Pineapple Coconut Sangria3
I love a good sangria.  Not the premade stuff that you can buy but the ones that are made from scratch.   It’s so simple to make and so versatile; it’s the perfect party drink as it can be easily made in large batches and can be made up to 24 hours ahead. I prefer white wine sangria so this weekend I made a Pineapple Coconut Sangria that was out of the world amazing! I use a simple guideline when making sangria, while my ingredients vary from time to time, the formula stays the same.  Pineapple Coconut Sangria-1-4

Start with an inexpensive dry wine such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc, don’t use anything too sweet as we will be adding other sweet ingredients.  To this you can choose to add liqueur or rum or brandy.   If using a liqueur, it add extra fruity flavor but it also adds a lot of sugar.   Next I like to add something with bubbles such as a seltzer or lemon lime soda.   Now taste!  It is very important to do so at this stage to see if the sangria is sweet enough or if it needs additional sugar.  If it does, sweeten it by adding a simple syrup then lastly add the fruit.  There are no rules when it comes to the fruit; simply add what you love!  After you’ve added the fruit, chill the sangria and allow it to sit for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight; this allows the flavors to blend.  This Pineapple Coconut Sangria was good on the first day but was so much better the next day!  Serve over ice and enjoy!

Pineapple Coconut Sangria-1-6

Pineapple Coconut Sangria

1 750ml bottle Pinot Grigio

½ cup Spiced Rum

3 cups Pineapple Juice

3 cups Coconut Seltzer*

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

½ of a pineapple, skin on, cut into thin slices

Make the simple syrup by placing water and sugar in a small pot over medium fire.  Cook until sugar is melted, about 5-10 minutes.  Set aside and cool before adding to sangria. Next add wine, rum, pineapple juice, simple syrup and seltzer then stir.  Add sliced pineapple then place in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.  Serve with ice.

 

*If you cannot find coconut seltzer, you can use plain seltzer and coconut rum as an alternative.