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Sipsy

LifeVine Sauvignon Blanc Natural Wine - 750ml

LifeVine Sauvignon Blanc Natural Wine - 750ml

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How to Build a Home Bar for Under $100

Setting up a home bar doesn't require a full liquor cabinet, a professional shaker collection, or spending a fortune. The secret is choosing the right bottles — ones that show up in multiple classic cocktails so nothing goes to waste. This guide covers everything you need: the home bar essentials checklist, the best spirits to start with, and seven cocktail recipes you can make the same night your order arrives.

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The Home Bar Essentials Checklist

The most common mistake when building a home bar is buying too many single-use bottles. A well-designed home bar starter kit focuses on versatile bottles — spirits and modifiers that earn their shelf space by working across multiple recipes.

  • A clean neutral vodka — for Martinis, Moscow Mules, Cosmos, and simple mixed drinks
  • A solid bourbon or rye whiskey — for Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, and Whiskey Sours
  • A blanco tequila — for Margaritas, Palomas, and tequila sodas
  • A bitter liqueur like Campari — for Negronis, Americanos, and Spritzes
  • Sweet vermouth — for Negronis, Manhattans, and Boulevardiers
  • Dry vermouth — for Martinis and Gibsons
  • Triple sec or orange liqueur — for Margaritas, Cosmos, and Sidecars

Seven bottles. That's your complete home bar. Everything below $100 total.

What's in the Sipsy Home Bar Bundle

Every bottle in this bundle was selected because it appears in at least two or three classic cocktails. Nothing here is a one-trick purchase.

Base Spirit

Wheatley Vodka

Micro-distilled craft vodka. Clean, soft, and neutral — the ideal base for Martinis, Mules, and any vodka-forward drink.

Base Spirit

Wild Turkey Bourbon

High-rye, full-bodied bourbon with spice and depth. The backbone of Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, Boulevardiers, and Whiskey Sours.

Base Spirit

Cimarron Tequila

Additive-free blanco tequila with bright, clean agave character. One of the best-value tequilas for Margaritas at any price point.

Bitter Modifier

Campari

The essential Italian bitter. Irreplaceable in Negronis, Americanos, Boulevardiers, and Campari Spritzes.

Vermouth

Perino Sweet Vermouth

Herbal, slightly sweet, and well-rounded. Essential for Negronis, Manhattans, and Boulevardiers.

Vermouth

Perino Dry Vermouth

Dry, aromatic, and precise. The ingredient that turns vodka on ice into an actual Martini.

Orange Liqueur

DeKuyper Triple Sec

Bright orange citrus modifier. Essential for Margaritas, Cosmos, Sidecars, and any citrus-forward cocktail.

7 Classic Cocktail Recipes You Can Make With This Bundle

With these seven bottles, you can make every recipe below — no additional shopping required.

Negroni

Equal parts, perfectly bitter. The gold standard of aperitivo cocktails — and the easiest recipe in this list.

Ingredients

  • 1 oz Wheatley Vodka or Wild Turkey Bourbon
  • 1 oz Campari
  • 1 oz Perino Sweet Vermouth
  • Orange peel, to garnish

Method

  1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice
  2. Stir for 30 seconds until well chilled
  3. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube
  4. Express and garnish with an orange peel

Classic Margarita

The most-ordered cocktail in the US. Bright, balanced, and endlessly riffable — and best when you start with an additive-free tequila.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Cimarron Tequila
  • ¾ oz DeKuyper Triple Sec
  • ¾ oz fresh lime juice
  • Kosher salt for the rim (optional)

Method

  1. Rim a rocks glass with salt if desired
  2. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice
  3. Shake for 10–15 seconds
  4. Strain over fresh ice; garnish with a lime wheel

Manhattan

Whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters — stirred cold. A classic that rewards a quality bourbon.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Wild Turkey Bourbon
  • 1 oz Perino Sweet Vermouth
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • Maraschino cherry, to garnish

Method

  1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice
  2. Stir until well chilled (~30 seconds)
  3. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass
  4. Garnish with a cherry

Vodka Martini

Cold, clean, and precise. The martini shows exactly why dry vermouth belongs in any serious home bar.

Ingredients

  • 2½ oz Wheatley Vodka
  • ½ oz Perino Dry Vermouth
  • Lemon twist or olive, to garnish

Method

  1. Add vodka and vermouth to a mixing glass with ice
  2. Stir for 30–40 seconds until very cold
  3. Strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass
  4. Garnish with a lemon twist or an olive

Boulevardier

The Negroni's whiskey-based cousin — richer, warmer, and equally easy to love.

