Sangria was invented by Spanish fruit pickers. They added spring water and squeezed citrus juice to the wineskin. The resulting cocktail perfectly quenched thirst, but did not lead to severe intoxication, allowing you to work in the sun. Times have changed, now this drink is enjoyed by people all over the world. The simplicity of the recipe allows you to make sangria at home. We’ll take a look at the best options.
Sangria (sangría, translated from Spanish as “blood”) – an alcoholic cocktail with a strength of 4-9 degrees, prepared on the basis of red wine diluted with water with the addition of pieces of fruit. In some recipes, sangria also includes: spices, honey, sugar, brandy, liquor and soda.
Sangria is often confused with another popular wine drink, mulled wine. The difference is that Spanish sangria is served cold, while mulled wine is served hot.
Until 1964, sangria was considered the drink of the peasants of the Mediterranean and was not popular outside this region. In 1964, at the international exhibition in New York, the Spanish delegation presented sangria as an unusual Spanish wine.
The Americans highly appreciated the taste of the new drink, it appeared on the menu of reputable bars and flashed on television screens. Now sangria is considered the hallmark of Spain. This cocktail is the dream of most tourists visiting the country to try.
Types of sangria
Experiments with proportions and composition have led to the emergence of different options that differ significantly in taste and strength. Conventionally, 5 types of sangria are distinguished:
- Quiet (regular) – made from red wine with the obligatory addition of oranges, lemons and grapes, it has a sweet and sour taste with a citrus tinge.
- Fruit – differs in a wide variety of fruits, the more of them, the better. In addition to oranges and lemons, fruit sangria may contain strawberries, peach, grapes, banana, apple, pineapple, grapefruit, etc.
- White – in the recipe, red wine is replaced by white, the rest of the ingredients do not change.
- Sparkling – prepared on the basis of champagne, unsalted mineral water, or soda (soda). It is believed that carbon dioxide enhances the taste of sangria, adding floral and nutty notes to it.
- Strong – sliced u6bu12bfruits are pre-soaked in strong alcohol (rum, whiskey, cognac) for 14-18 hours, then wine and water are added. Depending on the selected proportions, strong sangria contains XNUMX-XNUMX revolutions of alcohol.
The classic sangria recipe
Ingredients:
- red wine – 0,7 l;
- plain water – 0,7 l;
- sugar – 2 tablespoons;
- orange – 2 pieces;
- lemon – 1 pcs;
- fresh mint to taste.
Any high-quality table wine in the lower price range is suitable for sangria. It is pointless to use expensive vintage wines, as they lose their original taste when diluted with water.
Preparation
1. Cut the fruit into circles with the rind.
2. Mix wine and water in a jug, add sugar and mix thoroughly.
3. Put the sliced fruit.
4. Put the drink in the refrigerator for 3-12 hours. Serve to the table.
If desired, a snack for sangria can be dishes from lean meat and fish. But in Spain they drink it without a snack, the strength allows it.
Sparkling sangria recipe
Ingredients:
- dry red wine – 0,7 l;
- champagne (lemonade, sprite) – 0,7 l;
- orange – 1 thing;
- apple – 2 pieces;
- lemon – 1 piece or 2 limes;
- cinnamon – 2 sticks;
- fresh mint – 3-4 leaves.
Depending on the season, you can take any available fruits, for example, strawberries, apricots, peaches. The more different fruits you add, the better the sangria will turn out, new shades will appear in its taste.
Preparation
1. Cut the orange and lemon into circles along with the peel. Remove the core and seeds from the apples, cut them into slices.
2. Put the fruits in a jug, pour wine over them, add cinnamon and mint.
3. Close the jug tightly and put it in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.
4. Remove the wine from the refrigerator, add chilled champagne (soda) to it, mix thoroughly. The initial mixing ratio is 1:1, but you can change it based on your taste preferences.
5. Pour the drink into glasses along with fruit and serve.
For children and teetotalers, I advise you to make a non-alcoholic analogue of sangria, it is called a kruchon. It is enough to cut any fruit, pour them with soda and refrigerate for several hours.