The Best Sangria Recipes
Sangria is a lot like guacamole. Now, before you start in with the "What, is she crazy?," try asking five different people how they make guacamole. I guarantee you'll get five different answers, each claiming to be the "best."
So it goes with sangria — everyone has an opinion, a guarded "secret" ingredient or combination that makes theirs superior to all the rest. Soak the fruit. No, you don't have to soak the fruit. Add in fresh herbs from the garden. Mix in this special fruit-flavored spirit. The list goes on and on. And really, that's part of what makes it such a fantastic drink. "When you cook, you look in your fridge and kind of just get inspired by all these different ingredients," explained Ryan Paykert, beverage manager at Chicago's Terzo Piano. "That's what sangria is, a little dash of this, a little dash of that."
To help ensure your sangria goes above and beyond the basic, we've compiled five favorite unique sangria recipes for you to serve this summer.
Thoughtful additions like an herb sachet (lavender, sage, thyme, mint), ruby red grapefruit juice, and sparkling rosé set this rendition apart. Says creator Ryan Paykert, "This concoction has a flavor that is captivating — balanced, not too sweet or tart — it reflects the true flavors of summer."
Ditch the Saketinis for this superior marriage of sake and fruit. The secret to this recipe's success? Crop Organic Cucumber Vodka.
Don't think you can achieve that classic Sangria flavor without soaking fruit in the wine for several hours? Think again. A special combination of wine, spirits, and fruit mixes is guaranteed to prove nay-sayers wrong.
Fruit-forward Noval BLACK Port stars in this variation on a Sangaree, created by PDT's Jim Meehan. Between the port, Grand Marnier, cognac, and Champagne, you won't miss the fruit in this unique, spirits-driven version.
In you're in the mood for a sangria that's a little more floral, try this recipe, which features a hibiscus mixture combined with White Zinfandel, orange juice, and fresh fruit.