Setting the Mood for Spring: Five Classic Seasonal Drinks

Spring doesn’t ask for much — just lighter layers, open windows, and something fresh in the glass.

These drinks aren’t new, but they feel right this time of year. Bright, balanced, and quietly celebratory, they’re made for slow afternoons, longer light, and the ease that comes with warmer air.

NEGRONI SBAGLIATO

A spring-leaning take on the classic Negroni — still bitter and bright, but softened by sparkling wine instead of gin.

Ingredients
1 oz sweet vermouth
1 oz Campari
1 oz prosecco (or other dry sparkling wine)

Method
Build over ice in a chilled coupe or rocks glass. Stir gently and garnish with a thin orange twist or simply serve as is — clean and direct.

FRENCH 75

A timeless classic that brings together the brightness of lemon, the depth of gin, and the celebratory touch of champagne.

Ingredients
1 oz gin
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
3 oz champagne
Lemon twist for garnish

Method
Shake gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice. Strain into a champagne flute and top with chilled champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist.

PIMM’S CUP
A British springtime staple — light, fruity, and perfectly suited for outdoor gatherings.

Ingredients
2 oz Pimm’s No. 1
4 oz lemonade or ginger ale
Sliced cucumber, strawberries, orange, and mint
Ice cubes

Method
Fill a tall glass with ice and fresh fruit. Pour in Pimm’s and top with lemonade or ginger ale. Stir gently and garnish with mint.

MINT JULEP
A refined, Southern classic with a cooling effect perfect for warm spring days.

Ingredients
2 oz bourbon
1/2 oz simple syrup
6-8 fresh mint leaves
Crushed ice
Mint sprig for garnish

Method
Muddle mint and simple syrup in a julep cup or rocks glass. Fill with crushed ice and pour bourbon over the top. Stir gently and garnish with a fresh mint sprig.

BELLINI
A Venetian-born cocktail that pairs ripe peaches with the elegance of prosecco.

Ingredients
2 oz fresh white peach purée
4 oz prosecco

Method
Pour the peach purée into a chilled flute and slowly top with prosecco. Stir gently and serve immediately.

With these drinks, spring doesn’t just arrive — it settles in.

Whether it’s a classic cocktail, a garden spritz, or something sparkling without the spirits, each one holds a bit of the season’s ease. Shared or solo, stirred or shaken, they offer a pause — light, seasonal, and just enough to feel the shift in the air.