July is like a fireworks show: much anticipated, beautiful to watch, full of oohs and aahs, and over way too soon. This year I’m determined not to let it get away too fast. One of the most fun ways to celebrate this month of being outdoors as often as possible is by bringing its bounty of fresh foods into your everyday meals. This includes your wine glass.

Sangria is the drink that will bring your summer celebrations to their most delicious expressions. Whether you and your family are gathered at the table, you’re picnicking with friends, or you’re off to a favorite spot to watch the sunset, sangria brings a special summer vibe. With fresh fruit at its peak this month and next, it’s time.

Little is known about the origins of sangria. It is speculated that the word derived from the Spanish word for blood – sangre – because of its dark red color. It became popular in the US after being introduced in the Spanish pavilion at the World’s Fair in New York City in 1964. Today it is still associated with Spain, but it is known and enjoyed the world over and is extremely popular here in the US.

One of the great things about sangria is that you can make it with almost any combination of wine, fruit, juice, and booze. “Sangria is a classic Spanish drink,” according to my friends The World Wine Guys (Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen). They should know, they spend a lot of time in Spain. “At its core it’s essentially a punch made with red wine, brandy, fruit juice, sugar, and cut fruit. It is very strong in terms of alcohol,” they noted, which is why it’s often diluted with aqua con gas (sparkling water).

Another important consideration is the time needed to marinate the fruits and refrigerate the sangria. Ideally the sangria with the fruit in it should be made at least two hours ahead of when you want to serve it, but four hours is better, and it can even be overnight.

Sangri-dients

1. Wine

When choosing a wine to make sangria, remember, the wine is the backdrop, not the centerpiece. You don’t have to worry about whether the wine’s subtle flavor profile complements a special meal, so keep it simple. Sangrias can be made with all kinds of wine – red, white, rosé, sparkling, or sweet. 

For red wine, go with one that is more robust and dry with deep fruit notes for a classic, citrus-based sangria. These tend to be wines from Mediterranean and Southern Hemisphere countries, where grapes like garnacha, merlot, and even cabernet sauvignon thrive. Reds that are lighter but still dry with bright fruit are best for sangrias that feature milder fruits like plums or grapes or more exotic fruits. Think pinot noir, Beaujolais, or a blend.

For white wines, a simple pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc works very well. The vanilla notes of a chardonnay are nice with peaches. Rosés make delicious sangrias, too. Choose one from almost any country so long as it’s dry. 

I believe that bubbles make everything better, and there’s no shortage of exceptional, affordable sparkling wines on the market, so here again you have a lot of choice with sparkling wines from around the world, including Proseccos from Italy, cavas from Spain, and blanc de blancs from the US or France. Don’t splurge on a higher-priced Champagne for sangria. 

Yes, you can make sangria with sweet wines. White zinfandel, catawba, riesling, and moscato are all good choices. You won’t need to add sugar to these!

2. Fruit

Fresh, ripe fruit makes such a difference in sangrias, and it’s prime time for berries and will soon be for peaches and melons. Find a farm or farmer’s market and stock up. There are so many different fruits you can use for sangria, including oranges, lemons, limes, apples, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, grapes, peaches, plums – even honeydew melon, pineapple, pomegranate seeds, mango, and watermelon. 

3. Spirits 

Authentic sangria includes brandy, which works very well with red wine. Grand Marnier and triple sec are orange-flavored brandies and beautifully accentuate sangria’s citrus notes. Lighter wines, however, call for spirits that won’t clobber the fruits and other flavors, and range from vodka, gin, rum, and even Curaçao. There are many flavors of vodka nowadays, and these are fun to add to sangria.

4. Juices and Sparkling Water

The flavor combos of juices these days are amazing, and they’re fun to use for sangrias. Traditional juices include orange juice, pineapple juice, apple juice, white grape juice, and pomegranate juice. Cherry, blueberry, and pomegranate juice can be quick and tasty additions. 

Aqua con gas (seltzer water) lightens and lifts a sangria. There are oodles of flavors of sparkling water you can try. Like anything else, some are better than others. The more natural the source of the flavor, the better it will taste. I typically just add plain seltzer. 

