Recipe Background
This easy red sangria boasts fresh fruit and brandy, perfect for getaways.
It all began the summer I got engaged, during a sun-drenched weekend getaway with my closest friends. We had rented a quaint cabin by the lake to celebrate, and I wanted to concoct something festive and refreshing. With a surplus of fresh oranges from the local farmstand, I recalled a conversation I had with a bartender in Barcelona about the perfect sangria. Armed with apples I’d brought along and a maybe-too-ambitious amount of brandy, I began my experiment. I tossed in a generous heap of brown sugar that I always keep on hand for desserts and started to muddle with enthusiasm, even if my technique may have been a bit rustic. The muddling is key for releasing the wonderful citrus oils that make this sangria sing.
Mixing in the wine, I remembered the bartender's tip to use a dry red so the sweetness wouldn't become overpowering, and topped it with just the right splash of orange juice for balance. The cabin filled with the aroma of fruit and wine, reminiscent of lazy afternoons in sunlit vineyards. As I served it over ice, watching the colors blend into a liquid sunset, I realized I had stumbled upon my go-to celebration drink. Our laughter echoed over clinking glasses as we toasted to friendship, love, and the summer's endless possibilities. Remember, the longer it chills, the more the flavors meld beautifully. Just don't forget to offer a few orange slices on the side for those who like an extra touch of freshness.
Ingredients
- 1/2 apple chopped
- 1/2 orange sliced, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar plus more, to taste
- 3/4 cup orange juice plus more, to taste
- 1/3 cup brandy
- 3 cups dry red wine
- ice to taste
Directions
- In a large pitcher, add the apples, the 1/2 sliced orange, and 4 tablespoons of the brown sugar and muddle for 45 seconds.
- Add 3/4 cup of the orange juice and the brandy and stir until combined.
- Add the red wine and stir until combined.
- Taste and add the extra sugar and the extra orange juice if needed.
- Garnish with the extra orange slices and serve over the ice.
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