Most of the time, wine is thought to be associated with fine dining, work meetings, celebratory events, or simply relaxing on the couch and unwinding after a long day.
There are three main types of wine, which are red, white, and rose, but can you mix and match to make the ultimate wine creation?
A good glass of wine has the ability to dissolve the stress of a long day, but if you are not a fan of either type of wine on its own, then you might have considered mixing them together.
Even if you are a huge lover of white or red wine, it may have crossed your mind at some point, just out of curiosity.
In this article, we are going to tell you everything that you need to know about mixing both red and white wine together.
There is lots of debate surrounding whether or not this is something that is socially acceptable, and wine etiquette definitely has an opinion on the subject, which we will explore further on.
Can You Mix Red And White Wine For Cocktails?
If you are a lover of wine and cocktails, then you might be looking to make wine cocktails, which are becoming increasingly popular. Wine is often mixed with other spirits (like vodka) and juices to create the ultimate cocktail combination.
However, is it okay to mix red and white wine when it comes to making cocktails?
The biggest risk that you run when you are mixing red and white wine together is that it can lower the quality of the wine. Just like anything else that you might eat or drink, adding things into the mixture are only going to make things better or worse.
It all depends on exactly what you are mixing, and how much of it you are using.
You will also need to consider the other ingredients that you are adding to your cocktails, like spirits, juices, and more. These are all things that are going to affect the overall flavor, and are worth being mindful of.
Some people would argue that it should be against the law to even think about mixing these two wines together, even in a cocktail.
Mixing red and white wine into a cocktail is a gamble, especially if you are not following a recipe.
So, if this is something that you want to do, it is probably going to involve a lot of trial and error to create the perfect blend. But even then, you might not get any successful end results.
Can You Mix Red And White Wine?
There are varying opinions when it comes to mixing red and white wine together. The culture of wine consumption is characterized by a number of unwritten rules that are a formality.
More often than not, these rules are simply made up, rather than factual, but for true wine drinkers, they may be taken as gospel.
If you want to mix red and white wine together, then by all means go for it. Just don’t be surprised if you get strange looks or glares from those nearby if you choose to do it in public.
We are going to explain some more about the unspoken rules of wine drinking below, so you can understand how some people feel about mixing red and white wine.
Feel free to mix red and white wine together. However, beware that you are likely to lower the quality of the wine.
Unwritten Wine Rules
Just like any other alcoholic beverage, wine has its own set of unspoken rules that everyone that drinks wine are sort of just expected to know and follow.
Whether these rules involve using certain glasses to drink from, what you can and can’t mix with the beverage, or when it is socially acceptable to drink it, there are pretty much rules for everything.
For example, picking up a bottle of red wine and drinking it straight from the bottle is something that is strictly forbidden in the wine drinking community.
If you do this, you will be shunned and banned from ever drinking wine again. Well, not really, but this is just one of the many unspoken rules of wine drinking.
Unfortunately for some, one of the rules that is highly regarded is the idea that mixing red and white wine together in one glass, or even alternating between drinking a glass of each, is strictly forbidden.
Red and white wines are typically assigned to different types of meals, which is quite limiting. But mixing them together in one glass is something that is unheard of in the wine community.
While it is considered forbidden in cultural and social settings, there isn’t really any particular reason why, other than the fact that it is socially unacceptable.
The idea that certain wines are reserved for certain meals can also be quite confusing, especially if you are having both red meat and white meat. What wine are you supposed to serve in this instance?
Mixing red and white wine is something that has been considered a taboo for a long time, but is unclear when it comes to the reasoning behind this. We will try and explain more about why this is the case below.
What You Need To Know About Mixing Red And White Wine
Mixing red and white wine shouldn’t really be considered to be a rebellious approach to the value and quality of the wine, but it certainly is.
However, this is something that is actually practiced by professional wine tasters, and even distillers that are working towards creating the most delicious blends of wine.
