Most drinks have a traceable “original” recipe (cocktail writer David Wondrich has tracked down many of them on Esquire’s drinks database.) Many have a popularly accepted recipe, and some even have a “sanctioned” recipe from the International Bartender’s Association (which I picture to be something akin to SPECTRE in the James Bond movies.) But the “right” recipe? Drinks change over time, as do tastes, and at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is my recipe (if I’m mixing your drinks) and yours (because you should really know what you like, and how you like it.)

I mention all that because whenever I bring sangria to a party, and people ask me for the recipe (more to make conversation than because they’re actually interested), I’m at a loss. It’s a little flip, but my answer is something along the lines of “wine and fruit.” Because that’s all you really need. And that’s really how I think of sangria.

My recipe changes a bit every time I make sangria. I usually buy whatever fruit is on sale in the produce section and pick out a fairly inexpensive wine as well. (There’d be no sense in buying something complex or expensive, since we’re going to fuss with the flavor anyway. And besides, I’m a writer, so I can’t afford it.) A little bit of brandy adds some punch, and a bit of fruit juice helps to balance the flavors, but for the most part we’re just infusing wine with fruit. You’ll be surprised how well it works.

Please note that this recipe makes over a gallon of sangria; plan your guest list accordingly.

Sangria

• 4-5 bottles inexpensive red wine (if you’d prefer, you can use white instead.)
• 1/2 pint (8 oz.) brandy
• One bottle sparkling wine
• 2-3 pounds mixed fruit (for the sake of an example, let’s say a pound of strawberries, a half a honeydew, and an orange.)
• 2 cups fruit juice (anything would work, but again, if you need an example, let’s say pineapple)

Now, I say any wine that drinks well is fine to serve, regardless of whether it has a fancy name. However, if you want something inexpensive and “authentic”, I say go for a cava. Cava, a Spanish sparkling wine that is (like prosecco) somewhat inexpensive, is lesser known but can be just as good. I picked up a bottle of this Jaume Serra Cristalino Cava at Trader Joe’s for $6.99, and after tasting it, I can’t disagree with the sticker on the bottle touting this wine’s ranking as a “value brand of the year” from Wine & Spirits Magazine for three years running. (A bit of research shows that this cava used to be sold as Cristalino, but that the winemakers lost a trademark battle with the makers of Cristal and had to tack on the winemaker’s name.)

How does it look? The Jaume Serra cava is a transparent, light gold color – mellow yellow, if you want to be hip about it.

How does it smell? Dry, and a little tart. There aren’t any noticeable fruit aromas or tannins – it seems like it would be a mild wine. Again, mellow.

But how does it taste? Dry, clean, and unassuming. The front of the palate registers a lot like a crisp, dry lager would – the carbonation is almost the strongest flavor. Some tart citrus flavors emerge on the back of the palate, and linger in the aftertaste. The best thing to say about this cava is that there aren’t any unpleasant flavors – it’s not woody, and it doesn’t have any of the cloying sweetness that a cheaper “champagne” might have.

What should I eat it with? Oddly, my first instinct was to say Chinese food, even though rieslings are supposed to be the generic pairing there. This would stand up well at a barbecue as well – it’d zap the grease from a burger or the vinegar from a barbecue sauce away from your palate, and it’s refreshing enough to drink while you’re waiting for the grill to heat up, too.

Bonus points: the best way to open a bottle of sparkling wine, of course, is to saber it – open it with a sword (or, lacking that, a heavy chef’s knife.) A champagne bottle is under pressure, and a little bit of force applied to the bottle’s weakest point – along the seam, where the neck meets the ring of the lip – will make the cork and the lip of the bottle fly clean off. Chill your bottle, take it somewhere with a bit of open space, remove the foil and the wire, lay your sword (or chef’s knife) flat along the seam of the bottle, dull end facing the cork, and slide the blade fast and straight along the neck until it strikes the lip of the bottle. As long as you make firm, direct contact with the lip along the seam, the top flies right off.

Check YouTube – I’ve never shot any video, but this guy knows how to do it. And by way of a disclaimer – don’t hurt yourself, and don’t blame me if you do.

On Mondays, we typically enjoy a bottle of sparkling wine with our tapas menu.  As this Monday was special, we wanted a bottle of something that was a little more special but not necessarily an indulgence.  Being the chef for the evening, I also searched for the perfect bottle of bubbly.  Having enjoyed Moët & Chandon previously, this bottle seemed like the perfect choice at a price point of $35- a bit more than a typical bottle of sparkling wine but not outrageous.

