When we went to school together, she used to laugh and tell me about purchasing dirt cheap, undrinkable bottles of wine. Unwilling to let them go to waste, she salvaged the horrid tasting wines by making sangrias overloaded with fresh fruit and juices. She's a clever, thrifty lady, which is something I admire about her.
If you happen to snag a less than stellar bottle (or box) of wine, by all means, whip up a batch of sangria. It'll transform the undrinkable into a delicious punch-esque cocktail. However, don't feel obligated to buy wine you wouldn't normally drink plain. I prefer to use my favorite, average-costing table wines.
And if you're having friends over, I recommend either making two pitchers or doubling the recipe in an extra large container. It will go fast!
Red Wine Sangria with Black Cherry & Honey
Dry red wine sweetened with raw honey and black cherry juice, then mixed with an assortment of fresh fruits and liquor for a refreshing punch-like wine cocktail.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 ripe plum
1 ripe peach
1 orange
1 lemon
1 lime
1/4 cup of raw, local honey
1/4 cup of brandy
3/4 cup of unsweetened 100% black cherry juice
1 bottle of dry red wine (I used Merlot)
1 12 ounce can of sodium-free sparking water
ice
Recommended Tools (optional)
Glass pitcher (This is the one I used in the picture)
Bamboo spoon or muddler
Directions
Wash, dry and dice the plum and peach, taking care to remove the pit from both fruits. Set a quarter of the fruit aside and dump the rest into the serving pitcher. Roll out the orange, lemon and lime on a flat surface with the palm of your hand. This will help redistribute the juices.
Take a few thin slices off each of the citrus fruits and set aside for topping the sangria later. Quarter the rest of each fruit, squeeze the juice from the wedges into the pitcher and drop the fruit pieces into the bottom.
Uncork your wine (it should be room temperature) and pour 1/4 cup into a glass or mug. Measure in the raw honey and stir until dissolved. Pour the wine / honey mixture into the pitcher and use a muddler or large utensil to smoosh the fruit, which will extract more of the juices.
Pour in the brandy, unsweetened black cherry juice and the rest of the red wine. Stir well, taste and adjust ingredients to your liking. Wait to add the sparkling water until right before serving.
Ideally, you'll let it chill a few hours in the fridge or overnight; however you can certainly serve it immediately, just fill each glass full of ice.
Notes & Tips
Cherries are in season right now, so if you have access to them they'd be perfect in this sangria. I, however, did not have any on hand so opted for the unsweetened juice.
If the sangria is not sweet enough, add more black cherry juice or mix a bit more raw honey into a a few tablespoons of purified water and stir that into the sangria.
Conversely, if it's too sweet for your taste, pour in more wine or add in an extra can of sparkling water.
Looking for more real food drink recipes? Try my Raw Honey Sweetened Hibiscus Tea Cocktail, Orange-Honey Margarita or Raw Honey Lemonade with Blueberry Ice Cubes.
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Question for Discussion: What are your favorite seasonal fruits to use in red or white wine sangria?
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