If you’re looking for a fun and easy-to-make cocktail this summer for serving just one or a crowd, everyone will love this Backyard Blackberry Sangria!
I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for Summer. Every day gets longer by a few minutes. Especially up here in the Pacific Northwest. As much as I love the idea of living somewhere like Hawaii, I think I would really miss the changing seasons, and the wonderful feeling of watching the days grow longer as summer approaches. As the days get warmer and the kids start counting down how many days are left in the school year, I find myself daydreaming about all the fun summer activities we have to look forward to. One of my most favorite things to do is to eat dinner outside and relax with a tasty beverage. I’m all about easy and you’ll never see me mixing up a complicated drink. This backyard sangria is perfect because you can make a single serving or enough to entertain an entire party. You just prepare a mason jar for every drink you want to serve. Fun, right?
Every good sangria starts with wine. I had an open bottle of wine in my refrigerator, so that’s how this cocktail started. I always have an open bottle of wine at home though, so that comment wasn’t really relevant, now was it?
Next, you add some wonderful berry-infused vodka. I have some incredible stuff that I got at a Farmer’s Market last summer, but I also have the pleasure of living in Oregon where berries are everywhere. If you’re not lucky enough to have some marionberry infused vodka in the cupboard, not to worry. Just use straight vodka.
Next, add some blackberries to your mason jar. You want to add just the right amount so that they’re all covered with the liquid. We won’t get fresh berries here until July so I had to dip into my frozen reserves.
Screw a lid on that bad boy and let those luscious berries take a chilled overnight bath in that booze. When you’re ready to serve, just top off your glasses with some ginger ale, add a straw and a fresh sprig of mint, sit outside and enjoy your drink until you hear the crickets sing you a song.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry white wine (like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio)
- 4 ounces vodka
- 1 cup blackberries fresh or frozen
- 4 ounces ginger ale
- Ice
- Limes sliced
- Oranges sliced
- Fresh mint for garnish
Instructions
- Place blackberries into a quart mason jar. Pour in wine and vodka.
- Cover the jar with a lid and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to overnight.
- When ready to serve, fill two glasses halfway with ice. Add lime and orange slices for garnish if desired.
- Pour the sangria into each glass until almost full. Pour some ginger al on top of each cocktail and then garnish with a sprig of mint. Serve immediately.
