3 Deliciously Inventive and Bartender-Approved Sangria Recipes

This summer, you could just throw a ton of chopped fruit all willynilly into a punch bowl with a big ol' bag of Franzia and hope for the best (which may be the move if you intend to day-drink buckets of the stuff without regard to taste) but you can do better, and you should. To get you inspired, here are three classy and creative takes on a traditional sangria recipe courtesy of some badass bartenders from around the country.

This "thirst-quenching and sessionable" recipe was developed by Tin Roof's Claire Sprouse and Chad Arnholt for Izakaya, a Japanese restaurant in Houston. “I really think sake in general and sake-based cocktails are due to be revived from the dark shadows of sake bombs and bad sushi pairings," says Claire.

Chief mixologist Clint Spotleson of the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel says, "I took a lighter approach for the hot Arizona summer by using Encanto pisco as a base and complementing it with Terredora Rosaenovae. I round out the duo with lime, strawberry, rosemary, and orange flavors. I think seasonal with sangrias, and there’s always a way through flavors to communicate how that sangria makes you feel. A heavy red and big aged brandy with minimal citrus will bog you down during beach/ pool season, but it’s great when the snow starts to fall."
 

For a white sangria, The Bonnie's Mike Di Tota recommends a white boxed wine with a little bit of a bite. "Something like Sauvignon Blanc is good. Dry, and not too round or buttery. You’re going to be adding sweetness to it with the fruit. Stay seasonal -- stone fruit is a particularly good option in the summer. Apple and cucumber is also a nice combination, and adds a bit of color to the white wine. Careful with colorful fruits with a white sangria. Strawberries will turn the mixture pink!"