A while ago we posted about white sangria. We were testing out a few recipes for a Sangria Party we were hosting. We found our winner for our white sangria, a sauvignon blanc based sangria with honeydew melon, limes, cucumbers and mint.

Glass of the white sangria with sauvignon blanc, triple sec, honey dew melon, lime, cucumber and mint.

White Sangria with honeydew, cucumber, lime and mint, just waiting for the sauvignon blanc

You can find the recipe and instructions here.

Red Sangria with the fruit soaking overnight

We also made a red sangria from a family recipe from my friend Victoria. She is from Madrid, so this recipe is authentic! This recipe called for a Rioja or Merlot (we used a Rioja ie. tempranillo), rum, brown sugar, lemons and peaches. It sat in the fridge overnight melding, before we added ice to serve it.

Setting up a Sangria Table

Sangria is more than wine and fruit, it has multiple elements that you can put together in a million different ways. The basics are, wine, another alcohol, a sweetener, fruit or vegetable and possible herbs, sometimes juice and then something sparkly. Depending on the wine and fruit you may or may not need to let it set over night. Our red sangria we let soak for 24 hours, the white we made that morning. The sparkling addition should wait until serving to preserve the bubbles.

Red Sangria with fruit to add and sparkling water to add a bit of fizz

1st things first get clear or partially clear glasses for serving. Sangria is pretty and you want people to see it.

2nd, set out some fresh fruit. It is easier than having people try to scoop out of the container. Now if you have a big punch bowl you might be okay, but I really think, to avoid the mess you should go with a dispenser and then fresh fruit on the side. Choose fruit that will accent the flavors in the Sangria. With our red sangria we had blackberries and lemon slices, with the white, cucumber slices, lime slices and fresh mint.

3rd have several bottles of sparkling water on ice next to the sangria. Guests begin by dropping some fruit in their glass, filling halfway with sangria and topping off with the sparkling water. Sangria can be potent and addictive. All that fruit makes you want to go back for more, but you have all that wine and additional liquor, so the addition of sparkling water is good to add the fizz and cut down on the alcohol so your guests aren’t falling over. This is especially important if your party is outside in the summer.

Food pairings for Sangria

Food pairings will be similar to the wine pairings that you would do with these wines. With the tempranillo, we wanted albondigas to pair with the wine and we went with a goat cheese log to pair with the sauvignon blanc. There are so many options, and the pairings don’t need to be as specific as when you are just pairing with the wine, the added fruits will change and brighten the character of the beverage.

We wanted things to be low effort on the day of the event, so that we had time to spend with our guests. I prepped ahead making two types of hummus the day before; a plain hummus which we garnished with olive oil and paprika and a beet hummus which we topped with lemon zest for brightness. Michael also baked the cookies and the Torta de Santiago the day before so the kitchen would not get too hot that morning. Typically Torta de Santiago is made in a pie shape, but he doubled the recipe and made it in a larger pan to accommodate the number of guests. Torta de Santiago or Tarta de Santiago, as it is known in Galacia is a spanish almond pie or cake that originated in Galacia in the middle ages. You find it in Santiago de Compostela, the area where the remains of the apostle Santiago are believed to be buried.

The morning was spent with Michael making the baguettes and me prepping vegetables and then we made the albondigas. These are Mexican meatballs and you can find a variety of recipes for them. We chose to use rice as a binder in them rather than breadcrumbs as an ode to arancini. Michael mixed beef and chorizo for the meats. After forming the balls, we browned them to get them to hold together and added them to a crock pot full of a secret sauce Michael put together. Then they slow cooked all morning.

I made the goat cheese logs which are pretty simple. Chop up some pistachios, roll the goat cheese logs in them and then drizzle with honey and a bit of warm fig jam. My friend RuBen has found a new favorite food in this!

We laid out some Manchego and Iberico cheese as well as some bleu cheese and parmesan and then thinly sliced prosciutto and other meats. We added almonds, of course, and pistachios and some berries. All that was left was to add the people and conversations. We are very lucky to know some amazing people with eclectic backgrounds so their was lots of amazing conversation. The party started while the sun was out and slowly wound down with a few people gathered on the roof top deck enjoying the stars.

Watch for recipe videos and other great wine events coming up as we continue to explore all things wine here at Crushed Grape Chronicles.

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