Though Champagne is the first wine that comes to my mind when someone says "sparkling," true Champagne is probably a little "strong" for sangria, never mind that it's normally too expensive at $50+ to dump into a pitcher with a bunch of other liquor, juice, fruit, and maybe even ice. Save Champagne for a glass by itself, and make sangria with an affordable Cava from Spain or Prosecco from Italy.
Don't mistake "affordable" with "cheap," though. Cheap wine and bottomshelf liquor are probably why you have somewhat hazy and altogether horrible memories of sangria from your 20s. Or 30s. Or last week or whatever. Stick with decent alcohol, and stay away from too much sugar in the form of soda, juice, or you know, just sugar, too.
For the ginger flavor, I LOVE Fever Tree ginger BEER (not alcoholic), but any brand of strong-ish ginger beer will work. If you can't find ginger beer, or find the ginger taste too strong or spicy, use ginger ale.
Sparkling Melon Sangria {recipe}
INGREDIENTS
1 750 mL sparkling wine like Cava or Prosecco
1 cup vodka
1 12-ounce bottle of Fever Tree ginger beer
1 to 1½ cups each of cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon balls
to serve: ice, fresh mint leaves, lime wheels, colorful straws
DIRECTIONS
Pour the sparkling wine, vodka, ginger beer, and melon balls into a large glass pitcher. The glass pitcher is solely for aesthetics — you can see the bright, colorful melon. Cover the pitcher tightly, and refrigerate — overnight is best but even just a few hours in the refrigerator is better than nothing.
Right before serving the sangria, add ice, fresh mint leaves, and lime wheels to the pitcher.
This sangria does not keep, not because it won't taste good the next few days, but you will probably drink half of it by yourself before you even serve it, and then what.
{"White Sangria" is Number 67 on my List of Things to Do This Summer}
Alexia says
Nice to see each step pictured! Amusing commentary also.