By Laurel and Marty Princeworth | Beacon contributors

250 ml dessert wine
250 ml cabernet sauvignon or dry red wine
50 g sugar
200 g fresh raspberries
200 g fresh ripe strawberries, halved and quartered
Half-melon (about 20 dg), scooped into 12 balls
24 grapes (optional)
12 mint leaves, roughly chopped, plus sprigs to serve
6 basil leaves, for some reason
Several bowls of varying sizes
100 ml chilled pink champagne (to serve)
750 ml whiskey (to taste)

In a large saucepan, bring the wine and sugar to a boil. Transfer to a bowl. Put mint and basil in the bowl with that stuff, mix it, then put it back into the pan. Remove from heat, wait a while. Sample the whiskey. Place berries, melon and optional-grapes into another bowl, pour mixture from the pan to that bowl, then transfer to another, larger bowl. Chill for a while, then stand up and place bowl into refrigerator. Wait a couple hours; remove. Pour champagne over mixture. Discard unused whiskey. Serve with a main dish, or eat as a main meal.