Sangria For New Year’s Eve

A pitcher of Sangria!

Sangria is one of those drinks that people associate with being on holiday and relaxing in the sun, and it is because of this that it is such a popular drink in many bars and restaurants as well – people want to relive that feeling of being on holiday!

So this new year’s eve, why not kick back and relax with a pitcher of this lovely fruity cocktail and melt away your troubles of the snowstorms outside?

A punch made of red wine, lemonade, fruit and sometimes additional spices, this traditional drink is from Spain but is enjoyed all over the world, especially in European popular tourist destinations. You wouldn’t think that sangria actually dates back hundreds of years because of its modern flavors and the way it is enjoyed so freely nowadays, but this fruity punch actually goes way back.

Sangria dates back to the Romans, and their cultivation of red grapes throughout Spain and other areas of Europe soon lead to the development of red wine punches which eventually was named Sangria. White wine sangria didn’t come till later, and this is another light punch popular for parties and holidaying people alike.

Sangria can be made with a variety of liquors including:

• White wine
• Red wine
• Rose wine
• Sparkling wine
• Brandy
• Rum
• Triple sec
• Gin

The mixing drinks that you can put with a sangria are:

• Lemonade
• Fruit Juice
• Soda

Things you can add to your sangria (including garnishes and spices etc) are:

• Wedges of lemon or lime
• Slices of different fruits e.g. diced pineapple
• A handful of cranberries or blueberries
• Sugar

How To Make Sangria

You will need:

• 1 Bottle Red Wine
• 1 Lemon – wedges
• 1 Orange – wedges
• 1 Cup Strawberries/Rasperries/Blueberries
• 1 Shot Gin, Brandy or other liquor of choice
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Cups ginger ale

Pour the wine into a large punch bowl or pitcher and squeeze the juice from the wedges of lemon, orange and lime lemon into the pitcher with the wine.

Drop in the fruit wedges (get rid of pips first) and then add the pineapple, sugar, orange juice and gin. Chill overnight.

Add ginger ale, berries and ice just before serving. If you’d like to serve right away, use chilled red wine and serve over lots of ice.

A chilled glass of sangria is a great thing to serve party guests or to relax with at dinner parties or garden barbecues. Just remember it needs to be served cold and leaving the mixture to marinate overnight means that flavors can combine much better together.

It might be December, and you might not be in the mood for a cold drink, but anyway…Happy New Year, everyone!

Find more Sangria Recipes on Recipebridge.