When in Rome or Miami, Summertime is for Sangria

Hydration, of course, is key to surviving summer in Miami.

This time of year, the tourists have retreated to less-humid climes, while those of us who make our homes here start planning our days around a different set of locations: which parking spots are the shadiest, which air conditioners blow coldest and which bars serve the iciest drinks.

Blowhards and barflies might complain about dilution, but the experienced Biscayne Tippler puts a premium on refreshment. Keep filling the water glass, please, while bringing out another round of something more substantial.

Wine is fine, but add something wetter for the heat, then balance that out with something drier. Put in something sweet for summer, then balance that with a hint of something aromatic … in other words, follow the same steps you’d take to create a cocktail. What you’ve got, though, is sangria as it’s supposed to be.

Roman Roots

The first sangria was mixed around 2,000 years ago by an Aquarius – not by the zodiac sign, but by a water-bearer for the Roman army. Wine was commonly used to keep water rations germ-free while on the march, and seasonal fruit and herbs would be added to help improve the flavor and keep soldiers’ energy up. As the troops advanced into Spain, they started referring to the red-wine punch as “sanguis,” meaning “blood,” or in Spanish, “sangre.”

It seems pretty clear that the first Spanish colonists to the New World brought sangria with them, and Floridians were in all likelihood sipping on a dry yet refreshingly fruity concoction as early as the 1500s in the settlements around St. Augustine. However, the drink only made a splash in the English-speaking world in 1964, when the Spanish Pavilion served sangria at the New York World’s Fair.

Soon enough, sangria began showing up at cocktail parties, picnics and restaurants. It was made with red wine, white or rosé; blended with vodka, sherry, cava or vermouth; and served with chunky bits ranging from fresh orange wedges to gin-soaked raisins to canned fruit cocktail. Whether or not any of these were authentic was an open question. Over 2,000 years, a recipe can go through a lot of variations.

The Basics

If you order a sangria in any number of Madrid restaurants, you’ll likely get a kind of spritzer consisting of a measure of red wine splashed over ice with some lemon soda (or sweetened soda water), with a little bit of vermouth or herbal liqueur mixed in and an orange slice for garnish. Without the liqueur and orange, it’d be called a “tinto de verano.” This drink isn’t what the locals would call sangria at home, though.

The sangria served at a backyard barbecue (or alongside a family paella) takes a bit more time to prepare, and would go something like the following.

BASIC SANGRIA

INGREDIENTS

·     1 lemon

·     2 oranges

·     1 green apple

·     1 nectarine (or apricot)

·     1 stick cinnamon

·     1 star anise

·     1 teaspoon simple syrup

·     4 ounces brandy (Spanish brandy or Armagnac)

·     1 bottle red wine (Rioja or something young, fruity and inexpensive but nice)

METHOD

·     Carefully peel the zest off the pith of one lemon and at least one orange; juice citrus into a glass pitcher with the zest. Cube apple and nectarine, then add to pitcher with cinnamon, anise and simple syrup (one part sugar melted in one part water).

·     Add brandy to pitcher and let sit 30 minutes or more; add wine and allow to steep overnight.

·     Serve over ice and, if you prefer, with club soda. Adjust sweetness with simple syrup or fresh fruit as desired.

Local Twists & Tweaks

South Florida is where cultures collide and recombine, and sangria recipes (and the philosophies behind them) are no exception. Nearly every watering hole has its own spin, with most leaning deeply into sweet territory. Some go so far as to serve pitchers of something closer to Hi-C than the blood-strengthener of the mighty Roman legions. But there are a few decent variations out there, with a wide enough range that something is bound to appeal to any taste.

At Sugarcane in The Shops At Midtown Miami, a white sangria that’s somewhat out of the ordinary is one to try. South of the Rickenbacker Causeway and hidden on SW 17th Avenue is El Carajo International, a tapas bar and wine shop that offers an authentically Spanish take. And at Ball & Chain on Calle Ocho, there’s a sangria that’s refreshingly fruity while remaining as complex as an aperitif. It’s built from rosé wine and botanically steeped vodka, and flavored with mint, honey and bitter Aperol.

BOTANICAL ROSÉ SANGRIA

INGREDIENTS

·     3 ounces rosé wine

·     1 1/2 ounces Ketel One Botanical Peach Orange Blossom Vodka

·     1/2 ounce Aperol

·     1/2 ounce mint-honey syrup

·     Club soda

·     1 bunch fresh mint

METHOD

·     Pour rosé, vodka, Aperol and syrup into shaker, add a few mint leaves and mix well.

·     Add cubed ice to wine glass and pour mixture over ice, then top with soda. Garnish with dehydrated fruit, flowers and remaining mint.

Basque-ing in the Glory

Finally, if you’d like to experiment a bit further at home, try casting your eye toward the Basque region along the mountainous border with France, and substitute a white wine for the blood red favored elsewhere.

BASQUE WHITE SANGRIA

INGREDIENTS

·     1 orange

·     1 lemon

·     1 bottle white wine (Spanish Albariño, sauvignon blanc or )

·     1/4 to 1/3 cup triple sec

·     1/4 cup sugar

·     1-2 sticks cinnamon

·     1/2 cup club soda

METHOD

·     Carefully peel zest off pith of one orange, wrap it around a tall wooden spoon and place in pitcher.

·     Slice orange and lemon and add to pitcher, then add the wine, triple sec, sugar and cinnamon sticks.

·     Let sit at least one hour or steep for several hours for a stronger cinnamon flavor. Add club soda, stir and serve over ice.

These recipes are simply guidelines – more than most cocktails, sangria is flexible and encourages experimentation. However you prepare it, just serve it cold and maybe sip some water along with it. It’s hot outside!