SANGRIAS

Sangria is a traditional Spanish drink that’s perfect for summer parties. The basic Sangria recipe is a mix of wine, soda, fruit and sometimes juice or brandy. 

Basic Sangria Recipe
1 bottle of red wine
1 Lemon cut into wedges
1 Orange cut into wedges
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Cups ginger ale or club soda
1 Shot brandy

Pour wine into the pitcher. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and orange wedges into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges and add sugar and brandy. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale or club soda just before serving.

To serve right away, use chilled red wine, fruit and soda and serve over lots of ice.
Variations:
Add seasonal fruits such as sliced strawberries, diced peaches, kiwi slices, ½ C fresh blueberries or raspberries, pomegranate juice.
Replace brandy with gin or rum.
Replace ginger ale with citrus soda or fresh squeezed lime juice.!

Although sangria traditionally uses red wine, white wine sangria is just as tasty and refreshing.
White Sangria
1 bottle of Sauvnignon Blanc
¼ C superfine sugar
1 C white grape juice
1 ripe nectarine, pitted and cut into thin wedges
1 tangerine, thinly sliced
1 C seedless white grapes, halved
1 C club soda

In a large pitcher, combine the wine and sugar and stir. Be sure the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the fruit and mix well. Place in the refrigerator and let the sangria sit for 1-4 hours. Just before serving, stir in the club soda and ice cubes.


1 bottle red wine
1 Lemon cut into wedges
1 Orange cut into wedges
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Cups ginger ale or club soda
1 Shot brandy

Pour wine into the pitcher. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and orange wedges into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges and add sugar and brandy. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale or club soda just before serving.

To serve right away, use chilled red wine, fruit and soda and serve over lots of ice.

Use Crown Valley Blackberry wine or Crown Valley Redbird.
Add seasonal fruits such as sliced strawberries, diced peaches, kiwi slices, ½ C fresh blueberries or raspberries, pomegranate juice.
Replace brandy with gin or rum.
Replace ginger ale with citrus soda or fresh squeezed lime juice.


Image – GimmeSomeOven.com

For an extra kick, the writers at GimmeSomeOven.com recommend adding fresh arugala.

I imagine you could probably just stir it into the sangria and let it sit with the fruit for a few hours. But what Dole did, and I what I totally recommend, is to muddle it (I just did so with a spoon) along with the fruit to release extra flavor.

The result? A fruity sangria made all the more wonderful with a subtle peppery kick of arugula flavoring each sip. In my opinion, it was the perfect balance, and it also made for a beautiful colorful appearance!

Although sangria traditionally uses red wine, white wine sangria is just as tasty and refreshing.
White Sangria
1 bottle of Crown Valley Sauvignon Blanc
¼ C superfine sugar
1 C white grape juice
1 ripe nectarine, pitted and cut into thin wedges
1 tangerine, thinly sliced
1 C seedless white grapes, halved
1 C club soda

In a large pitcher, combine the wine and sugar and stir. Be sure the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the fruit and mix well. Place in the refrigerator and let the sangria sit for 1-4 hours. Just before serving, stir in the club soda and ice cubes.



Image – Laylito.com
Variations:
Use Crown Valley Peach wine instead of Sauvignon Blanc
Replace club soda with Ozark Mountain Lemonade
Add kiwi slices, lime wedges.

Laylita.com has a Citrus Moscato Sangria recipe that includes grapefruit and kumquats.