by Tea Master DANIELA CUBELIC

Get ready to rethink what a sangria can be with these ideas for tea-based white wine, red wine & alcohol-free sangrias (which can be made with white grape juice). The advantages of adding tea instead of the typical fruit juices found in sangrias? More captivating, complex & refreshing flavours, less sugar, & fewer calories.

Tea Sangrias are easy to make & a great way to use up low-quality wine or leftover wine that has been opened & refrigerated. Tea provides depth & body, which means a sangria made with tea & wine can also have a lower alcohol content (while still tasting good), than a sangria made with just juice & wine.

Another secret to a fabulous tea sangria is…  white grape juice! The basic kind that can be found easily at almost any grocery store. I recommend you add it to wine-based or alcohol-free sangrias. White grape juice tends to have a more sophisticated, wine-like flavour than purple grape juice. Adding it to alcohol-free sangrias, automatically adds a wine-like flavour note. Incorporating white grape juice into wine-based sangrias allows you to reduce the amount of wine that is needed, because it extends the perception you are tasting wine, even when the wine content is lowered.

One final suggestion: sangrias made with white wine or rosé & tea are far lovelier than you would expect. One of the most popular drinks I’ve ever created (& which has led to line-ups at more than one wine festival & culinary event) is Philosopher’s Brew tea (a herbal blend with crisp lemongrass, citrus & lavender) combined with white grape juice & if making it as a cocktail, I use white wine. Gewurztraminer or Riesling are fantastic in the recipe, but I’ve also discovered that almost any white wine will do the trick.

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Get inspired with more tips, techniques & recipes - watch & learn directly from Tea Master Daniela Cubelic in this captivating VIDEO SERIES.

Learn how to make chai tea soup, tea hot chocolates, mulled cider teas, tea infused oatmeal, ice cream tea floats, tea lemonades, iced teas & more. You’ll also discover fascinating facts & info about the health benefits of tea, tea history & secrets for tea brewing.

 

TEA SANGRIA MOCKTAILS + COCKTAILS

dairy-free, gluten-free & vegan

makes 4 cups 

INGREDIENTS FOR SANGRIAS WITH WINE
1 tablespoon SILK ROAD tea
1 cup hot water
1 cup chilled white grape juice
2 cups chilled wine (white, red or rosé)

INGREDIENTS FOR ALCOHOL-FREE SANGRIAS
1 tablespoon SILK ROAD tea
1 cup hot water
3 cups chilled white grape juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring 1 cup water to a boil & pour over 1 tablespoon SILK ROAD tea. See below for instructions—the water temperature & steeping time will depend on the type of tea you are making.

2. When the tea has finished steeping, strain it. Refrigerate until cold or shake over ice quickly to chill, & then combine with juice & wine (if using).

3. Serve in tumblers or champagne flutes. Garnish with cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, thinly sliced grapes, pomegranate, star fruit, citrus or mango slices. 

 

GREAT TEAS FOR WINE SANGRIAS

PHILOSOPHER’S BREW, JASMINE OASIS or PEACH PARADISE tea with white wine.

DARJEELING or JASMINE OASIS with rosé wine.

ALCHEMIST’S BREW, WILDBERRY WAVE & MANGO SHADE tea with red wine. 

Any of the above list of teas make wonderful alcohol-free sangrias. Simply mix them with white grape juice according to the method & ratios listed above. 

BREWING TEA FOR RECIPES - SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS 

When using tea for cooking, the proportion of tea to water often needs to be increased, as compared to when you’re making a cup of tea. This allows the flavor of the tea to come through better, while also providing added nutrients to the food.

We refer to this more concentrated version of tea as a “tea concentrate” in recipes. Follow the ratios of water to tea we recommend in each recipe, as they vary.

However, unless otherwise noted in the recipe, you should still steep the tea according to the chart below—using the water temperature & steeping times listed here. This prevents the tea from undercooking (too little flavour is released) or overcooking (it becomes bitter or flat). Different classifications of tea (such as herbal, green, oolong or black teas) require different water temperatures & steeping times to bring out the best flavour.

HERBAL: bring water to a full, rolling boil, steep 7-10 minutes
GREEN: bring water to just before the boil, steep 1-3 minutes
OOLONG: bring water just to the boil, steep 5-7 minutes
BLACK: bring water to a full, rolling boil, steep 2-5 minutes