Nothing like swilling sangria to make you feel like you’re spending your summer on the Spanish riviera and not a sweaty patio in southern Louisiana.
It’s a straightforward drink—a bunch of fruit and wine in a pitcher—but it’s easy to misstep with the wrong ingredients. Alexander’s Highland Market assistant manager, former bartender and wine guru Bonnie Dupont gave us her best advice for stirring up some summer sangria, starting with selecting the perfect wine.
For a white sangria
Choose a pinot grigio or a white blend—the lightest white you can find. A savignon blanc will be too dry, while a chardonnay is too oaky to be a good sangria base. Choose a cheaper wine, since you’ll need plenty and you’ll be cutting it with fruit and juices, anyway. Try a Coppola Diamond Pinot Grigio ($11.99) or a Menage à Trois White Blend ($9.99), both available at Alexander’s.
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For a red sangria
Opt for a less aggressive and more neutral red to act as a canvas for fruit flavors, like a medium-bodied merlot or a pinot noir. The more sangria-priced side of Alexander’s selection includes Two Vines Merlot ($7.99) and Blackstone Pinot Noir ($9.99). Dupont suggests matching the wine with blackberry brandy at a 1-to-1 ratio.
For the mixers
Match the wine with another liquor such as brandy or orange liqueur. Cut it with soda water and/or fruit juices. Cut up and mix in your favorite summer fruits (check out what’s fresh at the Baton Rouge farmers markets here). Refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight to let the flavors develop.
Where to sip on sangria in Baton Rouge this summer:
Velvet Cactus: Its red sangria combines cabernet, brandy, orange and lime juice, triple sec and fresh fruit, while the white sangria mixes riesling with rum, orange and lime juice, simple syrup and fruit.
Superior Grill: Get your Sangria Margarita on—a frozen margarita swirled with sweet sangria goodness.
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Olive or Twist: The Sunday Brunch Sangria packs a flavorful punch with white wine, white rum, apricot brandy, Giffard Fraise des Bois, pineapple, lemon, orange and lime juice.
Kona Grill: Happy hour means an Asian twist on the classic with Kona’s signature Sake Sangria.
Welcome to summer with 225 Dine. Our new Summer Sippin’ series will explore some of the Capital Region’s most refreshing drinks, from lemonade to cocktails to smoothies. Follow along with us each week to discover a different local beverage and tell us about your favorite Baton Rouge sangrias in the comments.