Sangria

A lot of people ask me, "What do you do with leftover wine samples, and can I have them?" I'm not going to drive all over town dropping off half-empty bottles. Sometimes I'll pass them along to friends or family, but often a lot of the excess goes down the drain.

Sometimes I'll use the leftovers for cooking, but my favorite application is to make sangria. In this case I used three tangerines (two juiced, one sliced), one honeycrisp apple, one Granny Smith apple, and a handful of strawberries and chopped pineapple. I used a lot of California Zinfandel mixed in with a little vodka and sugar. I like this glass jar and always serve the sangria straight from the jar with a steel ladle.

It's important to let the whole thing rest overnight so that the flavors can marry. Though on the second day as the reserves are depeted, you can top it off with more leftover wine and the wine-soaked fruit will continue to contribute flavor. It's also good to serve it with some lemon wedges for those that are looking for a little more tartness, as well as club soda for those that want a lighter, fizzier drink.

Julia and I enjoyed this with smoked goat and chicken tacos, a pleasant meal for a warm autumn day.