Sangria, a delightful blend of wine, fruit, and liquor, has its origins in Spain and Portugal, and possibly the West Indies. In the United States, it has become a popular warm-weather beverage due to its refreshing taste and the added bonus of boozy fruit. Sangria is a versatile drink that can be made with red, white, or rosé wine, and can be paired with a variety of fruits. However, following expert-recommended guidelines can take your sangria to the next level. HuffPost reached out to wine experts for their tips on making the best sangria at home, and they did not disappoint.
Create a Fruit-Forward Version
Marcia McColl, an instructor at The Capital Wine School in Washington D.C., loves sangria because she is a fan of fruity flavors. She recommends using a semi-dry red wine, such as House of Brown red blend or Lini 910 Lambrusco, a sparkling red. She also suggests using pinot noir for a lighter option. McColl also recommends white wines like Vinho Verde from Trader Joe’s, Dark Horse’s roses, and pinots. She prefers affordable wines from wineries owned by women and people of color. If using sparkling wine, no additional carbonation is needed. However, if using still wine, she suggests adding carbonated water.
McColl skips the sugar and orange juice that many recipes call for, opting instead for an orange-flavored liqueur like Cointreau. She believes that the fruit should be soaked in dark liqueur for 24 hours. She recommends using bourbon, rum, brandy, port, or cognac, but advises against clear liquors like vodka or tequila unless you want a strong flavor. The goal is to achieve a balance between tart and sweet.
For fruit, McColl’s favorites are mangoes, but she also enjoys using peaches, strawberries, and in-season pineapple. She slices the fruit without muddling it and lets it marinate in the wine before mixing it together. McColl also suggests garnishing the sangria with mint, strawberries, or orange slices.
Try Using Mead and… Sprite?
Jeri Carter, the owner of Queen’s Reward Meadery in Tupelo, Mississippi, has been experimenting with mead and sangria. Mead is a unique wine made from fermented honey, water, and fruits, making it a perfect choice for sangria.
Carter agrees with McColl that semi-dry or semi-sweet red wines work well in sangria. However, for those who prefer a sweeter sangria, she recommends adding Moscato or a dash of Sprite for extra sweetness. She adds strawberries, blueberries, and apple chunks to her sangria, but avoids adding orange slices as they make the drink too bitter. Instead, she uses them as a garnish. Carter prefers to soak the fruit in the wine rather than the liquor. She suggests using fresh fruit instead of frozen options, but experimenting with freezing the fruit in wine to make ice cubes or a slushie can be fun. Carter believes that frozen peaches work better than fresh ones, as fresh peaches can become mushy when soaked in the wine.
Unlike McColl, Carter enjoys adding a shot of tequila to her sangria. She was pleasantly surprised by the combination and found it delicious. She is also considering making a spicy sangria using her honey habanero mead and believes that the spice will be diluted by the addition of other fruits and juices.
Regardless of what ingredients you use in your sangria, one thing is certain: it is the perfect summer drink. “You’re still getting a bit of alcohol, but not too much,” says Carter. “One glass won’t knock you out. Wine is delicious, but not always refreshing. However, when you add fruit juice to it, it becomes the perfect beverage for relaxing on a hot summer day.”
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