I recently stumbled across an article showcasing…yet another… benefit of red wine. It stated that “polyphenols in the red wine may help it act as a PREbiotic, which is a substance that helps bacteria grow. A prebiotic is like fertilizer for existing intestinal bacteria.”

Of course, we are not advocating the over consumption of red wine. But for those of you who enjoy a glass of red with your dinner, we would like to offer you this delightful recipe for Sangria.

You can prepare the Sangria syrup ahead of time, and keep it in the fridge, ready to use whenever friends drop in.

What you will need:

750ml red wine , preferably a full bodied wine such as Tempranillo

1 cup soda water (add more or less according to taste)

1 orange, sliced (feel free to experiment with addition of other fruits such as lime, apple, strawberry, plum…or whatever is in season)

100 ml orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau

For the syrup:

2 tbsp sugar

1/4 cup water

1 orange

10 cloves

2 cinnamon quills

How to prepare:

Combine the ingredients for the syrup in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for 24hrs, or until needed.

Combine the syrup with the remaining ingredients and chill. Enjoy the Sangria served with plenty of ice.