BY SHALEEN DESTEFANO
The sun’s out, the grill’s on, and your guests are thirsty. Cue this vibrant citrus sangria—your new warm-weather party staple. Bursting with fresh-squeezed juice from grapefruits, oranges, lemons and limes, this sangria strikes a perfect balance between bold and bright. It’s perfect for laid-back backyard and front porch socials or easy breezy evenings with friends. Serve it in a chilled mixing bowl with a ladle or elevate the vibe with a pretty carafe and fresh fruit garnishes. Either way, it’s sunshiny bliss in a glass. Or jar. Or red solo cup.
Ingredients
• 1 bottle red wine (choose one you’d happily sip on its own)
• 1 pink grapefruit
• 2 blood oranges
• 2 navel oranges
• 2 Meyer lemons
• 1 lemon
• 1 lime
• 2 mandarins
• ½ cup brandy
• ½ cup sugar
• Sparkling water or citrus soda (for topping off)
Instructions
1. Wash all the citrus fruits well, since you’ll be using them with the skin on. Pat dry.
2. Slice the following and set aside:
• ½ pink grapefruit
• ½ navel orange
• 1 blood orange
• 1 lime
• 1 Meyer lemon
• 1 mandarin
• ½ regular lemon
3. Juice the remaining citrus (grapefruit, oranges, lemons and mandarin). Aim for about 1½ cups of juice. If you come up short, squeeze an extra piece or two to fill the gap—juice yield varies.
4. In a large pitcher, combine the sliced citrus, red wine, fresh citrus juice, brandy and sugar. Stir well.
5. Chill the sangria for at least two hours (or overnight, if you can wait—it gets better).
6. When ready to serve, garnish with additional citrus slices and top each glass with sparkling water or citrus soda for a bit of fizz.