
Even More Recipes You’ll Love
Alcoholic Drinks
- Texas Tea
- Wine Slushie
- White Claw Slushie
- Fruit Tingle Cocktail
- Drunken Rudolph
- Wine Slushie
- Jolly Rancher Drink
- Strawberry Mojito Recipe
Comments
Gloria says
Such a fun and beautiful treat!
Karen says
I would top this treat with fresh raspberries!
Chris says
Could this be made with a non-alcoholic wine? say a red sparkling wine? If yes, assume I would skip the seltzer since the non-alcoholic is already “fizzy” on its own? what do you think? any tips? THANKS 🙂
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Chris – I would assume it would work but we didn’t try it like that so I can’t say for 100% certain! Please let me know if you try it out. Enjoy!
IDA L GROTIE says
they all looked good to me
Denise Baum says
Sweet Scarlett wine by Pindar and vanilla bean ice cream. Ohhhhh Yummmmmm
Ron says
I wonder if you could use a crackling or sparkling wine for this and eliminate the soda water? It does sound good and I will try it. More drinks to try.So many drinks and so little time.
Phyllis says
I would use my favorite Moscato, Red Electra, with vanilla ice cream and fresh raspberries. I can’t wait to try this recipe.
Della Johnson says
Oh this looks so yummy I would pair this with raspberry ice cream & fresh raspberries
Ann Jr Gromer says
I love this idea! I would use a Cabernet Saviougnon with Blue Bell Vanilla Bean ice cream and the seltzer! Sounds wonderful!
Diane Bartman says
I would definitely use fresh Raspberries on this recipe.
Victoria says
I would use a red sweet wine and serve raspberries
Teresa Kirkpatrick says
I would serxe a little raspberry ice cream with whipped topping and a few fresh raspberries for garnish or a mint leaf
Kelly Kardos says
I’ve never heard of a wine float and now I must try it. I’d use a red blend/sangria type wine.
Gail Guest says
Gail Guedt
I would use sweet red and good French vanilla ice cream cherry on top of each mmm good
Mindy Looper says
I think I would try this with a sweet red blend, vanilla ice cream and float a couple of cherries on top. Cherry vanilla themed.
Mary says
Raspberries would be delicious on top of and in this wine float!
Susan Ladd says
It looks so good I think I am going to make for Valentine’s Day at home. Thanks for the email.
Margaret says
Great! I’ll have to make these for my daughter and her friends at college for Mom’s Weekend!! They would love these!
Rachel Stevens says
This would be good with a nice Pinot with notes of Cherry or other stone fruits! I’m excited to try this recipe out ☺️
Casey says
I would use Mocha ice cream and a moscato wine. Coffee and chocolate always go with wine.
Tammy says
Yum!
I’ve got Mitos
Some vanilla bean ice cream, less sweet
Top with some raspberries
Refreshing
Maureen says
I could picture myself laying back with my feet propped up, while someone is cleaning up the dishes, sipping one of these. I would have a merlot or a shiraz with homemade vanilla bean ice cream and a spoonful of raspberries to top it off. This would be the perfect end of a weekend and help ease you into a busy week.
This sounds perfect for me right now since I have a bottle of shiraz opened and fresh raspberries just bought today. Must go mix this up for me right now!
Bobbie says
This would be fun to pair with my favorite South Dakota wine, “Red Add Rhubarb”. Then we’d have red ass floats! Yummmm