After a long hiatus, during which certain of life’s other concerns made it difficult to find the time and quiet to write, I’m back… at least for now. And with summer officially starting in two weeks, Brent asked me to write about warm weather drinks “like Sangria etc.”   That’s a good point of departure, considering that Sangria is the Spanish word for a therapeutic bleeding, and my last post was on the movie “I Drink Your Blood”. But once I’ve dealt with Sangria, there are many other options that I prefer for relief from the heat.  Summer drinking is about quenching thirst and rehydrating and in my infallible opinion, this is best done with drinks that are low in alcohol and somewhat bitter.

Unlike making a great martini, making decent sangria is not an exact science. Sangria is essentially cheap wine that is stretched and improved by the addition of other flavors.  I’ve had quite a bit of it in my time and in most cases the idea and appearance of the frosty pitcher has been better than the reality. Unlike making a great martini, making Sangria is not an exact science but you can’t just throw a bunch of fruit into any old wine and expect the result to be any good and I’m afraid that’s how a lot of Sangria is made. Here are my suggestions.

To Make a Great Sangria

1.

Combine equal parts water and sugar (let’s say two cups of each) in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir frequently until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is clear. Once the syrup boils, turn off the heat. Remove the zest from two oranges and two lemons in wide strips, using a vegetable peeler and add to the hot syrup. For Sangria with a Portuguese accent, add a stick or two of cinnamon. Let the syrup cool to room temperature.

2.

Pour a bottle of fruity wine into a large pitcher. Traditional sangria is made with red wine, such as an inexpensive Spanish Tempranillo or Garnachia, but you could use just about anything that’s fruity and not too tannic. So avoid Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and look to Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Montapulciano etc. Just don’t spend very much money, because by the time you are done with it the wine will not be recognizable. You might also look at sweeter reds, like Lambrusco. I would also recommend making a lighter beverage by experimenting with rosé (an off-dry specimen from Navarra might be nice) or a white Sangria. Once again, though, go for fruit and avoid oak. Look to Albariño, Torontes, Pinot Grigio etc, rather than to Chardonnay.

3.

Slice up some fruit and add these to the wine. Orange and lemon are traditional, but there’s no reason not to use whatever is fresh and ripe. Berries, peaches, nectarines, apricots and melon can all be good. Do not, however, use the oranges and lemons that you zested for the syrup. The exposed white pith will make the drink bitter. Also, resist the temptation to add orange or lemon juice. They will make the wine cloudy and more acidic. Add some syrup to taste, but be conservative. You can always add more later. Then refrigerate the wine for several hours (the longer the better) to let the flavors blend.

4.

To serve, add about half a bottle of sparkling water and serve over ice.  Traditional recipes will suggest adding some brandy as well, but be very judicious about this. It will make the flavor a bit livelier, but you’ve added the syrup and sparkling water to weaken the punch (in both senses of the word) and you don’t want this to be the headache in a glass that Sangria too often is. If you do want to add brandy, you might consider Curaçao or Grand Marnier for their orange flavor or, if you have added pears, a dash of Poire eux de vie.

Just perfect for sipping on the back porch of the Beekman.