If you want to impress guests at your next shindig, you should try your hand at crafting a batch of one of Spain’s most celebrated beverages. To help you out, the Ideal Wine Company explains how to make red wine Sangria.
Holiday drink
The summer’s coming to an end and as it does, many Britons are being forced to put their holidays behind them and get back to work. It’s perfectly understandable that you might want to evoke the feeling of summer at your next dinner party, and there’s no better way to do so than whipping up a fruity batch of Sangria.
A creation of Spain and Portugal, Sangria is a fruity holiday drink that’s most typically made using red wine. It’s light and tasty, yet packs a pretty powerful punch, ensuring that when you make Sangria, you end up with a drink that’ll delight your taste buds with every drop. Luckily for you it’s also pretty easy to make – as long as you pick the right wine.
What you need
Let’s start with what you’re going to need. Obviously you’re going to need a standout bottle of red. Apart from that you should also use one lemon and one orange – both cut into wedges – two tablespoons of sugar, a shot of brandy and two cups of lemonade to make a good Sangria.
Tradition dictates that you should use a Spanish or Portuguese red wine such as a Rioja to make Sangria, but it really is up to you. You can always try a Bordeaux from the Ideal Wine Company instead and as long as you strive to balance its flavours, it’ll give you everything you need to craft a killer cocktail.
How to make
You’d be really surprised just how easy it is to make a traditional Sangria. Start by taking your red and pouring it into a pitcher. Next, squeeze the juice from the lemon and orange wedges into the pitcher, add the wedges themselves, then stir in the sugar and brandy. Chill overnight then pour the lemonade into the mixture and voila!
However you don’t have to restrict yourself to the traditional recipe. Many people choose to garnish their Sangria with a range of other fruits and this is where you can get really experiment. You should think about your wine and work to determine which fruits will best characterise its unique balance of flavours to finish off your Sangria.
Make your own Sangria
Now you know how, why don’t you try making Sangria for yourself? You can buy the Clos Saint Denis 1996 from the Ideal Wine Company, a standout Burgundy, and use it to try your hand at creating a Sangria that’ll shine at your next soiree.
Ideal Wine Company 