It’s the start of the Silly Season, typified by the populace uprooting en masse for vacation haunts, a slowdown of serious news, and the last hurrahs of the lazy days of summer before we all return to the grind of work and school.
In my mind, the best drink for the Silly Season is Sangria. I know it’s blasphemy for serious wine lovers, but what’s wrong with taking a break from all that sniffing and swirling and just having some fun?
I discovered Sangria not in sunny Spain, but in hot, muggy Michigan, where the summers demand that a cool beverage be at hand at all times. It’s one of the most popular drinks at a local pizza joint in the town where I grew up, and is always my tipple when visiting family in the area. While the Sangria at the pizza joint is good, we always have fun creating our own recipes at home. I remember many summer evenings carrying the frosted green glass pitcher of the latest concoction across the hot brick patio, then sinking contentedly into a lounge chair for good conversation with family and friends. Blending sweet and tart flavors, Sangria is always cooling, icy, and intensely refreshing. To my mind, it’s the perfect summer drink, magically combating heatstroke, humidity and early evening malaise.
Originating in Spain as a party punch, Sangria is typically a blend of wine, fruit, fruit juice, sparkling soda or soda water, and sometimes brandy or other spirits. Traditionally using red Rioja wine, it can also be made with white wine for Sangria Blanco, or even sparkling wines including Cava or a good domestic U.S. sparkler.
The secret to a good Sangria is to allow time for the flavors to meld, so you need to get started early in the day, or even the night before to allow the fruit to give its all to the wine. While there are recipes, they are so flexible that it’s really a matter of what you have on hand and your preferred tastes.
Start by pouring your wine into a pitcher or jar that can be sealed. Some people say to use a cheap wine, because the fruit will cover up the flavor, but I disagree – use a good wine, one that you would be happy to serve on its own. I wouldn’t pay over $10.00 for it, but it must be drinkable! While Rioja is the classic, you can use any wine that you prefer, but be sure to stay on the medium to light, drier side – a heavily fruit forward wine combined with the fruit will be too sweet in the end.
Basic flavors to add are a sliced orange or two, orange juice, a few tablespoons of sugar and a few lemon slices. You can add a splash of brandy or Triple Sec if you wish – some people use these to balance out the non-alcoholic ingredients. Mix it all together and cover the pitcher or jar and chill for at least eight hours. Since Sangria is traditionally slightly sparkling, stir in about two cups of ginger ale just before serving, and pour into tall frosty glasses filled with ice. Don’t discard the fruit! Every glass should get a few pieces of fruit, and now is the perfect time to bring out those rarely used long handled iced tea spoons so your guests can easily retrieve and enjoy the fruit from the bottom of the glass.
Of course, the variations are infinite: a version with white wine and kiwis and mangos is delicious on the hottest day, or you can mimic the refreshing flavor of the Bellini and use white wine, lemon, a little sugar and peaches. A quick way to infuse the flavors is to puree part of the fruit, but be sure to leave some pieces for contrast. One of my favorite Sangria blends is red wine and a mix of nectarines and berries, topped up with a shot of Chambord, or one of our local favorites: Whidbey’s Loganberry Liquor. Sometimes I’ll turn the concept upside down and just macerate some fruit with brandy or a good dessert wine (Quady Essensia, an Orange Muscat is fantastic) and serve it over pound cake with dollops of whipped cream for dessert. The macerated juices soak into the cake, tempting guests to scrape up every crumb from the plate.
The point is to be creative and come up with your own combinations. Yes, I know that many wine stores sell premixed sangria, but why drink premixed concoctions with “fruit flavors” when it’s the height of summer and all of this glorious fruit is available?
Sangria is the perfect excuse for an impromptu party or backyard gathering. Make up a pitcher or two and invite your friends over! Its flavors compliment many appetizers, so bring on the cheeses (soft and/or pungent cheese are a good match for this fruity beverage). Mediterranean types of munchies are great – Dolmades (rice, pine nut and herb filled grape leaves), Spanakopita (Greek spinach and feta pie), fried Calamari with garlicky Aioli, and lightly dressed salads with nuts and sweet onions are wonderful. Toasted bread with Tapanade or herbed cream cheese and Prosciutto are a salty foil for the Sangria. Simple grilled fish and shrimp are light and refreshing with Sangria, especially when brushed with herb – garlic oil, and dessert takes care of itself with an assortment of cookies.
It’s August, so go ahead, and get Silly – We’ll all be back to serious Cabernets soon enough!
