Sangria goes back to Roman times when Spain was conquered, with the Roman soldiers spilling blood. They planted vineyards and eventually the fruit was made into wine. They noticed that the red grapes produced the best wine. The locals created “punches” from the wine produced in the area. The punch was made from fruit and brandy was often added for a “punch.”
Now sangria is enjoyed all over the world. It is one of my favorite drinks to order at a restaurant. However, you can never be sure what is being added to the restaurant versions. That is why I love making my own! It is one of the easiest drink recipes. The hardest part is chopping up the fruit.
The use of a sweet wine removes the need for adding sugar. The wine used can be red or white. For white sangria, use lighter fruits, as stronger, heavier fruits can overpower the wine like oranges and pineapples. Fruit should occupy at least half of the wine volume, so purchase wine accordingly.
Homemade Sangria
Ingredients
- 3-4 750ml bottles of red wine (I used Barefoot Red Moscato – California) or sweet wine of choice
- 1 organic peach, peeled and sliced
- 2 organic valencia oranges, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 a cored pineapple, sliced
- 1 cup organic or local blueberries
- 1 cup organic or local blackberries
Instructions
- Peel and slice fruits (not berries). The smaller the slices, the more fruit juice you will infuse into the sweet wine of your choice. Do not shred or dice fruits, as shredded or diced fruit do not properly infuse into the wine. Mix together in a sealable container, preferably glass, and store in a dark area at room temperature for a minimum of 3 days to allow for proper infusion. Additional time will produce a more mellow, robust and strong flavor. I do not recommend longer than a week of infusing as the wine may turn into vinegar.
- Serve sangria in a glass, chilled or at room temperature depending on preference, with or without fruit. I recommend enjoying a glass without fruit, so as to appreciate the changes to the wine more. Post infusion additives include sparkling water, fruit brandy and other alcohols.
You could even add a little water kefir in your drink to give it that extra fizz. Be sure to check out my other healthy drinks, including my delicious watermelon agua fresca which can also be made into an adult beverage.
What is your favorite kind of sangria?
