Sangria is king of the easy and delicious drink category. This five-ingredient sangria recipe has the best of both worlds: it's very tasty and easy to create. This sangria will be the highlight of the party whether you're throwing a casual get-together or firing up the grill for a braai (South African barbecue).
INGREDIENTS
- 750ml Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon: For the foundation of your sangria, go for a powerful red wine. The fruity ingredients are wonderfully complemented by the deep flavours of Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.
- 1 litre of grape juice: The inherent sweetness and fruitiness of the sangria are enhanced by the addition of grape juice. Seek for a premium grape juice to enhance the flavour. This can be red or white grape juice. We have used berry juice in the past, but the berries come through a bit strong.
- 2 litres of Sprite or lemonade: The fizz of the Sprite or lemonade adds a really pleasant touch to the drink. You can change the amount to suit your desired level of sweetness.
- Berries and fruits: Use your imagination while choosing your fruits! Fresh berries, juicy pineapple pieces, and sliced oranges are what we suggest using. Bursts of flavour are added by these fruits, which absorb the wine.
- Plenty of ice: Keep your sangria chilled by adding plenty of ice. It also prevents dilution as the ice melts. There is nothing worse than hot sangria - unless you want it that way.
Instructions
Please note that this isn't your normal sangria that you will get served in Europe or a high end function. This is a end of the month, I have no money left, sangria that even your mother-in-law will appreciate. Keeping this in mind - there is no real order in adding the ingredients.
We can however recommend the following.
- Get a container that can hold at least 5 litres.
- Get your wine in first
- Add you grape juice
- Cut your fruit into the mix.
- Now you can decide if you want to leave the mixed ingredients overnight in the fridge so that all those flavours can get infused with one another or just add the Sprite or lemonade. It might be at this point that your guests are already on their way and you have to get the sangria done. You have no choice - add the 2 litre of Sprite or Lemonade into the mix.
- Fill the rest of the container with ice and let it chill until your first guest ask for something cold to drink.
This is one of the best social gathering drinks by far. One of your guests will most definitly ask for the recipe.
Great thanks to our friend, Elmarie, for sharing her great recipe with us and letting us enjoy it so many times over the years!