Lunch: Vinho Verde Sangria with a Mint-and-Cucumber Ice Ring

Recipe by Justin Chapple Justin Chapple, Food & Wine's resident Mad Genius, uses a Bundt pan to make an ice ring for his refreshing gin-and-Vinho Verde sangria. It's a total crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

3 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced lengthwise
8 mint sprigs
2 limes, thinly sliced
Distilled water
Two 750-ml bottles Vinho Verde
Two 12-ounce bottles ginger beer
6 ounces gin
1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice
Ice cubes (optional)

Instructions

Layer the cucumbers, mint sprigs and limes in a Bundt pan. Gradually add just enough distilled water to cover. Freeze until solid, 8 hours or overnight.
In a large punch bowl, stir the wine with the ginger beer, gin and lime juice. Refrigerate until chilled, about 45 minutes.
Fill a large bowl with very hot water. Dip the bottom of the Bundt pan in the water to loosen the ice ring and invert it onto a plate. Add the ice ring to the sangria. Serve in wineglasses, with or without ice.

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