White Sangria

[Wyogal]

We had a fabulous white sangria at a pizza place in Virginia Beach, son's rehearsal dinner. It is supposed to be 94 degrees here tonight, thought it would be refreshing. What are your favorite combinations of fruit/spice/wine?

[Snoop Puss]

Cava (sparkling wine) sangría. Peach season is just starting here, so this is quite timely. Chop peaches and other fruit you think will go with the flavour according to your own tastes, put in a jug with a dash of brandy and then pour in the wine.

[Scotch]

I generally don't like to serve Sangria because I find that people tend to get plastered on the stuff -- it's tasty and hides the alcohol and they don't realize how much they've consumed until it's too late.

When I do serve it, I usually prefer a very simple red Sangria. Nonetheless, here's a recipe for a very tasty and refreshing white Sangria I used to make on occasion. It's less alcoholic than many versions because it contains no brandy or other hard liquor. It's from an advertisement for Almaden Wines printed around 1970:

BLONDE SANGRIA

⅓ to ½ cup sugar
2 lemons
2 oranges
½ gallon white wine
1 pint club soda

1. Cut 2 or 3 thin slices from the center of each lemons and orange; cut slices in half; set aside

2. Squeeze juice and pulp from the remaining parts of the oranges and lemons into a large bowl or pitcher.

3. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.

4. Add wine and stir to combine.

5. Add ice and soda -- do NOT stir after adding soda.

6. Garnish with fruit slices.

Makes 20 4-ounce servings, enough for 6 to 8 people.

[Wyogal]

Thanks! I ended up getting pinot grigio, to which I added some sugar, the lemons and oranges, red seedless grapes cut in half (cuz I had those, too), gran marnier, and some club soda. I have it in my ice tea jug in the fridge.

[Constance]

I have a friend who buys a package of mixed frozen fruit, puts a scoop of the still frozen fruit in a wine glass and pours white wine over the top. It's soooo good!