The Moët & Chandon Impérial definitely was a great choice.  This wine was smooth, almost like sipping on a liquid silk.  In addition to having a great mouth feel, it also had a hint of sweetness.  The sweetness was done well:  enough to awaken your tastebuds but not so much that it tasted like a dessert wine.  With hints of apple and honey, it could be complimentary to many meals.

As with any sparkling wine, this beverage is best enjoyed slowly.  While you will notice the smooth texture immediately, the assortment of flavors present themselves as you slowly savor each sip.  Between the aroma and the taste, you will discover that this bottle of Champagne consists of a beautiful combination of flavors.

For those of you who have never tried or considered wine with barbecue, you are in for a real treat. Start by pairing pit-smoked pork or poultry with a dry or sparkling white. With beef or game meats, try a robust red. Any wine you choose for barbecue should be assertive enough to play off the rich flavors of the smoke, rubs and sauces. In this pursuit, it is much more difficult to find a proper wine pairing for sweeter, more decadent sauces that are made with a molasses base. Most commercially available sauces are made with a good deal of molasses and liquid smoke. I generally prefer a lightly rubbed, slow-smoked meat, but if I must eat sweet barbecue I will choose a crisp, palate cleansing sparkling white or blush. For savory rubs on any sort of smoked meat, I have found that the best general, overall pairing is a dry rose. Chardonnay is also a substantive partner for smoked barbecue, regardless of the meat. However, experimenting with the variety of flavor blends between wines and barbecue can provide endless avenues for tantalizing taste bud adventure.

Vicki and I have found that we enjoy cocktails made with Prosecco or sparkling wine.  Having tried different liqueurs, raspberry liqueur has been our favorite.  Other liqueurs, which seemed like they would work well, haven’t been as enjoyable, such as melon liqueur.

This weekend seemed like a good time to try to find a different liqueur that would make a tasty sparkling cocktail.  Having tried a lemonade and sparkling wine cocktail at Easter (that was yummy), trying limoncello seemed like a good idea.  Although we had raspberry liqueur in case this cocktail was a failure, we didn’t need it.  The limoncello blended well with the sparkling wine giving the drink a nice combination of sweet and tart.

We now have another recipe to add to our tried and true list.  Sparkling Lemonade will make a fun, bubbly cocktail for the summer months.

Sparkling Lemonade

1 oz. limoncello

Prosecco or sparkling wine

For a drink that is icy cold, the limoncello should be refrigerated.  If the limoncello is at room temperature, you can pour the limoncello into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously for 20 seconds.  Pour cold limoncello into champagne flute, and top with sparkling wine.  Stir, and enjoy!

Regardless, I need to work on beverage pairings for tomorrow evening.  While the obvious choice is Guinness or Harp’s, I am not a beer drinker.  Not even for one day of the year.  Last year, I created an icy, green beverage, the Minty McFreeze.  However, it was a heavier drink that I served as a dessert for the adults.

Most mixed drinks seem like they’d clash with the pickled flavor of the corned beef.  So, I have been trying to decide what the perfect wine pairing would be.  Typically, I prefer red wines: Cabernets, Syrahs, Merlots.  However, as I envision sipping on a glass of that with the St. Patty’s dinner, they seem heavy and not well matched with such a meal.  Reading opinions of others, it seems that many agree with avoiding any red wine for this dinner.

The next decision becomes which white wine to serve.  It would seem that you want a white that isn’t too sweet and has a little bit of acidity.  What might work would be a Gewurztraminer or Pinot Gris.  Of course, another option would be to serve a sparkling white wine, such as a Cava or Prosecco.  Those little bubbles will help the delicate flavor stand up to the saltiness of the meal.

Of course, my opinion is just that, an opinion.  I am not a wine expert, nor did I consult with a sommelier.  So, if you have some wine knowledge and would like to share your opinion, please do!  Leave a comment, and tell me what wine you would suggest.  I still have a whole day in which I can purchase the appropriate wine for dinner.

After dinner we decided to lay on the living room floor and watch Michael Clayton (read reviews of the movie in FlickRev). To go with our lounging and cinematic release, we had a bottle of Villa Conaro Prosecco Extra Dry.

For those of you who like the effervescent sensation of spumante, but do not like the heavy sweetness that comes with the bubbles, this is the bottle for you. This prosecco, which comes from Veneto, Italy, is a light straw-colored bubbly wine. My WTB and I had three or four flutes each and did not get the aftertaste or heavy feeling you get from most sparkling wines.

A sharp cheese and a baguette would be lovely partners for this delightful, moderately priced wine selection.  It also would make an excellent addition to a martini, giving a small amount of carbonation to lighten the drink.