The Secret to Sangria

Since it’s summer, sangria is a refreshing drink that can go beyond the basic. Sangria is wine punch, but serving it in a wine or tall glass with cracked ice makes it less like the punch bowl variety. Using ¼ cup of orange juice and making the sangria ahead of time, but not adding the club soda until right before you serve it is my preference for smooth taste. The simple recipe below is the traditional red sangria, but white is easy too.

1 Bottle dry red wine (can be really inexpensive)

¼ to ½ cup superfine sugar (can use sugar substitute). Start with ¼ cup and add up to ½ cup depending on taste

1 bottle club soda, chilled (16 ounce)

¼ cup orange juice

½ lemon cut into slices

½ lime cut into slices

½ orange cut into slices

½ apple cut into slices (optional)

Put the sliced fruit in a pitcher, sprinkle sugar on top of fruit, add orange juice, add wine. Stir, taste, add more sugar if desired. If making ahead of time (can actually be done 4-5 hours prior) cover with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator. Add club soda and stir before serving. Use fruit from pitcher or other sliced fruit as garnish.

We have the Schnebly Winery nearby that makes exotic fruit wines, so a local variation is Mango Sangria. For the liquids, that’s a bottle of Mango Wine, 16 ounces of Light V-8 Tropical Fruit blend (or something similar), the 1/4 cup orange juice, and 8-12 ounces of club soda.

If you’re up in the Northeast, there is Cranberry Sangria as well. Use red or wine white, 16 ounces of cranberry juice (or light cranberry juice cocktail), the 1/4 cup orange juice, and 8-12 ounces club soda.

Serve it up and enjoy!