Sangria

There’s no such thing as the perfect large-format cocktail…wait. Classic Spanish sangria has entered the chat.

Combining favorite fall fruits and spices with sparkling cider, rum, and wine gives sangria a refreshing new spin.

Sangria often veers too far on the side of sugary. Grilled stone fruit adds a natural caramelized sweetness to the drink, and lends a smoky char to tame it down.

A refreshing citrus sangria that gets bittersweet notes from Suze, a French aperitif.

On a really hot day, freeze fruit for an hour or two prior to serving—it acts like sweet ice cubes.

This lightly spiced sangria is packed with green apple and citrus flavor.

Stone-fruit purée gives this beautifully colored sangria an intensely flavored base that's reinforced with juicy sliced fruit. Choose any combination of the ripest, most fragrant stone fruit (if, say, nectarines aren't looking great, swap in good-looking apricots). Chill the sangria before serving; the flavor will improve the longer it sits—up to two days.

St. John Frizell ofFort Defiancein Red Hook, Brooklyn, created this recipe for aFourth of July drinksfeature—this is the white option in a special red, white, and blue Sangria series. For this Caribbean-inspired pitcher drink, Frizell recommends using good white rum or, even better, a mix of white rum and aged rum. "A funky aged Jamaican rum, like Smith & Cross, will add a profound depth of flavor to the mix," he notes. For the wine, Frizell says to use a young unoaked white, such as a Sauvignon Blanc or a dry Riesling.

St. John Frizell ofFort Defiancein Red Hook, Brooklyn, created this recipe for aFourth of July drinksfeature—this is the blue option in a special red, white, and blue Sangria series. The drink gets its oceanlike hue from just 1 ounce of blue curaçao, but if color isn't important to you, feel free to use regular (clear) curaçao instead. Frizell warns against using cheap vermouth: "An excellent dry vermouth, like Dolin, is necessary for this recipe." The drizzle of Maraschino liqueur, Frizell explains, "adds a nutty, bittersweet note."

St. John Frizell ofFort Defiancein Red Hook, Brooklyn, created this recipe for aFourth of July drinksfeature—this is the red option in a special red, white, and blue Sangria series. Dubonnet takes center stage in Frizell's Sangria but is a supporting player in many classic cocktail recipes, including the gin-based Dubonnet cocktail (also known as the Zaza). It's an aperitif wine that Frizell says is similar to vermouth and has been popular in French cafés since the 19th century.

Chanterais melons, also called Cavaillon, are a delicious alternative to cantaloupes. Look for them at farmers’ markets and gourmet stores.

As a grilled-food guy, R. B. loves red Zinfandel and Côtes du Rhone. Mixed with fresh fruit and carbonation, these barbecue-friendly reds really come to life. Sweeten with sugar if you like.

Cava is cheap but good Spanish sparkling wine. It makes a festive version of sangria.