Sangria is the perfect summer drink, and it’s a great one for brunch, or for lunch and breakfast. It’s sweet, and it can be flavored as you want. The best part, if you like the taste but don’t want an alcoholic version, you can of course, substitute the brandy for something else, or forgo it completely.
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
Steps
Get a giant pitcher and put together the brandy, wine, the sugar, and the orange juice. Stir in apples, oranges, strawberries, and blueberries if you’d like to until everything is combined.
Put it in the fridge and let it sit there for about two hours. You can also add a little bit of seltzer to the top of this before you serve it for the best results!
Tips
How much brandy and wine should you use?
Aim for a perfect ratio between both. It helps make sure that it has the right taste to it, and really makes it the right level of sweet and tangy as well.
What wine should I use for sangria?
You don’t want to use the top shelf stuff, since it’s going to be mixed with other ingredients. Merlot, pinot noir, along with Cabernet sauvignon are all good options, but it’s ultimately up to your personal preference at the end of this.
What fruits should I use for sangria?
The goal of sangria is to make it flavorful, sturdy, and also fruits that can sit within a pitcher for a bit without being broken down in the mixture. The best way to get the right fruits is to look at the wine you plan to use and then choose those that complement it. For example, if the wine has a lot of raspberries and pears, get those. Seasonal fruits are also an option if they go well, since the best flavors are those that tend to be in-season too. Pears, citrus fruits, pomegranates, cranberries and the like are really good for winter month sangria mixes.
Do I need to use a sweetener with this?
The orange juice is the main sweetener with this. However, agave or honey is also really good for this too.
Can I make this beforehand?
You sure can! Just put everything together and throw it in a pitcher for at least two hours before you serve it. As a rule of thumb, the longer it sits in the fridge, the more flavorful it’ll be, so the longer it’s there the better.
Just make sure that if you do it like this, you’ll want to add the seltzer to the top of this before you pour it, since it makes it nice and bubbly. You can get creative with this too, especially if you like to make things ahead of time and want to let the flavors sit.
The wine will not go bad either, but rather it’ll enhance the effects of it, so if you want to get a nice buzz with this, then definitely consider making this beforehand and letting it sit.