“The best wines are the ones we drink with friends” – Bar Saying
Sangria is a symbol of Spain, along with their delicious paellas, and it’s also traditionally made with Spanish wine and fresh, colorful fruit. The word sangria comes from the Spanish word sangré, which means “bloodletting” because of the dark red color. However, you can also make sangria with white wine, which is called sangria blanca.
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Sangria is a reminder to relax and enjoy the warm sun and fresh air with every sip. Be sure to thank the Romans for literally planting vineyards wherever they conquered, which included present day Spain. Diluted wine was consumed on a daily basis by Romans because water alone was considered unsafe to drink. Wine mixed with water would kill off any bacteria.
Today, sangria to some is just spiked punch, and maybe it is a grown-up version of our fruity childhood, but it’s important to be in touch with our inner child, right? Homemade sangria tastes much better than out of a bottle and a lot more fun to make. Juicing and blending fruits and vegetables are also very healthy, Juice buff has a more in depth guide to this on their website.
Making sangria is easy and fun to do at home. Using seasonal fruit is best in order to get the sweetest and freshest flavors, which is also kind towards the earth and local farmers. Here are different sangria recipes to try for each season of the year.
Spring – Strawberry Sangria
The first bite into a ripe strawberry is a celebration of warmer weather. Strawberries are so versatile in many desserts and a wonderful dessert by itself. We love that this strawberry sangria allows the scrumptious fruit to shine. While you’re sipping on this sangria, feel free to have a listen to “Strawberry Fields Forever.”
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup sugar
1 ½ cups strawberry lemonade
2 cups ginger ale
1 bottle Rosé wine
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 orange, sliced
DIRECTIONS
Combine all but ginger ale into a pitcher and chill for at least an hour. Before serving, add in ginger ale and serve over ice. You can even send this to your girl along with thinking of you cookies.
Summer – Sparkling Sun Sangria
Hot weather calls for lighter flavors, colors, and a refreshing pick-me-up for those balmy summer evenings outside. This summer sangria chills nicely in your glass whether you’re sitting on your back patio watching the sun set, having a picnic at the park, or watching the waves crash ashore at the beach. It’s a little bit of fruit that says a whole lot about summer fun.
INGREDIENTS
3 cups white grape juice
½ cup orange juice
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 tbs honey
1 nectarine, chopped
1 orange, quartered and sliced
½ cup blueberries
½ cup cherries
½ cup raspberries
½ cup fresh basil
½ cup fresh mint
1 bottle sparkling white wine, chilled
DIRECTIONS
Combine all but sparkling wine together in a large pitcher and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, add sparkling wine, like those perfect for wine gifts, and mix. Serve over ice.
Fall – Autumn Woods Sangria
The bounty of apples from local orchards is a sure sign that fall has arrived. There’s nothing quite like a crisp apple plucked straight from the tree and a quiet moment enjoying nature’s candy outdoors. This recipe combines the bittersweet goodbye to summer and a warm hello to autumn’s cooler weather. Be sure to invite loved ones over to share a glass or two of this together.
INGREDIENTS
3 apples, chopped
3 pears, chopped
½ cup cherries
½ cup orange juice
2 tbs honey
1 bottle of red wine
2 cinnamon sticks
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients except cherries in a large pitcher, stir, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Before serving, add cherries and serve over ice.
Winter – Apple Cider Sangria
Brrr… it’s cold outside! Bundle up, start a fire in the fireplace, and make yourself a batch of Apple Cider Sangria. This recipe is great chilled or warmed. With the holidays around each corner, friends and relatives will enjoy this rich and fruity cocktail indoors among good company and good food.
INGREDIENTS
1 bottle Spanish red wine (like Tempranillo)
2 cups apple cider
½ cup orange juice
½ cup brandy
3 apples, chopped
3 pears, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients together and refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve over ice or warmed.
Make the most of these sangria recipes by keeping them in a glass pitcher or carafe to savor the flavors. Remember that sangria is versatile and each recipe can be personalized to your own tastes and favorite fruits. It’s an exciting adventure when you go out to gather these ingredients, whether it’s at the grocery store, farmer’s market, or even your own backyard. Don’t forget to raise a glass to seasonal fruit.
Erin Tran, a writer for LiquorMart.com. If you enjoyed this piece, then follow her on Twitter @CustParadigm. When not writing about wine or local foods, you can find her looking for the next wine festival and popping in at the farmers’ market.
About Douglas Smythe
