Sangria is a summer staple around our house, and our "adult fruit punch" is the only way Julie will drink the robust red wines that I'll occasionally sneak a taste of. There are a tremendous number of variants that we've had over the years, but we've had enough to know when a restaurant has let their fruit sit too long, or aren't balancing their flavors, or wasted time chopping up fruit salad and dumping it into our glass to somehow prove that there's fruit flavors in their sangria.
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This Polka Dot Stemless Martini
glass (13.5 oz), is available on the
website.
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Our first real flirtations with sangria came with the 1998 recipe from Cook's Illustrated (of which I am proud to be a charter subscriber to). The recipe is deceptively simple: 2 oranges, 1 lemon, sugar and triple sec for each bottle of full-bodied red wine you use. There's a bit more to it than that: Juice one of the oranges, cut the other orange and the lime in reasonably thin slices ( a quarter-inch or so), add the quarter-cup sugar and muddle the fruit until everything looks a bit soggy, then add one juiced orange, a generous quarter-cup of triple sec and the wine, then throw the whole thing in the refrigerator. Next morning, strain the liquid from the fruit, and you're ready to go.
And, as usual, there's even still a few more details to mention. We add one lime per bottle of wine for our default recipe. Make sure, of course, to wash your fruit and pick fruit that has a good-looking skin; you're going to be drinking whatever's on the outside, remember. Places that put little chunks of fruit in your glass are doing it for garnish; all your flavor comes from the fruit soak that you do. And, critically, do NOT let your soak go longer than 8 hours. You need a few hours to get everything to start releasing, but after the 8-hour mark, the rind begins to make its presence known, and your sangria will become increasingly bitter the longer you let it soak. Six hours seems to be the sweet spot; overnight and drained around the 8-hour mark is also fine.
For the triple sec, don't go super high-end for a couple of reasons. First off, Cointreau, Citronage or Grand Marnier will either add flavor notes that detract from the base flavors, and/or will introduce a much higher proof alcohol to the mix than the other ingredients. For this, stick to a basic triple sec, and we use either the 30- or 42-proof Bols triple sec as our preferred ingredient.
We have two go-to wines for our sangria. The René Barbier Mediterranean Red (available widely, including Cost Plus World Market) has been the wine of choice for years, but we've recently started using a local winery's goods: if you're near Michigan, the St. Julian's Simply Red is a bit more robust, and stands up to the citrus without overpowering it. In both cases, you'll find these wines available for under $7 a bottle (considerably less by the case, as we tend to use a bunch of it in the summertime).
This recipe makes for a slightly sweeter sangria than some might prefer; each to their own, but given that you're going to be using ice in the drink, then going outside and letting it melt down a bit, I prefer erring on the sweet side once diluted a bit. If you choose to experiment with other fruits, do so in moderation, and do single batches (although my wife, who is the sangria master of the house, has had considerable success with a half of a pear per bottle of wine). In any event, enjoy sangria while the summer sun shines!
Sangria (after the Cook's Illustrated recipe)
1 750 ml bottle of red wine (medium body, strong fruit notes, NOT sweet)
1 orange, juiced
1 orange, cut into 1/4 in. slices
1 lemon, cut into 1/4 in. slices
1 lime, cut into 1/4 in. slices
1/4 c. white granulated sugar
1/4 c. triple sec (cheat it up to taste)
Put sliced fruit into a large container (we recommend an iced tea pitcher), layering fruit and sugar. Take a ladle or wooden spoon and gently press the fruit against the bottom (you're trying to release some juice without shredding the fruit). Continue until the sugar has incorporated into the liquid.
Add in orange juice and triple sec, and then the wine. Stir, and then place in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours (6 is best; do not allow to go past 8 hours).
Strain the sangria using a large mesh strainer to remove the large pieces of fruit; then pour it back through a fine mesh strainer to remove small pieces. Keep refrigerated until used; add ice to individual glasses to serve. Sangria theoretically should last a week or so before the notes start to change, but who would let a batch go that long?...
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