To her we drink, for her we pray,
Our voices silent never;
For her we'll fight, come what may.
The stars and stripes forever!
Hello darling! As the season of block parties is upon us the chances are you may be hosting at least one gathering for a crowd in the coming weeks. Whether it’s a large congregation or a smaller flock, you’ll need a few cocktail options on hand that are quick to batch, have readily available ingredients, and won’t break the bank. This is where wine is your new best friend.
It was the Romans who were the first to add sparkling water, herbs, and honey to improve their wine, and hosts across the continent have been using it as the base for crowd-pleasing beverages for centuries since. So, here are some easy recipes and top tips for cocktailing off the vine with red, white, and rosé this Independence Day weekend and all summer long.
CLASSIC SANGRIA
Not just for tourists, Sangria is the quintessential wine cocktail that is just as easy to prepare and enjoy on the patio as it is on the plaza. Just like a good party, it gets better the more it gets to mingle and relax, so we recommend mixing an hour or two before you plan to serve it. While a Spanish Rioja is ideal, we find any medium to full-bodied red that is light on tannins but big on fruit flavor works well.
½ cup Pomp & Whimsy Gin Liqueur
750 ml bottle dry Spanish red wine
1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 medium apple
1 medium orange
Core and de-seed the apple and chop it into ½ inch pieces, leaving the skin on. Chop the orange into similar size pieces with the rind on, removing any seeds. Add the fruit and all other ingredients to a pitcher, leaving enough room for ice, and refrigerate for 1-3 hours. Add ice to the pitcher when ready to serve.
NEGRONI CUP
For a twist on the classic Italian apertivo group-style, we thought to bring the intensity down with a coastal mix that is sublime, juicy, and full of dolce vita. Any Italian white should work well for this recipe, but you can certainly up the ante with a dry Prosecco or sparkling wine if you’re feeling more of a spritzy vibe.
1 cup Pomp & Whimsy Gin Liqueur
750ml bottle of Italian white wine
1 cup grapefruit juice
½ cup Campari
Add all ingredients to a pitcher or punch bowl with ice, and garnish with fresh citrus (lemon, orange, grapefruit) slices.
SPARKLING ROSÉ SANGRIA
This sparkling rosé is a build on our signature Sangria, My Dear recipe and works with any seasonal stone fruit and berries. Using sparkling wine ups the refreshment level, and we recommend working with a drier style. We usually add the club soda in increments as the perfect dilution level will vary with the sweetness and intensity of the fruit.
750 ml bottle Pomp & Whimsy Gin Liqueur
750ml dry sparkling rosé
750 ml club soda
1 ½ cups seasonal stone fruit, sliced (e.g. peaches, nectarines)
1 ½ cups seasonal berries, sliced (e.g. strawberries, raspberries)
fresh mint
Add the Pomp & Whimsy and fruit to a large pitcher or drinks dispenser and leave to infuse for 1-3 hours (if time is of the essence, muddle the fruit to speed up flavor extraction). When ready to serve, add ice to the pitcher and top with the sparkling wine. Add the club soda in increments, testing dilution to taste. Garnish with a good handful of fresh mint leaves.