(the red one)
2 bottles of CHEAP red wine (Merlot or Zinfandel are best)
4 small oranges (juice of two, slice the other two)
2 small lemons, sliced thinly
1 small lime, sliced thinly
1 medium red apple (I like Gala), chopped
Triple Sec (or Grand Marnier)
Brandy
Powdered sugar
Pour one bottle of wine into a large pitcher. Add juice of 2 oranges, and rest of the fruit. Add 2-4 shots of brandy, 3-6 shots of triple sec, and ½ cup of powdered sugar. Add second bottle of red wine. Stir and taste. Remembering that after the Sangria has sat for a few hours it’s flavors will intensify, think about how strong an alcohol flavor you like, and how sweet you want it. Add more triple sec, brandy, and powdered sugar accordingly. It should taste yummy for immediate enjoyment, but not so strong or sweet, that enjoyment later is made impossible by too much liquor or sugar…
No worries, practice makes perfect!
Background:
I have enjoyed Sangria in one form or another since I was a little girl. I seriously can’t remember my first glass, I was that young! I’ve been making my own sangria since I was in my early teens. Family members always liked it sweeter that I did, so I usually used a pink wine such as white zinfandel or blush. I NEVER used a soda of ANY kind. That would just be unthinkable to this Italian/Latina mutt! Now that I’m a “grown up” I am even more snooty about my sangria, ha ha! In fact, if I make it for company, I always make two. My red wine sangria and a white wine version. My white wine sangria is quite popular, I’ll share it with you some day… but the red is what I enjoy most- and I find that those who love red wine as much as I do (or more), prefer my red sangria to any other that has any kind of carbonated anything in it.
I am not sure what is truly Spanish or not, as lots of research has been totally inconclusive, but for me- I just can’t ruin my wine with orange soda, club soda, ginger ale, etc…
Additional Notes:
I use cheap red wines for my sangria. The thought of marring yummy more expensive ones with other ingredients hurts me! My current favorite cheap reds to use are "Three Wishes" Merlot that I buy at Whole Foods for less than $4, or a certified Organic cheap red called "Green Fin" from Trader Joe's that is also less than $4 a bottle.
Did you know that MOST wines are organic? YES! they trully are! Growing grapes for wine is an art form as well as a science. Wineries, viticulturists, and winemakers know that the best wines come from the best grapes. Turns out, the best grapes are grown using the most ancient of methods: "organic" ones! Surprise, that shouldn’t be!
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