Summer Sangria

I am not a big drinker these days but I do love red Spanish sangria (and Ed's freshly muddled mojitos with fresh mint from the yard) and this is the best recipe that I have cobbled together over the years for sangria. 

Sangria (Spanish: sangría; Portuguese: sangria; Italian: sangria; meaning "bloody") is a wine punch typical of the Iberian Peninsula. It normally consists of:

    * red wine (usually Rioja or Tempranillo in Spain, and Carrascão (table wine) in Portugal)
    * chopped or sliced fruit (often orange, lemon, apple, peach, berries, pineapple; occasionally melon, grape, or mango)
    * a sweetener such as honey, sugar, orange juice, and/or fruit nectar
    * a small amount of added brandy, triple sec, or other spirits
    * and ice and carbonated soda, in some recipes
 
I am making a big batch for this afternoon to take to our neighbors Edison and Alyse.

Edison and Alyse, our neighbors invited us for a 'patio warming' since they just had a beautiful bi-level paver patio put in last week.  Edison is from Quito, Ecuador (see map) and he loves to cook (and he is REALLY great at it, I have to say) so I am looking forward to this afternoon


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Anyway, back to the sangria.

I like a lot of fruit in my sangria and I also like to make it the day ahead so it can all macerate together - the fruit juices, liquors and it does make a difference.

You can use any good, ripe fruit.  I usually use strawberries, apples, pears, peaches, nectarines and grapes.

I also always add citrus in the form of lemons, limes, and oranges.


SPANISH SANGRIA FOR A PARTY 
(Recipe for one or two at bottom of post)


Ingredients

·    5 bottles of an inexpensive dry red wine (750ml bottles)


SEE WINE NOTE BELOW

·    2 cups sugar
·    2 cups brandy (E&J VSOP is fine)
·    2 cups Grand Marnier
·    2 small lemons, sliced crosswise
·    2 small oranges, sliced crosswise
·    2 small lime, sliced crosswise
·    4 medium pears, diced
·    6 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
·    4 apples, cored and sliced thinly
·    2 cups of red grapes, sliced in half
·    4 cups of sliced strawberries
·    1 whole fresh pineapple, cut into chunks

·    2 bottles carbonated lemon-lime soda

Preparation

In a large glass or stainless container, place sugar on bottom and then add all cut fruit and mix well.

Let this mixture sit for about an hour.

You can then add the wine and let is sit overnight in the refrigerator or a cool place.

To serve

Add ice to glasses and fill 3/4 with sangria mixture and some pieces of fruit.

Top with carbonated lemon-lime soda or seltzer, stir and enjoy!

WINE NOTE:

If you can get a great Spanish (perfect for sangira wine) like Tapena's Tempranillo, then by all means do it.


It was $9.00 a bottle at our local Wine Warehouse in Voorhees, NJ.


Spanish vineyards have enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, as a new generation of winegrowers nurture grapes with lush, fruit-forward characteristics. Regions like Penedés, Priorat and Tierra de Castilla are at the forefront of this delicious evolution, offering quality wines for an exceptional value.

Long known for earth-driven Riojas and classic Spanish Sherry, the new style of wine from Spain is especially exciting, as the country’s warm and sunny Mediterranean climate and mountainous landscape cries out for the cultivation of wine grapes. As a result, Spain has more land devoted to vineyards than any other country and ranks among the top three wine producers in the world.

Tapeña offers a fresh, fruit forward style of Spanish wine. It is made by the Ferrer family whose Spanish wine experience dates back several centuries. Today, the Ferrers operate over 11 wineries in Spain with sales all over the globe. Perhaps best known as the owners of Freixenet, the world's favorite sparkling wine, the family is uniquely positioned to introduce these distinctive Spanish wines with broad appeal.

The BEST sangria wine, in my opinion. is the Tapeña Tempranillo

The quintessential red wine grape from Spain, Tempranillo (temp-rah-NEE-yo), the little early one, adapts well to varied growing conditions. Tapeña Tempranillo is a rich, bold blend of fruit, earth and structure, rounded out by a deliciously soft mouthfeel. Think of this Tempranillo as Pinot Noir in blue jeans.

This delicious wine captures the sometimes elusive character of Tempranillo - luscious red cherry fruit wrapped around an earthy, intense center. The finish is long and layered with a hint of coffee and chocolate and a pinch of spice. This distinctive wine from the heartland of Spain is unlike any of the top three red varietals so utterly available from all over the world.


Appellation: Tierra de Castilla, Spain
Composition: 100% Tempranillo
Acidity: 5g/L
pH: 3.54
Alcohol: 13.6%
Vintage: 2005

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(For those times when you don't need a couple gallons of sangria):

SPANISH SANGRIA FOR A ONE OR TWO


Ingredients

·    1 bottle of an inexpensive dry red wine (3 1/4 cups which is a 750ml bottle)
·    1/3 cup (3  oz) sugar
·    1/3 cup brandy (E&J VSOP is fine)
·    1/3 cup Grand Marnier
·    1 small lemon, sliced crosswise
·    1 small orange, sliced crosswise
·    1 small lime, sliced crosswise
·    1 medium pear, diced
·    2 medium peach, peeled, pitted and sliced
·    1 apple, cored and sliced thinly
·    1 cup (8 oz) of red grapes, sliced in half
·    2 cups (8 oz) sliced strawberries

·    1 bottle carbonated lemon-lime soda

Preparation

place sugar on bottom and then add all cut fruit and mix well.

Let this mixture sit for about an hour.

You can then add the wine and let is sit overnight in the refrigerator or a cool place.

To serve

Add ice to glasses and fill 3/4 with sangria mixture and some pieces of fruit.

Top with carbonated lemon-lime soda or seltzer, stir and enjoy!