Sangria

Ingredients

2 750ml bottles of red wine.

1 cup Cointreau or Triple Sec

1 cup Brandy

1 cup Orange Juice

Blue Agave Nectar to taste (superfine sugar may be substituted)

Various sliced fruits to add to beverage - Orange, Lemon, Lime are traditional. Consider adding firm Nectarine, Peach, Plum or even Strawberries for variety and color.

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients into a spigoted container or into a punch bowl. The amount of sliced fruit you add is at your discretion, but your Sangria looks beautiful jammed with fruits. Make from 4-24 hours in advance -- give the sliced fruit a chance ot infuse the Sangria.

Serve in ice-filled glasses. Garnish with sliced fruits if desired, preferably from the ones that have been soaking in the Sangria.

- A word about wine choice. I am a firm believer that Sangria is a casual, un-fussy beverage that is not improved with use of a "good" wine. I prefer a fruity wine, the cheaper the better. I used a very inexpensive (ok, it was cheap) E&J "Café" style Merlot. It was less than satisfying all by itself, but was perfect for the Sangria because of its light note. Others may enjoy a more bold or dry wine choice. Experiment, but keep it inexpensive!

Be very careful when sweetening this beverage. Especially if using the Blue Agave Nectar, add only a very small amount at a time and taste before adding more.

To add a twist, try a flavored brandy. Peach is quite delicious. You will likely not need to further sweeten your Sangria when you use a flavored Brandy.