Ok, ok, if it's prosecco or cava or any so-so bubbly wine, you're forgiven. Go forward (and drink) in peace, children.
As long as you're not adding St-Germain to, say, a bottle of Ruinart or Veuve Clicquot...
You know we're gonna need your white sangria recipe now.
It's extremely simple! I'm not giving away any family secrets here (I think).
Traditional Catalan sangría blanca (peasant version)
Ingredients:
- 2 bottles of cava (something like the traditional Cordón Negro from Freixenet), properly chilled (substitions: any bubbly white wine or 1 liter dry/semi-dry white wine like a Sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio + half a liter of carbonated water like Perrier)
- 1/2 cup of plain white sugar (we make it with less but I'm trying to fit more international/sweeter tooth tastes here so decrease or increase according to personal taste)
- 1/2 cup of water (increase/decrease depending on the amount of sugar you've gone for)
- seasonal fruit,
as fresh and sweet as possible: I love using sweet white grapes (a large handful) and a few nectarines and/or peaches right now (you can mix and match depending on what is available in store right now, don't exclude red fruit and berries!)
- 2 lemons
- 2 limes (if no limes are available, opt for another lemon and a half instead)
- bonus fruit: a couple of small sweet oranges (I like this in my white sangria, some purists will claim it's only for red sangria *shrug*)
- a small cup-ish (taste and go as you feel like it) of extra liquor depending on the fruit you've selected and your personal taste: we use a simple sweet dessert wine (like Moscatel) which is my personal go-to but the liquor cabinet is yours to explore (peach schnapps, Cointreau, etc.)
Steps:
1. Heat the water and sugar until you get a syrup. Don't let it cook. Off the stove and chill.
2. Mix the cava (or white wine) in with the liquor (or sweet dessert wine) in a large recipient that can be properly closed.
3. Juice the lemons and limes and add it to the alcohol mix.
4. Prepare you fruit and keep it in larger chunks, especially for stone fruit like peach (we take the skin off the peaches). Add it to the mix.
5. Close immediately and let chill. Especially important if you're using a bubbly wine! If you're using a normal white whine, you may add the carbonated water before serving. This needs to chill and stew so the fruit + alcohol can infuse. I'd suggest prepping it several hours ahead.
6. Serve chilled with extra ice cubes, using a ladle. We actually prepare white wine ice cubes for this so the sangria won't be watered down while the summer heat melts the ice away.
7. Enjoy summer in a glass!
Fancy sangría blanca with citrus (I-got-money-and-taste version)
Ingredients:
- 1 bottle of white whine (Sauvignon blanc, pino grigio, etc.) - chilled
- half a bottle of sweet wine - chilled (I know, you're shocked)
- 3 to 4 small sweet oranges
- 1 to 2 grapefruit
- 1 to 2 blood oranges
- 3 to 4 tangerines
- a few limes or go all out and some bergamot oranges (4 to 5) or kumquats (12 to 15)
- the juice of 1,5 to 2 lemons
- simple sugar syrup (like in the recipe above) or substitute (runny honey)
- a cup-ish of orange or citrus liquor like Grand Marnier
- half a liter of carbonated water
Steps:
1. Peel and segment the grapefruit and (normal) oranges.
2. Slice up the tangerines, blood oranges and limes/bergamot oranges/kumquats.
3. Put all the fruit in a jar with the liquor and a few table spoons of the syrup/honey. Let sit for at least an hour.
4. Mix the fruit + liquor with the chilled white wine, sweet wine and the lemon juice. Stir well.
5. Add the chilled carbonated water just before serving.
6. Serve with white wine ice cubes, using a ladle.
As long as you're not adding St-Germain to, say, a bottle of Ruinart or Veuve Clicquot...
