I love the concept of Sangria. Use up some leftover or not-so-good wine, add some fruit, maybe drizzle in some liqueur if you really want to spice things up and boom! – a batched drink for a crowd that’s easy and cheap as hell. (Hello0o00 Labor Day weekend!) I used a combination of red wine, cranberry juice and citrus for this casual get together at a friend‘s new backyard, but feel free to mix up your wine-and-fruit pairing to suit both your tastes and seasonal produce availability.
(Recipe somewhat adapted from the infusion & cocktail recipe book, Infused. See my review and a sneak-peek here.)
Ingredients:
- one 1.5L or two 750 mL bottles red wine. I used Barefoot Pinot Noir.
- one 1L bottle good quality, no-sugar-added cranberry juice. I like Trader Joe’s brand.
- 1 cup orange liqueur. I’m a big fan of Leopold Brothers’ American Orange Liqueur. It’s not too sweet and gives a great kick of true orange flavor but Cointreau or Grand Marnier would of course do the trick as well.
- 2 apples, sliced
- 2 oranges, sliced
- 1 grapefruit, sliced
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 1 bottle sparkling water, optional
Directions:
- Combine wine, juice, fruit and liqueur in a large pitcher or drink dispenser
- Stir gently and let sit in the fridge for 2 hours or up to overnight
- Add sparkling water, if desired, right before serving
{ BB&B Mason Jars (similar) & Drink Dispenser }
Extras:
- If left sitting over night, I would recommend replacing soaked fruit with fresh for aesthetic purposes. Plus, the best part of drinking Sangria is eating the fruit and let’s be honest, no one wants a mushy slice of apple!
- On the (exceptionally) rare occasion I actually have left over wine, I like to freeze it in ice cube trays and use it in place of ice when serving to guests. This prevents watered-down sangria and helps keep the drink colder longer. Win-win!
P.S. A few other Sangria combinations I’m into for late summer or fall gatherings…
- Pinot Grigio + Peaches + Basil
- Rosé + Melon + Mint
- Grenache + Red Berries + Concord Grapes
What’s your favorite Sangria recipe? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks to Megan Burgess for both the photos and your gorgeous new outdoor entertaining space!
[…] Cocktail Pairings: This would be amazing in red sangria but I ‘m also obsessed with using it in place of sweet vermouth i.e. in a Negroni, Manhattan […]