Family Cookbook :: Best Party Sangria

This weeks recipe comes from the kitchen of Lilprincessbow.

Every time I throw a party in the summer I always like to make this sangria for my guests. So far everyone who have tasted it loved it and always asks me for the recipe. I got this recipe years ago from http://wine.about.com/.


Although you can prepare this right before your party as suggested in the recipe, I always prepare it the night before to allow the juices and the fruit to be marinated into the wine. Happy Summer!

Ingredients:

1 Bottle of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja, Zinfandel, Shiraz) (Note: I always use Shiraz, dry red wine is the best!)
1 Lemon cut into wedges
1 Orange cut into wedges
1 Lime cut into wedges
2 Tbsp sugar
Splash of orange juice or lemonade
2 Shots of gin or triple sec (optional)
1 Cup of raspberries or strawberries (may use thawed or frozen)
1 Small can of diced pineapples (with juice)
4 Cups ginger ale

Preparation:

Pour wine into a large pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon, orange and lime into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and pineapple then add sugar, orange juice and gin. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale, berries and ice just before serving. If you'd like to serve right away, use chilled red wine and serve over lots of ice. However, remember that the best Sangrias are chilled around 24 hours in the frig. - allowing the flavors to really marinate into each other.