Recipe
PREP TIME: 10 mins
TOTAL TIME: 10 mins
SERVINGS: 12 servings
Ingredients
1 750ml bottle of red wine
1/2 cup brandy
1 apple, sliced
2 oranges, one sliced and one juiced
1 lemon, sliced
optional: maple syrup or honey to sweeten
optional: sparkling water
garnish with extra orange slices
Instructions
1. Dice the apple, orange, and lemon into small pieces. Make sure to leave the peels on and toss them into the pitcher along with the orange juice.
2. Pour the wine, brandy and any sweetener into the pitcher. Then stir everything together until it’s all combined. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. The longer it sits, the more time the flavors can meld together.
3. Serve this in individual glasses over ice. Then top with sparkling water if you’d like!
SANGRIA is a sweet cocktail made from an infusion of Spanish red wine and fresh fruit. Essentially, it’s a boozy fruit punch. It looks fancy, feels festive, and it’s great for making ahead of time. So for your next summer event, greet your guests with a large pitcher of sangria. It’ll sure get the party started.
WHAT IS THE BEST WINE TO USE?
Since wine takes center stage in this cocktail, don’t look past the type of wine you buy. If it’s not a wine you enjoy drinking on its own, don’t use it.
Ideally, you want a wine that’s fruity but dry, slightly acidic, and low in tannins. Basically something that will complement a sangria’s fresh and fruity essence.
Also, don’t sweat on purchasing an expensive wine (you don’t need to spend over $20). There’s plenty of lower-priced options from the wines below. They’re bang for your buck and hold all the right flavors needed. Here’s a few options to choose from.
Rioja – Think of it as Spain in a glass (it’s a Spanish region). Rioja wine is made from a blend of grape varieties including Tempranillo and Garnacha. And because of its delicate and fruity characteristic, it’s one of the most popular Spanish wines to use (and what I personally use).
Tempranillo – A Spanish grape that’s used in many varietals (including Rioja). It’s made from rustic flavors with blackberries, black cherries, and cola. It’s embodied with rich oak flavors that are a result from the aging process.
Garnacha (Grenache) – A red wine grape that’s low in tannins while full of rich fruits and bright tones. Making it great for mixing into a sangria.
Zinfandel – Similar to the grapes above, Zinfandel is a perfect alternative from California. It’s rich, exceptionally fruity, and accented with floral notes.
Bonarda – Made in Argentina, this lower-priced wine is surprisingly filled with luscious fruity notes. Along with a beautiful palette of red cherry, raspberry, and plum.
Nero d’Avala – This dark and juicy blend is grown right in the heart of Southern Italy. It’s got sweet tannins and plum flavors, making it great for lighter sangrias.
Source: https://downshiftology.com/recipes/red-sangria/