I remembered about two inches into this drink that I wanted to take a photo of it. This is from a friend who has done quite a few informal taste tests with different recipes and this is the one most often chosen by her guests as the favorite. As with all Sangria, you can add just about anything to this. For the Burgundy, she talked to the wine buyer at a grocery store in a neighborhood full of wine snobs who told her that, although Carlo Rossi Burgundy table wine might not be one’s first choice to accompany a nice prime rib, it is perfect for this recipe. I bought two 4-liter jugs (and made more than 4 gallons of this stuff), and you can’t buy that quantity with just any wine. Only you will know how many of your guests this will serve.
Sangria
Ingredients
- 1.5 liter California Burgundy wine
- 1 cup rum Vodka is also good, which should come as no surprise, but imparts less flavor
- 1 cup orange juice
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 oranges sliced crosswise
- other fruit to float in it
- 1 cup maraschino cherries drained
- 2 sticks cinnamon
Instructions
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Combine liquids.
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Stir in sugar.
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Add fruit and cinnamon.
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Let stand in refrigerator at least 1 hour, overnight is better.
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To serve, remove cinnamon sticks and float more fruit.
Recipe Notes
I freeze orange juice in muffin pans so the sangria won't get watered down from ice. I also used frozen concentrated orange juice made with 7-Up instead of water because I like fizzy stuff. In that case, add the frozen concentrate, but don't add the 7-Up until just before serving.
If it's too potent, try adding something sparkly like club soda or 7-Up to each glass. If it's not potent enough, use Vodka to make the orange juice.
