The core concept of sangria is fairly simple - mix cheap wine and various fruits, let the fruits soak into the wine for hours to days, serve cold. The idea of wine cocktails probably starts with the Romans, since they were using it as an antibacterial agent (mixing with local water). Sangria is technically Spanish in origin, but really blew up internationally after it was introduced to the American palate at the 1964 World's Fair.

History lesson aside, here's what you need:

Ingredients

• 1.5L young cheap wine
• 3 oranges
• 1 apple
• 1 peach, apricot, or similarly sweet fruit
• 1 lemon
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 cup brandy (optional)
• Simple syrup (optional)
• Seltzer or soda (optional)

Recipe

1. Juice the citrus, and add to the wine in a large pitcher. Add brandy if using.
2. Chop the remaining fruit and citrus rinds into big chunks, and add them to the pitcher.
3. Toss in your cinnamon sticks (and simple syrup).
4. Stir gently then stick in the fridge for 3 hours (overnight preferred)
5. If you like bubbly sangria, mix 2:1 with seltzer or soda of choice.
6. Enjoy with family and friends :)

The first question I had when making this, and the question I'm always asked when I bring this to friends, is what wine do I use? This is actually a fairly easy question - since sangria is a sweet drink, you want a sweet, fruity wine without high tannin content. This usually means the young and cheap stuff. Traditional sangria is made with reds (sangre means blood in Spanish), here are some Spanish reds you could use:

• Garnacha - Quite fruity and sweet
• Monstrell - Rich color and darker fruity taste
• Tempranillo - Spicier and sometimes woody
• Malbec - Technically Argentinian, but still an excellent choice

Those are the traditional choices, but you can do sangria without reds. A nice tart white like a dry Riesling can make a great white sangria; just substitute some of the sweeter fruits for something like grapes or strawberries. Fruity rosés are also excellent choices. Really, it's whatever you like.