Ingredients
1 (750-ml.) bottle red wine
1 c. orange juice
1/2 c. brandy
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 orange, sliced
1 apple, sliced
1 c. blueberries
1 c. sliced strawberries
1 (12-oz.) can seltzer
Preparation
Step 1In a large pitcher, mix together wine, orange juice, brandy, and sugar. Stir in oranges, apples, blueberries, and strawberries. Step 2Refrigerate until ready to serve, preferably 2 hours. Top off with seltzer before serving.
Origins of sangria. Sangria comes to us by way of Spain and Portugal with a long and rich history that dates back to the Middle Ages. It was originally aged wine mixed with fruit and spices, such as cinnamon, then evolved through time into regional variations. Our version of sangria is light and bubbly with an addition of seltzer water and a perfect ratio of wine to brandy. What is the best wine for sangria? You don’t necessarily want to use your best wine for sangria since you’ll be mixing other ingredients into it. A few of our favorites to use: Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, but it’s all dependent on personal preference. Just remember that you will be adding lots of fruity elements and a nice dose of sugar, so even the not-so-great bottles will get a bit of a glow-up once we’re done! What are the best fruits for sangria? You want to use sturdy, flavorful fruits that can sit in the pitcher for a long time without disintegrating. Tip: Play off the wine you are using and choose complementary fruits— if it has notes of pears or raspberries, use those! Go for seasonal fruits as well, since they tend to be at their peak flavors when in-season. Citrus, pears, cranberries, and pomegranates all make great sangria additions in the winter months! Other favorite stand-bys include: oranges, apples, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, blackberries and pineapple. Really, this drink is completely customizable to whatever your fruit preferences are—try a mix of a few! What other sweeteners can I use? Our sangria recipe uses sugar and orange juice to sweeten things up, but honey, agave or simple syrup would also work well. Can I make this ahead of time? Stir together all ingredients except for the seltzer in a pitcher and refrigerate until ready to serve. The longer it sits in the fridge, the more the flavors develop and the better the sangria gets. Add the seltzer right before you start pouring glasses to keep the bubbles nice and sharp. Not a red fan? Try our white wine sangria! We also have fun wintertime sangrias like Apple Cider Sangria, and Jingle Juice, or try our frozen sangria or sangria lemonade in the warmer months, Have you made this recipe? Let us know how you liked it in the comments below!
