Give Your Margarita A 'Devilish' Twist With A Red Wine Layer

There's nothing quite like a margarita on a hot day. The refreshing, fruity, and tart drink is served ice cold and always hits the spot. But when summer transitions to fall and the weather gets colder, the cocktail takes a back seat to darker, more warming alcoholic beverages. Whiskey, rum, and red wine are more commonly reached for at happy hour. But there's a way to make your margarita better suited for the chilly season: Add a red wine float.

A devil's margarita is a traditional marg with a layer of red wine that sits on top. The addition of the wine makes the drink more appealing for the fall and winter in both color and flavor. The deep red layer on top gradually fades into an orange or pinkish-hued cocktail that gives off autumnal vibes. And the richness of a full-bodied red complements the tart lime juice and earthy tequila — all brought together with a bit of sweetener.

This show-stopping cocktail is surprisingly easy to make. Combine a typical margarita mix in a cocktail shaker, pour it in a glass, and execute the layer of red by slowly pouring red wine over the back of a spoon and onto the top of the drink. Spirits are less dense and more buoyant than water or sugary juices — both of which a margarita contains in the form of simple syrup and lime juice — so the wine will sit on top in a distinctive layer. 

To customize your devil's margarita, you can experiment with using different types of red wine for more variable flavor. Drier reds with a lot of body — like Cabernet Sauvignon, zinfandel, and merlot – are recommended, but you can try out different flavors and hues. You might also want to skip the salt rim on a devil's margarita, as the salt doesn't go well with the acidic red wine.

This simple method used to float red wine can also be used in whiskey sours, like the New York sour (pictured) or your other favorite winter cocktails, as long as they contain some juice or water in the main mixture. There are other ways to make your margarita appeal even more on a chilly night, too. Try a grilled citrus margarita with the red wine float for a smokier, more warming drink. Or, to sip on something that matches the colors of the changing leaves, add the red layer to an orange-centric golden margarita.