Okay, okay, so I didn’t give you the sangria recipe last week. Sorry. I’m making amends by giving it to you now. Am I forgiven? After a couple of glasses of this stuff you’ll forgive anyone of anything, and make a perfect stranger your new best friend. Trust me.

I’ve read that Sangria in Spain is a touristy rip off. It may well be, as there are amazing Spanish wines that should be drank with reverence. (Drank, drunk? Not sure of my tense here, buy after a couple of glasses of my Sangria, like I said, you’ll forgive me.) But when you want cold and fruity, a little sweet but not cloying, and with a bit of oomph, Sangria can fit the bill. So we’ll drink it here and not let the Spaniards know.

So what wine do I use in my Sangria? Garnacha – from Grenache grapes grown in Spain – is my favorite. It generally has lower tannins, has rich red fruits, and has great acidity. It can stand up to the juice and touch of sugar, and the more than a touch of brandy. And it’s reasonably priced, around $9 a bottle. You don’t want to mix a $40 Rioja with OJ and fruit.

Sangria pairs well with most any food, in my humble opinion. It’s great at a barbeque or a clambake. Drinkable and delicious, I hope you enjoy one of my favorite hot weather quaffs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sangria for a Crowd

3 Bottles Spanish Garnacha red wine (or a light California red will work, too)

1 c. Brandy

2 ½ c. Orange Juice

½ c. brown sugar

2 oranges, rind on, cut into small pieces

3 ripe peaches or nectarines, stone removed and cut into pieces

2 c. grapes (red or green) washed, stemmed and frozen

Make a simple syrup with the brown sugar and ½ c. of the orange juice by heating them together and stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the remaining cold orange juice to cool down the simple syrup.

In a large pitcher (or 2) mix the wine, brandy, and OJ/Syrup. Stir to combine. Add the oranges and nectarines. Chill until ready to serve. Just before serving add the frozen grapes.

Serve over ice, adding some of the fruit to each glass.

Enjoy! And don’t blame me for whatever happens after a couple of glasses…

Deborah

Get the printable recipe here: Sangria for a Crowd

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