Sangria
Spain's fruity pitcher
Spain's communal pitcher, scaled to a glass: red wine lifted with brandy and orange liqueur, sweetened lightly, and studded with fruit. Best after a short rest, when the fruit and wine have come to terms.
Ingredients
- 4 oz Red Wine
- 1/2 oz Brandy
- 1/2 oz Triple Sec
- 1 oz Fresh Orange Juice
- 1 tsp Sugar
Method
Add brandy, orange liqueur, orange juice, and sugar to a wine glass and stir to dissolve. Add red wine and ice, and stir. Garnish with an orange slice; toss in chopped apple or berries too, if you like. Rest a few minutes before drinking.
Spanish and Portuguese folk wine punch with roots in medieval wine-lemonade traditions of the Kingdom of León (wine, fruit, sugar, spices). The term sangria is documented from the 18th century onward. The drink remained a regional beverage across Iberian festivals and celebrations until post-WWII, when Hispanic American restaurants reintroduced it to the United States by the late 1940s. Sangria gained significant American popularity following the 1964 New York World's Fair, where Spain's pavilion prominently featured it to fairgoers. No single documented inventor or canonical formula exists; sangria comprises a family of regional variations across Spain and Portugal. Per PUNCH magazine and Difford's Guide (entries #1741, #1743); Wikipedia secondary corroboration. Notes: Modern bottled and restaurant sangrias vary widely in recipe; bar Sangria classics reflect the Spanish punch tradition rather than a fixed invention date.