Sangría

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 (750-milliliter) bottles dry red wine
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup peach nectar*
• 1/4 cup orange liqueur
• 2 to 3 cups club soda, chilled
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, thinly sliced
• 1 orange, thinly sliced
• 1 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced

Preparation

1. 1. Bring sugar and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes.
2. 2. Combine sugar mixture, red wine, and next 3 ingredients in a large container; cover and chill 4 hours. Stir in club soda and next 4 ingredients just before serving. Serve over ice, if desired.
3. *1/2 cup orange juice may be substituted.
4. Note: For testing purposes only, we used Columbia Crest Two Vines Merlot for dry red wine and Grand Marnier for orange liqueur.
5. Sangría Blanco: Omit orange juice and peach nectar. Substitute dry white wine for red wine, lemon-lime soft drink for club soda, and 1 pt. fresh strawberries for 1 Granny Smith apple. Increase orange liqueur to 1 cup, 1 lemon to 2, 1 lime to 2, and 1 orange to 2. Prepare recipe as directed, stirring in 3/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves with wine in Step 2.