Red, White & Night

At first glance, the Red, White & Night is a strange and bewildering recipe. While red wine is no stranger to some cocktail recipes, most notably drinks like Sangria or a New York Sour, seeing it mixed with vodka is uncommon. However, this Fourth of July-themed cocktail comes from the reputable mind of H. Joseph Ehrmann, the owner of San Francisco’s legendary tavern Elixir. Despite its peculiarity, it’s a bright, vivid and refreshing punch that’s perfect for Independence Day but enjoyable year-round.

Part of the appeal of the Red, White & Night is that it’s a breeze to whip up a batch while entertaining. The most important step in building it is deciding on the choice of red wine to use. Cabernet Sauvignon is what Ehrmann calls for in the recipe, but even in that there is versatility, as it’s one of the most popular varietals of wine in the world. Basically every wine region around the globe grows it, and it ranges from cheap table wines to expensive bottles that are aged for years or even decades. Seeing as you’ll be mixing it with vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup, you’ll want to use something affordable, but don’t go too cheap—keep in mind that the drink calls for only two ounces of Cabernet, so you’ll likely end up enjoying the rest of the bottle on its own. Whatever label of Cabernet you might normally enjoy with dinner should work, especially ones that are brighter and juicier.

The choice of vodka matters too, of course. Similarly, you won’t want to go too inexpensive, but neither should you break the bank making this sour. Use something midrange with a decent wine and fresh lemons, and you might find that the Red, White & Night is your new favorite punch for the 4th of July or any other occasion.

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