How to Make Sangria in 3 Easy Steps
Summer, to us, means laid-back patio drinks, and the king of those is sangria. Sangria is as easy to make as it is to drink; as long as you’ve got wine, fruit, and some kind of spirits, you’re good to go.
Pretty much any wine makes a good sangria, though generally you’re best off going with medium-to-light on the mouthfeel front (a super-buttery Chardonnay or inky black Zinfandel are trickier to balance with fruit). Each bottle of wine makes about 6 glasses of sangria.
What’s your fruit going to be? As a rule of thumb, white wines do best with citrus, apples and pears, while red wines do best with cherries and berries. Go with a cup of fruit per bottle of wine you’re using, slice it and toss in a bowl with a tablespoon of sugar per cup.
Spirits keep everything from getting too sweet. Brandy, cognac, or sweet vermouth are good with red wine; triple sec, elderflower liqueur or dry vermouth work nicely with white. Add 1/2 cup of spirits to each cup of fruit and sugar, and set aside until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, stir together the wine and fruit in a pitcher; pour over ice and enjoy!
Looking for a great wine to get started? Meet entwine, Food Network’s line of wines that are perfect on their own or paired with food.
