Red-Wine Infused Coffee Exists

Nicole Marino / Bigshot
Nicole Marino / Bigshot

Red wine has a reputation for making drinkers sleepy, but one Napa cafe has come up with a solution to help vino fans get their favorite flavor without the droopy eyelids: red wine-infused coffee. Rick Molinari of Molinari Caffè has developed the custom roast after experimenting with wine-coffee fusion with renowned coffee roaster John Weaver of Wild Card Roasters. While we’ve long been fans of boozed up coffee, from a classic Irish Coffee to more modern coffee cocktails, the brew from Molinari saves us the spiking step. Plus, since roasting likely eliminates any booze, we can guiltlessly enjoy a cup of the wine-flavored coffee first thing in the morning and feel classy AF.

The upper-downer combo, called Molinari Private Reserve or MPR, is made by soaking coffee beans in wine specifically designed for Molinari, causing the beans to absorb the tastes and aromas of the vino, before drying and roasting as normal. According to the Molinari website, brewing an ordinary cup of Joe will immediately give you wine on the nose, while a bit of milk will help bring out the wine’s flavor. The site also suggests using the coffee for espresso shots or even letting the coffee sit to open up like wine left to breath in a decanter.

If you don’t feel like shelling out $20 for a half-pound bag, you can visit Molinari Caffè in downtown Napa for a freshly brewed sample. Then return home with a bag and a new morning routine.