White Sangria
When most people think of sangria, they think of wine mixed with fruit, but the classic sangria has a little more oomph. A classic sangria is made up of wine and fruit, but also has hard alcohol. Like I said, oomph.
A red sangria usually has red wine and brandy and is ideal for the fall and winter. But a white sangria is made with white wine and Cointreau or Grand Marnier making it the perfect summer sipper. Why the change in liquor? Well, it’s as simple as the brandy is dark and so blends well with red wines whereas the Cointreau or Grand Marnier is clear and so blends well with the whites. I mean who wants to drink brown wine? Certainly not me. So, I stick with the classics. At least I would have… except that I recently discovered another liquor that works just as well and is so much better: Hangar 1’s Rosé flavored Vodka.
I’m a big Hangar 1 fan. Based out of a hangar in northern California, they’re a vodka distillery who prides itself on distilling their vodka from the finest ingredients. Where other vodka companies might use flavorings and extracts, Hangar 1 only uses real ingredients. Their plain vodka is a blend of local wine grapes and midwestern grains. Their Mandarin Blossom isn’t made with oranges but rather the blossoms from the Mandarin trees because the flowers gave the distillers the bright citrus flavors they wanted. And the Buddah’s Hand Citron is made with, you guessed it, real Buddah’s Hand fruit because it has a subtler flavor than the harsher lemon. So, it’s only natural that when it came to adding a new flavor to the Hangar 1 docket, they’d go with something that wasn’t only found in nature, but is delicious and totally unique.
Made with grapes sourced from neighboring wineries, their rosé vodka celebrates the Golden State wine culture. The first-of-its-kind, this vodka is a blend of Hangar 1’s classic vodka and real California rosé wine. The end result is a sweet, crisp vodka that’s perfect for a warm spring day. It’s so smooth, I would easily drink it neat or on the rocks. But my favorite way to imbibe the liquor is with a little club soda. At least that was my favorite way until I created this White Sangria.
Using seasonal fruit like strawberries, oranges and mangoes brings out the sweetness of the rosé vodka; and when combined with a dry chardonnay or crisp sauvignon blanc, you get a sangria that’s not only easy to drink but a delight as well. Add a little prosecco and you suddenly have a drink that’s dressy enough for a summer soiré, but casual enough to serve at a nice family brunch. Speaking of which, in case you don’t know what to serve Mom on Sunday, this cocktail is perfect. While I probably wouldn’t serve it to her in bed, a pitcher would look great on a table next to a strata or coffee cake. And the best news of all, it’ll go great with either.
Ingredients
- 1 mango, chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 6 strawberries, hulled and chopped
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 (750 ml) bottle of chardonnay
- 1/2 cup Hangar 1 Rose vodka
- 1/2 cup simple syrup
- 2 tablespoons Cointreau
- 1 (750 ml) bottle prosecco
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients except the prosecco in a large pitcher and stir to combine. Place in the refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
- 30 minutes before you're ready to serve, add the bottle of prosecco and continue to chill. Serve over ice in a rocks or wine glass.
