Sublime berry sangria

My friends the Lavolds are what you'd call statuesque. They're beautiful and remarkably tall - in the way that makes you think when you're with them you must have stepped into Scandanavia without knowing it. In spite of this, I always forget to feel short around them. (Probably due to the way they make me feel like part of the family...)

Hospitality is something they do really well. One of the ways they made me feel at home during my recent visit to their place in the Hamptons was with a dizzyingly delicious sangria...

Here's the recipe:

This is a variation of the traditional fruit-filled beverage. Sweet and refreshing, this version is made with berries instead of apples, oranges and grapes... and you can make it using either red or white wine. (The Lavold girls prefer white - I like red).

What you'll need:

One bottle of wine
Fresh mixed berries (or you can use frozen) 1 1/2 to 2 cups
Fruit nectar (apricot, peach or mango) 1/4 to 1/2 cup
Apricot brandy (or peach schnapps) - just a splash
ice

Pour everything into a pitcher and stir. Serve in wine glasses.

Note: You'll want to adjust the amount of fruit nectar you add according to how it tastes. If the wine is very dry you'll want to add extra fruit juice nectar to 'soften' the edge.