Hey guys! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

One of the best parts of the holidays is hearing about everyone’s different traditions. My family has changed a lot over the years as my brothers and I have grown up and moved out so traditions have been harder to keep. For instance, my dad stopped renting a Santa Clause suit once we all figured it out. And my parents are divorced so usually I get to enjoy the big holidays twice, both with different traditions. Which is never a bad thing! So as the years go by and we all change I think it’s really fun to introduce new traditions! This year I wanted to test out making my own Sangria for the first time.

I honestly didn’t even know what Sangria was until I studied abroad and met a couple of people who were used to drinking it every year for the holidays. It’s also when I learned it originated from Spain. 

Traditionally, Sangria is a punch that is a mix of red wine and chopped fruit. However you can also use white wine and rose for a more refreshing summer Sangria. Red wine definitely seems to fit better for the holidays though.

For this recipe, you will need:

A muddler

A medium sized pitcher

1 bottle of red wine (I used Merlot)

1/4 cup of Triple Sec

1/4 cup of refined sugar

2 oranges

1 lemon

First, you will need to slice up one orange and a lemon and place them into the pitcher. Next, add the sugar and muddle it all together for about a minute.

If you don’t have a muddler, you can buy one at any kitchen store or you can make your own. My brother made this one and it’s perfect!

Then you will need to squeeze the juice out of the second orange into a bowl. I like to do this over a strainer because the strainer will catch any seeds and it prevents a large amount of pulp from getting into the drink.

Empty the bowl of orange juice into the pitcher and follow it with the triple sec. Make sure you mix it all together with the fruit slices and sugar before adding the wine.

Last, but not least, the wine!

The best red wines for Sangria are Merlot and Syrah, because they’re fruitier than other reds, such as Cabernet. I decided to use Merlot in this recipe. Be sure to note that Sangria doesn’t require expensive wine, this bottle only costs $7.00.

Pour the entire bottle of wine into the pitcher and give it one last good stir!


Is that pretty, or what?

I would definitely call my first try at Sangria a success! This recipe is absolutely perfect for any holiday party!

Note that this recipe only serves four so feel free to double it if you’re expecting more guests. Make it ahead of time because Sangria is best once it has sat in the fridge for 2 to 8 hours!

What you will need:

A muddler

A medium sized pitcher

1 bottle of red wine (I used Merlot)

1/4 cup of Triple Sec

1/4 cup of refined sugar

2 oranges

1 lemon

Directions:

Slice up one orange and the lemon and put the slices into the pitcher. Next, pour the 1/4 cup of sugar into the pitcher and muddle it for about a minute.

Then you will need to squeeze the juice out of the second orange into a bowl. Do this over a strainer and you will be able to catch all the seeds and prevent a large amount of pulp from ending up in the drink.

Pour the juice into the pitcher, followed by the triple sec. Stir to combine both the orange juice and triple sec with the fruit slices and sugar.

Last, but not least, empty the bottle of wine into the pitcher and give it all one final stir.

Once it is all mixed, put the pitcher in the fridge and let the Sangria sit for 2 to 8 hours!