Is there a better way to stand the heat than with a delicious Spanish inspired drink? As you know, for sure, Sangria is the most traditional of the Spanish beverages: it is a mixed alcoholic drink made up by several tasty ingredients.
Spaniards traditionally drink coffee in the morning and - after a siesta - they gather and cheer accompanied by a “tastylicious” sangria or some wine.
Generally, sangria contains red or white wine, and there are some regional variations which can include: fruit juice, such as the orange one, sweeteners, such as syrup or agave nectar, sparkling water, fruit (chopped peaches, apples, etc.), flavoured liqueurs, brandy or something different.
Here we have the ultimate fruity sangria recipe to impress your friends and housemates!
How to make red sangria
The most known sangría all over the world is the red one - it means that is made with red wine - and it includes only 6 ingredients, mixed up in a very simple method.
Here we have the traditional recipe for a 4 people serving.
Ingredients
- 1-2 apple (with its skin on and chopped into small pieces);
- 1-2 orange (remove the seeds and slice it into small pieces);
- 3 or 4 teaspoons of brown sugar;
- 3-4 cup of orange juice (or add more according to your personal taste);
- 1/3 cup of brandy (add more if you wish a higher alcohol content);
- 750 ml bottle red wine (better if a Spanish one!);
- 1 cup of ice for the chill time
Method
Put the small pieces of apples and orange in a large pitcher and muddle them with the brown sugar for one minute. Then add the brandy and the orange juice and combine everything for 30 more seconds.
Pour the wine and mix it, adding the ingredients you need to adjust the flavour.
Add ice cubes and stir, then leave it to chill. You can serve it with more ice and you can also add more orange pieces for a stronger flavour.
Choose the best red wine to make sangria
Though there are many opinions about which is the best wine to prepare a homemade sangria, we picked some options that could suit your taste:
- Rioja wines, affordable ones from the central Spain such as La Mancha or Jumilla; they’re not expensive yet tasty and perfect for your traditional sangria.
- Melot is fruity and it has a soft body, made up by vanilla, dried fig and pear scents.
- Pinot Noir also is an affordable wine that will bring a fruity taste to your sangria.
How to make white sangria
Even if the most known version of this drink is the one with red wine, in Spain you can also find an incredibly delicious white sangria. Here we have a quick recipe that will make your mouth watering!
Ingredients
- 1 lime;
- 1 lemon;
- Apple, peach, strawberries;
- Organic cane sugar;
- Apple brandy;
- Dry white wine (Spanish one, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio);
- Ice cubes for the chill time.
Method
You can follow the same steps of the traditional red sangria recipe.
How long should you soak fruit for sangria?
If you want to add an extra juicy flavour to your homemade sangria, let the fruit soak in the wine for 8 hours in the fridge, since the flavours of fruit and wine will meld together and you’ll have the best drink to offer to your friends and housemates!
If you’re going to host a brunch in your flat, you may want to delight your guests with some homemade dishes that you can easily prepare in a few minutes.
Cheers!