Surf Shack Summer Sangria

Say that title 4 times quickly, then try again after drinking a couple of glasses!

A native drink from Spain. And a favorite of my wife Kelly’s, during her beach house getaways with girlfriends – especially in the summer months. Credit to her friend Patti for starting the tradition. This recipe makes enough for 6-8 glasses, if poured over ice.

Ingredients

1 750ml bottle of red wine (Beaujolais is our favorite but Rioja and various light reds like Pinot Noir and Grenache are also good)
4 cups Ocean Spray cranberry juice cocktail (it is already mixed with apple juice)
1 cup orange juice (pulp free, 100% orange)
1 orange, halved, thinly sliced. Can cut each slice into 2-4 sections.
1 honey crisp apple, cored, quartered and thinly sliced (gala also OK)

Preparation

1. Pour all ingredients into a pitcher and lightly stir
2. Put into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (8-12 hours is even better)

Serving

Pour into cups or wine glasses, over ice. Fish out a small mix of fruit in each pour. Eat any “drunken fruit” that is leftover when the pitcher is empty – or even plan it that way as you pour the drinks.

Optional Additions or Substitutions

1. Adding 2/3 to 1 cup of sparkling wine or sparkling rose adds a bit of a fizz. Just make sure your pitcher is big enough or spread across 2 pitchers.
2. Add, or substitute, a peach, nectarine, strawberries, or blueberries to the fruit mix. This introduces the option to make one pitcher with one category of fruit (ie – berries) and another pitcher with a different category. But the oranges are pretty much a staple of sangria.