5. Simple Syrup

Sometimes a sangria just needs a little sweetener, especially if its base is a dry red or white wine. It’s so easy to make simple syrup and keep it in the refrigerator. In a saucepan, mix one cup of granulated sugar with one cup of filtered water. Heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely melted. Don’t let the mixture boil. Remove from heat and let cool. Store in a glass container.

6. The Pitcher

A fruit-laden sangria is as much a visual as a gustatory treat, so be sure to choose a pitcher – or a punch bowl – that will show it off. It’s as simple as that. You’ll want a ladle handy for serving so you can scoop fruit into each glass. 

Here are recipes for every kind of wine listed.

The Classic: Red Wine

  • Serves 4 to 6
  • This is how sangria started, with oranges, apples, and brandy. If this is the first sangria you make – and it’s a great one to get started with – get yourself off to a good start and feel free to improvise to suit your taste. Add more brandy if you want. Add some simple syrup, or top with lemon-lime soda instead of seltzer. Remember, sangria should taste good to you. It’s a fun, fruity, refreshing wine punch. 
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine
  • 2 oranges, sliced thin in whole or half rounds
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and seeded, cut into bite-sized chunks
  • ¼ cup brandy or triple sec
  • Ice 
  • 2 cups seltzer
  • Combine all ingredients but the seltzer in a large pitcher or container. Cover and refrigerate for four or more hours. Add ice and seltzer and stir. Serve. 

Berry Yummy: White Wine

Serves 4 to 6

So named because this sangria is loaded with fresh summer berries – raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Throw in the berry-flavored vodka and you have a berry tasty sangria! Note: Raspberries are the most fragile of these berries, and may fall apart as you stir the sangria. They’ll still look nice and the flavor will be there, so don’t worry about it, but do expect it. 

  • 1 bottle (750 ml) dry white wine
  • ½ cup raspberries
  • ½ cup blackberries
  • ½ cup blueberries
  • ½ cup berry-flavored vodka
  • Simple syrup if necessary
  • 2 cups seltzer
  • Combine all ingredients except seltzer in a large pitcher or container. Cover and refrigerate for four or more hours. Stir and taste. If desired, add some simple syrup. Add ice and seltzer. Stir and serve.

Basil-Berry: Rosé

Serves 4 to 6

Here’s the sangria you can make with the strawberries that are so good this time of year – quick, before the season passes! Strawberries pair really well with basil, which is also plentiful in the summer and makes a great infused simple syrup (part of this recipe). 

For the basil-infused simple syrup:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup simple syrup
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves

For the sangria:

  • 1 bottle (750 ml) dry rose wine
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
  • ¼ to ½ cup basil simple syrup (start with the smaller amount and add more if desired)
  • 2 cups sparkling water

Make the simple syrup: In a saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add basil. Put the cover on the saucepan and let sit for several hours. Remove the basil leaves and strain the liquid so there are no solids. Put the syrup in a jar, cover it, and refrigerate.

In a large pitcher, combine all ingredients but the seltzer. Cover and refrigerate for about two hours. When ready to serve, stir in ice and seltzer.

Peachy Keen: Sparkling Wine

  • Serves 4 to 6
  • With sparkling wine, you don’t want to lose the bubbles, so it gets poured into individual glasses when it’s sangria time. The preparation is to marinate the fruit. 
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) sparkling wine, very cold
  • 1 cup bite-sized peach pieces (skins on is fine)
  • 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
  • ¼ cup peach schnapps
  • In a bowl, combine the peach pieces, blueberries, and schnapps. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
  • Ladle spoonfuls of the prepared fruit into four to six champagne flutes. Top each glass with sparkling wine. Repeat as desired with any remaining fruit and wine, being sure to keep the wine chilled.

Strawberry Lemonade: Sweet Wine

  • Serves 4 to 6
  • This is a crowd favorite for brunch on a summery Sunday – or any day!
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) catawba blush wine
  • 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced 
  • 1 container frozen lemonade (yellow or pink)
  • 1 container water (from the lemonade container)
  • 1 cup seltzer
  • Combine all ingredients but seltzer in a large pitcher or container. Cover and refrigerate for four or more hours. Add ice and seltzer, stir, and serve.

It’s hard to list just five sangria recipes as there are so many ways to combine the basic ingredients and create super summer sangrias. I hope that once you’ve tried these and feel comfortable with the basic concept and preparation, you will experiment with your favorite wine, fruit, and spirit selections. Cheers! •