Sierra Deak / Daily Nexus

Pinterest, Tumblr and other online communities are abuzz with a new recipe to warm up the winter season. By combining red wine with hot chocolate, amateur chefs have created a way to stay cozy while also getting a little tipsy. It’s advertised as the perfect beverage to sip on during rainy days or while snuggling under a blanket with a good book; naturally, I had to try it.

What was supposed to be a perfect wintertime drink turned out to be a tart and bitter disappointment. I followed the recipe below using a Franzia box wine and was shocked as the end result managed to be extremely bitter while somehow leaving a strange sugary aftertaste. I was shocked that this drink, something that is universally loved by the Internet, would be so disgusting. Despite my cringeworthy results, I will freely admit that I am not a huge wine-lover, and someone out there might actually enjoy this recipe. If you are feeling adventurous, give the following recipe a try, but proceed with caution.

What You’ll Need:
2/3 cup red wine of your choice
1 hot chocolate packet
1 cup of milk

Recipe:
Bring a cup of milk (or water) to a boil then mix in cocoa powder. Stir thoroughly until all lumps are gone and then mix in the red wine of your choice.

After my failed first attempt, I was determined to make a drink that I actually enjoyed. I went back to the drawing board and revised the recipe. To fight against the overwhelming bitterness, I used a white zinfandel instead of a full-fledged red wine. I also used more hot chocolate and less wine than the first recipe. This new creation is much sweeter than my first failed attempt. The hot chocolate takes center stage with subtle hints of sweet zinfandel underneath the chocolatey flavor. While the initial recipe was rough, I will definitely be sipping on more pink and white hot chocolates this winter.

What You’ll Need:
1/2 rosé or light white wine of your choice
2 hot chocolate packets
1 cup of milk
Bring a cup of milk (or water) to a boil then mix in cocoa powder. Stir thoroughly until all lumps are gone and then mix in the wine of your choice.