Let’s sangria!

Traditional sangria contains red wine, fruit, citrus, sugar, and rum, brandy, or liqueur. It’s most commonly prepared in a pitcher with ice and fruit and served from there into glasses.

Sangria originates from the Iberian Peninsula, which includes Spain and Portugal. It’s primarily made with red wine from Spain.

The word ”sangria” is Spanish and means ”bleeding,” which in turn refers to the color of the drink, although the drink can also be prepared with a light base using white wine.

As we know, there are many preferences, and not everyone is always excited about the same flavors. But that doesn’t bother sangria!

The drink is as customizable as Sunday mornings.

So how do I make the perfect sangria?

The answer to this can really only be found by trying different combos, but when these basic ingredients are in order, you can hardly go wrong! Here’s a checklist of the most important things.

Wine.

Strong and tannic red wines should be avoided in sangria, as they make the drink bitter. So focus instead on medium-bodied and fruity red wines. With white wines, fruitiness and acidity also work better than heavier, oak-aged white wines. Rosé wine also works as a great base!

Fruit and citrus.

Orange, lemon, lime, and apple are probably the most common fruits used in sangria, but go with your preference! Citrus brings the necessary freshness to the drink, and for example strawberries and other berries also work well, just like fruits such as mango, watermelon, kiwi… the list is endless.

Note! Fruit also adds visual appeal to the drink’s appearance. Don’t forget herbs either—for example, basil works well as an additional flavor.

Sugar and sweetening.

Sangria should be a sweetish drink, but balanced when all the ingredients are together. That’s why sugar usually balances the drink mixture well. Simple syrup, honey, or for example lemonade added at the end works well to provide the desired balance. Instead of lemonade, you can also use sparkling water, which gives the drink acidity, but then add sugar in some form so the drink doesn’t become too dry.

Strong alcohol.

The drink gains depth by adding a bit of stronger alcohol. Light rum or perhaps citrus liqueur works extremely well.

Muy bien! Then just head toward summer and try the best sangria recipe. Here are two suggestions.