RED SANGRIA

The original sangria was made with red wine, and it’s still the most popular in Spain. At Whistler’s Bar Oso, bar manager Jason Redmond infuses his version with the essential oils from oranges and lemons, as well as fragrant cinnamon. Be careful not to overdo the cinnamon, though: Too much will overpower everything else.

Serves: 6

One 750-mL bottle red wine

3 oz (90mL) brandy

3 oz (90 mL) Cointreau

3 oz (90 mL) freshly squeezed orange juice

2 oz (60 mL) simple syrup (see note)

Zest of 1/2 an orange, cut in wide slices

Zest of 1/2 a lemon, cut in wide slices

1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon (or to taste)

6 oz (180 mL) Sprite or soda water 2. Combine all ingredients except Sprite or soda water in a jug and stir until cinnamon is well integrated. You can drink this right away, but it will be better if you allow it to sit for at least an hour to absorb all the flavours. Pour into a wine glass or goblet over ice and top each serving with 1 oz (30 mL) of soda. Garnish with fresh fruit of your choice — Redmond suggests adding a bamboo skewer of a blueberry and small pieces of apple, orange and pear.

Note: To make simple syrup, bring 1 cup (250 mL) sugar and 1 cup (250 mL) water just to a boil, stirring constantly until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat, cool, and store in the fridge for up to two weeks in a clean glass container.