How to make a perfect Sangria

Quick recipe to enjoy a delicious drink

When it comes to wine, most of the time we know what we like. However, there is always a moment when you want to drink something different. If you are a wine lover, Sangria is your perfect option. It’s not 100% wine, neither it is a cocktail - it’s the best from both worlds!

The first records of Sangria are really old and found in Spain, going back to Phoenician time around 1000 BC. The Romans also used to mix wine with a small amount of sugar and some spices. At that time, regular drinking water was not really safe, so to have Sangria was a better option due to the fact that the alcohol from the wine killed any bacteria in the water.

Sangria has been a very popular drink in Spain for a long time. We have several styles of Sangria depending of which style of wine you use, the different spices that you add, the addition of spirit and also the type of fresh fruits that you add to the mix.

Normally, you will use red wine to make Sangria. Your best option will be to use a Tempranillo based wine without oak treatment to keep the drink very refreshing and smooth. However, you can decide to have the style of your choice. You can have white Sangria, made with only white wine, sparkling Sangria with the addition of Cava or a fuller style of Sangria made with red wine with oak treatment.

You can also create different styles based on spirits or liqueurs like brandy or Cointreau. In addition, you can play around with the fruits that you add to the mix, with peaches, strawberries, pears and apples just some of the options used.

In accordance with European law, today all Sangria must be made in Spain, or in Portugal, where is very popular too, and it needs to have less that 12 percent of alcohol. Everywhere you go in Spain, you will be able to find this delicious drink, from restaurants and bars to hotels, supermarkets and smaller shops.

Ingredients

1. A bottle of good quality wine of your choice — white, sparkling, red with or without oak. I would recommend a nice bottle of a Joven red wine (with no oak treatment) from Spain with lots of fruit character.
2. Orange juice. You will need to squeeze 2–3 oranges to get a refreshing juice which is really important to perfect the mix. Plus you can chop 1 orange and add it to the other fruits.
3. Fruits. A couple of apples, peaches and a small amount of strawberries. Again, here is the chance to create your own style of Sangria.
4. Spices. A small touch of cinnamon works really well. You can also add mint leaves if you want to create an amazing aromatic twist.
5. Brown sugar. 1 or 2 teaspoons will be enough if you want a slighter sweeter style.
6. Spirits or liqueurs. You can add a small amount of any brandy or liqueur like Cointreau to the mix.
7. Lemonade. This is the last ingredient. Any style of sparkling lemonade will help you to get that signature fizzy touch of a delicious Sangria.

The recipe

This is very simple recipe. The best thing about Sangria is that you can create your own style, just by combining the basic ingredients in the way that you like.

1. Get a big jug or a pitcher.
2. Add a good amount of ice.
3. Combine all the ingredients in your jug, except the lemonade, and stir the mix.
4. Add the lemonade and taste your Sangria. If you want it a little bit sweeter add more lemonade.
5. Let it rest for a while. If you can wait for 15-20 minutes, this will allow all the ingredients to combine perfectly and the flavour of your Sangria will be amazing!