Right then, let's talk about the drink that turns any gathering into a proper Spanish fiesta. Sangria isn't just a cocktail – it's liquid sunshine, summer holidays, and that brilliant moment when you realize you've accidentally made friends with the entire terrace. One pitcher of this beauty and suddenly everyone's speaking terrible Spanish and planning trips to Barcelona. C'est magnifique, really.
Now, every Spanish grandmother has her own sacred recipe (usually involving a suspicious amount of brandy and fruit that's been "marinating" since Tuesday), but here's my foolproof formula that'll have your guests asking for the recipe – and possibly proposing marriage.
Prep your fruit: Get all your citrus and fruit sliced and ready. This is where the magic starts – those fruits are about to go on the wine-soaked journey of their lives.
Build your base: In a large pitcher (I mean large – you'll thank me later), combine the wine, brandy, orange liqueur, orange juice, lemon juice, and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Taste it. Go on, quality control is important.
Add the fruit: Toss in all your beautiful fruit. Give it a good stir, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Overnight is even better – those fruits need time to get properly acquainted with the booze.
The grand finale: Just before serving, add your sparkling water or lemonade and loads of ice. Stir gently – you want bubbles, not a science experiment.
Serve with flair: Pour into large wine glasses, making sure everyone gets a generous helping of boozy fruit. That's half the fun, innit?
Here's where people get it wrong, darlings. You don't need to splurge on a fancy bottle (save your Rioja Reserva for actual drinking), but you absolutely cannot use complete plonk either. You want something with personality that won't disappear under all that fruit and brandy.
Plot twist, darlings – white sangria is absolutely brilliant for sweltering summer days when even the thought of red wine makes you want to lie down in a dark room.
The Switch: Use a crisp Spanish white like Albariño or Verdejo instead of red. Replace the brandy with white rum or keep it brandy if you're traditional. Swap your fruit for white peaches, green grapes, and fresh mint. Add a splash of elderflower liqueur if you're feeling très sophisticated. The method stays the same – marinate, chill, add bubbles, serve, accept compliments.
Don't be precious about the fruit, loves. Sangria is brilliantly adaptable – use what's gorgeous at the market and you can't go wrong.
Here's the brilliant thing about sangria – it actually improves with a bit of waiting. Those fruits need time to get properly sozzled and release their gorgeous flavors into the wine.
The Timeline: Make your sangria base (everything except the sparkling water) up to 24 hours in advance. In fact, 12-24 hours is the sweet spot where the fruits are perfectly wine-drunk but not yet disintegrating into mush. Store it covered in the fridge, give it a stir occasionally if you remember, then add your bubbles and ice just before your guests arrive. Voilà – you look like a hosting genius who definitely didn't just spend 10 minutes chopping fruit.
Listen, you've made this gorgeous boozy fruit punch – don't serve it in a plastic jug like it's some sort of sports drink, yeah? Get yourself a proper glass pitcher, let everyone see those beautiful wine-soaked fruits bobbing about. Absolutely smashing for the Instagram crowd, and it sets the tone for a proper party.
Pro tip: Freeze some of your fruit ahead of time (grapes and berries work brilliantly) and use them as ice cubes. They keep your sangria cold without diluting it, plus they look dead fancy.
Sangria without tapas is like a holiday without sunshine – technically possible but rather missing the point, innit?
Look, sangria gets a bad rap sometimes – people think it's just a way to use up rubbish wine and overripe fruit. Absolute nonsense. When you do it properly with decent Spanish wine, fresh fruit, and a generous hand with the brandy, it's an absolute showstopper that'll transport everyone straight to a sunny terrace in Seville.
The beauty of sangria is that it's democratic – one pitcher serves a crowd, everyone's drinking the same thing, and there's something wonderfully convivial about passing around a pitcher of boozy fruit punch. It's the opposite of pretentious wine drinking, and I absolutely love it for that.
Just remember: decent wine (not expensive, just decent), fresh fruit (whatever's in season), proper Spanish brandy (this matters more than you think), and enough marinating time to let everything get acquainted. Do that, and you'll have people asking for your secret recipe – which you should absolutely give them, because sangria is meant to be shared, celebrated, and possibly spilled a bit while laughing too hard at terrible jokes.
Right then, get your pitcher ready and invite everyone you know!
¡Salud, darlings!
~ Sophie, The Wine Insider ~