Sangria

Ingredients

• 3⅛ cupsred winedry, Spanish, e.g. Rioja
• 2orangeunwaxed, sliced or cut into pieces
• 1lemonunwaxed, sliced or juiced
• 1applecored, cut into small pieces or slices
• 1peachor nectarine, pitted and diced
• 3 tbspsugaradjust to taste
• ⅔ cuporange juicefreshly squeezed
• ⅓ cupbrandySpanish brandy
• 2⅔ tbsporange liqueure.g. Cointreau or triple sec
• 1 cupsoda waterwell chilled, add just before serving
• ice cubesfor serving
• 1cinnamon sticksteep along with the fruit (optional)
• 6strawberrieshalved or chopped (optional)
• 1pomegranateseeds removed (optional)

Method

1. Wash the oranges and the lemon in hot water, pat them dry and cut them into slices or chunks. If you'd rather use the lemon for its juice, squeeze it instead.
2. Core the apple and pit the peach or nectarine, then cut both into small pieces or slices. If you're using them, halve the strawberries now and pick the seeds out of the pomegranate.
3. Tip all the fruit into a large jug, sprinkle it with the sugar and drizzle over the lemon juice if you squeezed it. Tuck in a cinnamon stick if you like, so it can steep along with the fruit.
4. Pour the brandy and orange liqueur over the fruit and give everything a good stir.
5. Add the red wine and the freshly squeezed orange juice and keep stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved. Taste now and add a little more sugar if you want it sweeter.
6. Cover the jug and let the sangria steep in the fridge for 1 to 4 hours, so the wine and fruit can trade flavours.
7. Just before serving, fish out the cinnamon stick, if using. Then add the well-chilled soda water and the ice cubes and stir gently. Pour into glasses, and don't be shy about ladling some of the fruit in too.

Tips and variations

Sangria leaves plenty of room to play: with white wine instead of red it turns lighter and paler, while a mix of red and white with a splash of sweet sherry, mango and pomegranate makes it fruitier. Sweet vermouth can stand in for the wine altogether, in which case berries and cherries suit it well. For an alcohol-free version, start with black tea, cinnamon, pomegranate juice and mineral water. Served hot: heat red wine with orange liqueur, lemon zest and citrus segments. For a winter version, go for cloves, apple brandy and apple juice. Our tip for hot days: pour the sangria over a scoop of lemon sorbet.