Add Tequila To Your Sangria For A Summery Twist On A Margarita

Nothing says summer like a jug of fruity, refreshing, and boldly boozy sangria. Traditionally made with wine, fruit, and mixers such as juice or soda water, this drink is endlessly customizable, and makes for the perfect party punch. If you really want to take it up a level, though, it's worth adding some tequila for an elevated cocktail-like twist.

Most famously used in a margarita, flavorful tequila can be used for a variety of both savory and sweet cocktails or mixed drinks. When mixed into sangria, it adds rich herbaceous notes as well as a lightly creamy agave flavor that works perfectly with sweet and tart ingredients. And of course, this high-proof spirit often adds a bit of a burn that keeps you on your toes.

It's a good idea to buy an inexpensive tequila for sangria, as opposed to something more pricey that is better savored neat. Blanco (sometimes known as silver tequila) is a good choice, since it's unaged and therefore more affordable. It will add a crisp note to your drink, though you could use a reposado tequila if you prefer a smoother finish. How much to use depends on what else is in the drink, but good rule of thumb is to use half a cup (four ounces) of tequila for each bottle of wine. Then, you can play with the ratios according to personal taste. Up the amount to a cup of tequila if you prefer a more robust flavor.

A Spanish dry red wine, such as Rioja or garnacha, is the classic choice for sangria. But when you're adding tequila, which is strong in terms of both its taste and its alcohol content, it's worth considering a lighter white wine instead. This will give the finished drink a crisper, more refreshing feel and a paler color that's a lot like a margarita. Use limes as the main fruit in the pitcher, and you have a delicious hybrid drink.

Steer clear of whites which have an intensely oaky character, such as chardonnay, which can dominate the other ingredients. Instead, look for drier styles with a burst of citrus or tropical fruit flavors, such as Spanish verdejo, sauvignon blanc, or pinot grigio. Alternatively, try a rosé wine, which adds a lovely blush color. Again, opt for something dry, light, and pale rather than rich and fruity, since there are enough sweet components in a sangria already.

Just as you don't need to spend more than $10 for cooking wine, there's no need to splurge on a very expensive bottle for a punch such as sangria. However, the wine does form the bulk of the drink, so you might want to go a little fancier, compared to your choice of tequila. Choose something drinkable that you enjoy the taste of — a bottle around the $10 to $15 mark is usually a good bet.

Do you like a gentler taste of tequila? To add an elegant spin to your sangria, use the spirit in a more subtle way: Macerate the fruit you're using in the booze. Strawberries work perfectly. Simply soak a couple of cups of the sliced fruit in ¾ cup of tequila and ¼ cup of sugar for at least half an hour, then stir the sweet, boozy berries into your regular sangria. Or switch to macerated raspberries to enhance a raspberry thyme sangria recipe — delicious with rosé wine. 

You could add slices of tequila-macerated grapefruit and lime for a bright, zingy drink, or go for more of a tropical feel with pineapple, kiwi, or mango. To add even more of a sweet fruity taste, try using a flavorful simple syrup in tequila sangria. Add the juice of oranges, lemons, and limes to a sugar and water mix to make a zesty syrup, then strain the liquid into a pitcher and top it up with sliced fruit, white wine, tequila, and club soda.

For a totally different twist, scale up your favorite traditional tequila cocktail into a sangria. Adding a little more tequila to a white wine-based sangria, along with triple sec and fresh lime juice, will really drive home the margarita feel. Top it up with ginger ale for a spicier finish. Or go for tequila, white wine, oranges, and lime juice for a tequila sunrise vibe.