Active Time

　　5 minutes

　　Total Time

　　5 minutes

　　The precursor to the Pimm’s Cup, the old Claret Cup employs a wine base to make a drink that is light and redolent of additions such as borage, cucumber, or strawberries. There are multiple recipes, but we like a simple one that modifies wine with just a bit of sherry (or even vermouth, in a pinch). Claret was what the English used to call wines from Bordeaux. Really, any red jammy wine will do—Cabernets or even Syrah, although a decent Côtes du Rhône or a Beaujolais is what we use most often. Don’t overthink it—use whatever fruit you’ve got in the fridge and see what you prefer. In fall, it’s lovely to grate a little nutmeg and cinnamon on top.

Ingredients

　　3 ounces red wine

　　½ ounce sherry (preferably Amontillado) or sweet vermouth

　　½ ounce orange curaçao (or triple sec if you like it sweeter)

　　½ ounce fresh lemon juice

　　2 ounces soda water

　　Cucumber slices, for garnish

　　Orange slices, for garnish

　　Stir ingredients, except soda, with ice and strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with soda and garnish with cucumber and orange slices in the glass.

　　Text excerpted from THE NEW COCKTAIL HOUR © 2016 by André Darlington and Tenaya Darlington. Reproduced by permission of Running Press. All rights reserved.