Ingredients

  • 1½ oz Wild Turkey Bourbon
  • 1 oz Campari
  • 1 oz Perino Sweet Vermouth
  • Orange or lemon peel, to garnish

Method

  1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice
  2. Stir until well chilled
  3. Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass
  4. Express and garnish with citrus peel

Old Fashioned

The original cocktail — sugar, bitters, whiskey, nothing more. The benchmark for any home bar bottle of bourbon.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Wild Turkey Bourbon
  • 1 tsp simple syrup (or 1 sugar cube)
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • Orange peel, to garnish

Method

  1. Add sugar and bitters to a rocks glass; stir to combine
  2. Add a large ice cube and the bourbon
  3. Stir gently for 15–20 seconds
  4. Express orange peel over the top and garnish

Americano

Light, low-ABV, and perfect before dinner. Campari and sweet vermouth with a splash of soda — proof that not every great cocktail needs a spirit.

Ingredients

  • 1½ oz Campari
  • 1½ oz Perino Sweet Vermouth
  • Club soda, to top
  • Orange slice, to garnish

Method

  1. Build in a rocks glass over ice
  2. Add Campari, then sweet vermouth
  3. Top with a splash of club soda
  4. Stir gently; garnish with an orange slice

Why This Works as a Home Bar Starter Kit

Most home bar guides suggest 15–20 bottles. That's expensive, wasteful, and ends up with a shelf full of bottles you open twice a year. This bundle is different because every bottle earns its place multiple times:

  • Wheatley Vodka appears in Martinis, Moscow Mules, Cosmos, Vodka Sodas, and a vodka-based Negroni
  • Wild Turkey Bourbon is the backbone of Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, Boulevardiers, Whiskey Sours, and Penicillin riffs
  • Cimarron Tequila is additive-free — which means Margaritas that taste like they were made with a bottle twice the price
  • Campari is irreplaceable for any bitter-forward cocktail and doubles as a gorgeous Spritz with prosecco
  • Both vermouths are the most underrated home bar bottles — they turn vodka into a Martini and bourbon into a Manhattan
  • Triple Sec bridges spirits and citrus in any citrus-forward cocktail and keeps the Margarita tasting balanced

The result is a home bar that punches well above its price point — and arrives at your door.

Home Bar FAQs

What is the most important bottle to have in a home bar?

If you can only have one bottle, make it a bourbon or whiskey. It's the most versatile spirit for classic cocktails, works great neat or on the rocks, and forms the foundation of more recipes than any other spirit.

Do you need vermouth for a home bar?

Yes — vermouth is one of the most essential and overlooked home bar ingredients. It's what makes a Martini a Martini and a Manhattan a Manhattan. Store it in the refrigerator after opening and use within 4–6 weeks.

Can you really build a home bar for under $100?

Yes. The key is choosing bottles that show up in multiple recipes rather than buying specialty bottles that only work in one cocktail. The seven bottles in this bundle cover over a dozen classic cocktails.

What tools do you need for a home bar?

At minimum: a cocktail shaker, a jigger (for measuring), a bar spoon, a Hawthorne strainer, and a mixing glass. A basic bar tool set covering all of these typically runs $20–$30.

What glassware does a home bar need?

Rocks glasses (also called lowball or Old Fashioned glasses), a couple of martini or coupe glasses, and highball glasses will cover virtually every cocktail recipe you'll use at home.

What does additive-free tequila mean and does it matter?

Additive-free tequila — like Cimarron in this bundle — contains no added sugar, glycerin, coloring, or oak extract. The result is a purer, more honest agave flavor. For cocktails like the Margarita, it makes a noticeable difference in how clean and fresh the drink tastes.

How long does an open bottle of Campari last?

Campari is a high-proof liqueur and is very stable. An open bottle stored at room temperature away from direct sunlight will last for years without significant change in flavor.

Ready to stock your home bar?

Get all 7 bottles delivered — same-day in LA, nationwide shipping available.

Shop the Bundle — $100

Product Description

Lifevine Sauvignon Blanc is a natural, organic, zero-sugar California Sauvignon Blanc crafted to showcase bright fruit and delicate herbal nuance. This wine presents with flavors of mandarin and grapefruit, complemented by subtle herbal notes, and finishes clean and dry, making it versatile for a variety of occasions—from casual salads to elegant seafood dishes or a quiet, relaxing evening at home.

Appearance: Light straw in color with a delicate, pale-gold edge that hints at its sunny California origins.

Aroma: Opens with sweet floral aromas supported by citrus zest and hints of key limes and mandarin. A whisper of savory herbs adds complexity, inviting further exploration on the nose.

Flavor: On the palate, ripe mandarin and grapefruit lead the way, supported by tropical notes such as papaya and kiwi, balanced with a touch of jasmine and garden herb inflections. The wine remains bright and fruit-forward while maintaining a fresh, approachable profile.

Finish: Dry and crisp, with a clean, mineral-inflected finish that lingers just enough to invite the next sip.

Key Characteristics: Natural & Organic: Made with organic grapes from carefully tended vineyards. Minimal intervention in the cellar preserves the grape’s expressive character.

Zero Sugar: Contains no added sugar or sweeteners, allowing the natural fruit flavors to shine through with clarity and balance.