Kicking Off the Summer with Sangria!

Memorial Day is almost here, and with it the unofficial start of summer! In addition to providing an occasion to honor all of those who have served in uniform or as civilians to support and defend our country (thanks to each and every one of you!), Memorial Day provides an opportunity to kick off the summer season in style. And what says summer more than a pitcher of ice-cold sangria? Let’s talk more about this refreshing wine-based cocktail!

Sangria is one of my favorite summer drinks. The name itself screams “SUMMER!!”, and the taste even more so! Sangria originated in Spain and Portugal and is basically a “pitcher drink” consisting of wine, fresh fruits, and oftentimes a spirit as well such as rum, brandy, vodka, or triple sec to name a few. With those three basic components, you can imagine all the different versions you can create of this sweet, refreshing cocktail!

The base for all sangria is wine, and you can name your color – red, white, pink! Since there are so many components to this drink, it simply doesn’t make sense to waste money on an expensive wine – a cheaper good value wine is the way to go here, something that costs $10 or so. You can really choose any variety of wine for sangria, but I prefer to use either Spanish or Portuguese wines to stay true to the spirit and origins of this drink. For white sangria, I like to use Verdejo or Albarino from Spain. For red sangria, I typically use Rioja from Spain or Tinto Douro from Portugal. For rosé, any will do – I like the lighter styles from California or Oregon, as well as lighter rosé from France such as those from Provence.

Once you pick your wine, it’s time to decide whether you want to add a spirit into the mix. It’s certainly not required, but I usually like to add a bit for more complexity and some depth of flavor. My favorite spirits to add include orange liqueur such as Triple Sec or Curacao to white wine, and brandy to red wine. For rosé-based sangria, I typically hold off on adding any spirits to retain the delicate nature of the rosé. For fruit, the sky’s the limit and there are no rules – but generally, citrus fruits pair nicely with white wine and berry fruits with red wine.

My favorite sangrias are actually blue sangrias which looks like the ocean and summer in a glass! Blue sangrias use white wine as the base, with Blue Curacao (an orange liqueur) as the spirit – the Curacao turns the drink bright blue and adds a festive touch to any summer cocktail party. I created this recipe for a blue sangria by using one of my favorite Spanish white wines (Albarino) as the base, and then adding Blue Curacao, a trio of fruit juices (pineapple for sweetness, and lemon and lime for tartness), and then some simple syrup to add just a bit more sweetness into the mix.

All that was left was to name it! I started reminiscing about things that made me think of summer, and immediately thought of some of my favorite summer songs – songs that reminded me of my youth and those long 3+ month summer vacations we used to have in between the school years. One of my favorites is by Tommy James and the Shondells – Crystal Blue Persuasion. Please tell me you have heard (and love!) this song!! It’s the quintessential summer song with a light breezy groove and lyrics harkening back to the summer of love. It was released in June of 1969, and I vividly recall listening to the song all summer as my brothers played the 45 on their record players.

So, I present to you, the Crystal Blue Persuasion Sangria! Happy Memorial Day and welcome to summer!

Crystal Blue Persuasion Sangria

Just a quick final note: I will be taking the month of June off from blogging to get caught up a bit on my research and writing. I’ll be back with a new blog the first Friday in July!

Crystal Blue Persuasion Sangria (makes 6 cocktails)

This summery, lightly sweet and tart sangria is perfect for a warm afternoon out on the lanai or deck and easy to make as well! Feel free to use a different wine if you’d like – sauvignon blanc is a nice substitute for the Albarino. Also, make sure to make it ahead of time (preferably the day before you plan to serve it) to allow time for all of the flavors to meld and integrate.

Ingredients

1 bottle Albarino white wine (no need to spend a lot of money – look for one in the $10 range)

½ cup Blue Curacao (available in any liquor store)

¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice

½ cup pineapple juice (Dole canned or any other store-bought pineapple juice is fine)

¼ cup simple syrup (recipe below)

1 navel orange, sliced into thin rounds and then cut into half rounds

1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds

1 ½ cups fresh pineapple chunks (about ¾ inch square)

Sprite or 7-Up (optional)

Directions

In a large pitcher, combine all the ingredients above except for the Sprite/7-UP and stir to mix. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight. When ready to serve, stir and pour into large wine glasses with ice. Add a splash of Sprite or 7-UP if you want and top with some of the fruit in the pitcher.

Simple Syrup Recipe (makes about 1 cup)

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

Directions

Combine sugar and water into a medium saucepan and heat on medium high heat, stirring continuously until sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool and then refrigerate – it will last for a few weeks. I like to store it in a plastic squeeze bottle which makes it really easy to add when building a cocktail.