GEORGE sommelier Brie’s favourite sangria variations are bright, fresh, thirst-quenching, and highlight the flavours of the season.
The best part about these recipes? You can assemble the night before, in fact, sangria benefits from a day in the fridge before serving. More time to relax and enjoy hosting the party!
White Sangria
with Riesling, citrus, and orchard fruits
Riesling is a white wine grape grown widely across Germany and Canada’s Niagara region. Its bright citrus and white peach flavours and vibrant, often slightly sweet, palate are perfect as the base for a fresh summer sangria.
Serves 4-6
- 1 x 750ml bottle of Riesling
- ¾ cup Triple Sec, Apricot brandy, or any combination of similarly flavoured liquors
- Juice from ½ lemon and 1 lime
- 1 cup peach juice or nectar - ½ cup for sangria, reserve ½ cup for freezing into peach ice cubes
- 2 white peaches, chopped - reserve small portion for peach ice cubes
- Sprigs of fresh mint to garnish
- Soda water to top
For Sangria
Combine all ingredients (except ice cubes, soda, and mint sprigs) into a glass pitcher the night before. The next day, serve each wine glass with a sprig of mint and a few ice cubes and top with a splash of soda.
For Peach ice cubes
Add a few pieces of chopped peach pieces to each square of the ice cube tray. Top with peach juice/nectar and a small mint leaf and freeze. These are optional, if you are pressed for time regular ice cubes will be fine.
Pink Sangria
with rosé, summer berries, and lavender
Rosé season is back! Celebrate it with this pretty pink sangria that embraces summer berries and florals. Brie prefers using a rosé from Ontario or the south of France.
Serves 4-6
- 1 x 750ml bottle of Rosé
- ¾ cup Cherry Brandy, Alize Red, a combination of the two, or any other favorite berry liquor
- Juice from ½ an orange - reserve small amount of orange peel zest for garnish in a damp paper towel in the fridge overnight
- 1 cup raspberry juice - ½ cup for sangria, reserve ½ cup for berry ice cubes
- ½ cup strawberry puree - reserve ¼ cup for berry ice cubes
- 1 cup seasonal berries - Brie likes to use Ontario strawberries and raspberries, chopped if necessary. Reserve small portion for berry ice cubes.
- Sprigs of Lavender - thyme works well as a substitute
- Soda water to top
For Sangria
Assemble all ingredients except the ice cubes, lavender, and orange zest in a glass pitcher the night before. As with the White Peach Sangria, serve in a wine glass, adding the lavender, berry ice cubes, and orange zest to each one, topping with a splash of soda water. Sip, smile, repeat!
For Berry ice cubes
As with the peach version, fill tray with raspberry juice, strawberry puree, and a fresh berry. Add small amount of pulled lavender. Freeze overnight.