The main concern when it comes to the mixing of white and red wine is that it could lower the quality of the wine, and this is actually quite true, especially if you are mixing them ‘incorrectly’.
For example, if you were to mix a highly concentrated sweet wine with a dry white wine, you are only going to end up diluting the taste of the red wine, and making it much drier than necessary.
Although, it can also be beneficial to mix red and white wine together if you are trying to save a bottle that has started to go bad. It is possible to restore the balance in the tannic and even acidic concentration of the wine by doing so.
So, from a practical perspective, mixing red and white wine together can be either really useful or completely disastrous.
It will all depend on whether or not the mixing has been done correctly and with thought behind it.
It will need to be done by someone that has an understanding of how both of these wines work as this is the only way to truly understand or predict whether or not they will work well together.
Mixing red and white wine can be useful or a bad move. You may do it to try and save a bottle that has started to turn bad. You may also turn a red that is meant to be sweet and fruity into something quite dry. So tread with caution.
Will Mixing Red And White Wine Make Me Sick?
Medically speaking, there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that mixing these two types of wines together will be in any way harmful to your health.
Although, there is a common misconception that mixing these wines together will result in a severe stomach upset or some other discomfort. This is not the case at all.
Perhaps this myth was created to deter people from attempting this ‘unacceptable’ concept. However, the one consequence that most likely will occur from mixing red and white wine is a strong hangover the next day.
This is something that can vary from person to person, but it is common knowledge that mixing your alcohol can give you an awful hangover the following day.
Strong alcoholic drinks will easily dehydrate the system, which results in the body expelling the excessive alcohol from the system.
On the other hand, wine has a mild to manageable percentage of alcohol that isn’t likely to make you feel too bad the next day, as long as you drink responsibly. Although, mixing the two wines together can throw this completely out of the window, making you feel rough the next morning.
Professional Opinions On Mixing Red And White Wines
There are some professionals that say that the only disadvantage to mixing red and white wine is the fact that the taste will be diluted, meaning that you miss out on the individual flavors.
Mixing red and white wine together is possible and encouraged for drinkers to experience new tastes.
Actually, some variations of rose can actually be created through mixing red and white wine together, and the outcome can be just as delicious as either wine would be on their own.
Mixing these two wines together can lead to the creation of new blends. However, mixing red and white wine has to be done in a way that ensures that the quality of the wine is not compromised.
Even though it is considered to be wrong to mix red and white wine, if it is approached in the proper way, it can easily result in a blend of rose or blush wine.
If you are planning on mixing red and white wine together, then you should carefully consider important features like the age of the wine, the concentration, and the acidity of the wines that you are mixing together.
How To Successfully Mix White And Red Wine
Different types of wines can be mixed, but it is really important to ensure that you understand the different parts that make up a good wine, and that you know what you are trying to achieve.
It is always beneficial to blend two wines that are similar to one another to create a good combination. The type of wine that will be achieved will also depend on the amount of each wine that is used to create it.
An example of this would be if you were trying to create a simple rose blend. You could simply mix 80% Chardonnay with 20% Grenache, which will result in a simple rose wine.
Mixing red and white wine does have the potential to create some exquisite tastes and aromas if you are careful enough. For this reason, many people believe that it should not be considered a taboo against wine and dining traditions.
Instead, it should be seen as a way to develop new tastes and fulfilling experiences. So, if you want to enjoy your wine, you should forget about any of the unspoken rules of wine drinking and get to creating your own.
The Advantage Of Not Mixing Your Wines
One of the main advantages of not mixing red wine with white wine is that the effect is more controlled, and you can instead savor the actual taste of just one drink, allowing you to appreciate it more.
You will also be able to maintain much more consistency when it comes to the overall taste and flavor of the drink.
Hi, my name is Emma Miller, and I am a wine enthusiast, and self-proclaimed oenophile from Ohio, in the United States. There is nothing better than tasting new types of wine, and over the years I have become somewhat of a wine connoisseur.
