Summer is a great time for cold fizzy refreshments. And drinks made with champagne, prosecco, or sparkling wine always seem the most elegant. Sangria Blanca -- a Spanish sparkling wine drink infused with fruit -- is just this type of libation (I love that word). And, with berries and mint, it's really the perfect tonic for a hot summer day.

Although I adore Sangria Blanca now, it took a while for this love to bloom. For years I resisted sparkling sangrias. When offered one, I turned up my nose, thinking it was a cousin of the lowly wine cooler. This isn't to say I never liked wine coolers. In high school, I drank my fair share (but don’t tell my mom). They were sweeter and more drinkable than the Bud Light and Lucky Lager served at Friday night parties in my small San Diego County town and always seemed to be on hand. My girlfriends and I would down our California Coolers (does anyone else remember those?), feeling quite urbane. Later, when I was a little older and "wiser," I learned to disdain coolers in much the same way a six-year old feels too mature to watch Sesame Street any longer. It was only when I was in my 30s that I returned to sparkling wine concoctions. By this time, I was secure enough to admit I really loved their refreshing and slightly fruity taste and so started experimenting.

Following is the result of one of these experiments: my recipe for Sangria Blanca. I use cava, a Northern Spanish sparkling wine, although any type of bubbly will do. The great thing about this recipe is that you don't need to break the bank. Although a nice champagne wouldn't hurt the outcome, it seems an extravagant addition for a drink that includes fruity soda, thereby drowning out any nuances you would gain. A moderately-priced cava is my bottle of choice, although you could also use sparkling wine or prosecco. Just don't use anything you wouldn't drink plain. Served with some ripe berries, a sprig of mint, and ice, it's the perfect way to cool off on a hot summer day in Spain, San Diego, or the Bay Area.

For a discussion on red wine sangria, see Sangria, the Ultimate Summer Refresher.

Sangria Blanca

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
1 bottle chilled cava or other sparkling wine
1 cup fruity soda, Passion Fruit and Mango Juice Squeeze or Orangina
2 Tbsp brandy
2 Tbsp sugar
½ cup raspberries
½ cup sliced strawberries
Mint leaves
Ice

Preparation:
1. Clean berries and slice the strawberries. Set aside.
2. In a large punch bowl or pitcher, combine the sugar and brandy until the sugar dissolves.
3. Add the cava, or other sparkling wine, along with the soda.
4. Add the berries and ice.
5. Serve with mint leaves as garnish.

It may sound strange, but my love for fruity wine punches actually started when I was a kid. For generations, my mother's Neopolitan family combined ripe peaches and red wine during the summer months. Chilled on ice, this was the standard evening refreshment for the adults as I played Marco Polo with my sister in the pool on hot summer evenings. After swimming, the kids would be allowed to put a piece or two of the steeped peaches on top of their ice cream. As I slurped up my ice cream and peaches soaked with wine, I felt incredibly grown-up and lucky to be Italian.

I started enjoying Spanish sangria a year or two out of college and ordered it every chance I got. I learned that although I loved the taste of the wine with its integrated fruity flavors, I equally enjoyed biting into crisp fruit slices and sucking on orange pieces soaked with wine. I tried making my mother's peaches and red wine, but found it too straightforward a drink. I found, however, that by adding peaches to traditional sangria (which has some nice citrus undertones), I got the full fruity essence of summer while also attaining a more nuanced blend of flavors.

Most red wine sangrias use oranges, lemons and brandy. My version uses all three of these ingredients, along with fresh peaches in honor of my mother's family tradition. I also add cinnamon sticks to mingle in a little spice. I strong-armed my friend Teresa, who is from Spain, to try a glass and, to my great relief, she said it made her feel like she was back in Salamanca. I'm not sure if I'd go that far, but every time I pluck out a peach slice from my glass, I'm transported back to my parents' backyard on a hot summer evening.

Next week, I'll talk about Sangria Blanca.

Red Wine Sangria

Serves: 6 – 8

Ingredients:
1 bottle dry red wine (such as Rioja, Zinfindel, or Merlot)
1 shot of brandy
¼ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
2 Tbsp sugar
½ orange, sliced
½ lemon, sliced
1 peach, sliced
2 cinnamon sticks
Sparkling water
Ice

Preparation:
1. Juice one to two oranges until you have ¼ cup of juice.
2. Add juice to a carafe or pitcher along with brandy and sugar and stir.
3. Add the sliced fruit and cinnamon sticks.
4. Pour in the entire bottle of wine.
5. Cover pitcher or carafe with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to drink (this can be made up to one day ahead). If you want to serve immediately, just move on to step 6.
6. Place ice into a glass and then pour in some sangria. Be sure to add as much fruit as you'd like.
7. Add a splash of sparkling water and serve.