We all have that realization during summer when we look in the fridge and realize we have too much fruit and the bottle of wine we bought a month and a half ago. So instead of letting the fruit go to waste and guzzling a cheap bottle of wine, mix the two together for the perfect summer sangria. In just four easy steps you can transform the left over contents in your fridge into a one of a kind drink.

Step 1:

Pick between red or white wine. And yes, champagne works too!

Sangria

Photo by Elizabeth Emery

Step 2:

Find whatever fruit you have in your fridge. Try using older fruit because it still tastes great, but sometimes it gets too soft to eat. But once in sangria, it’s like new again.

Sangria

Photo by Elizabeth Emery

Step 3:

Add juice, sparkling water, soda or ginger ale. Basically, use whatever left over chaser you have in the fridge. If you are worried about the juice over-powering the fruit and wine flavors, just split the juice with sparkling water (or if you are being really frugal, normal water works too).

Sangria

Photo by Elizabeth Emery

Step 4:

Now add your favorite hard alcohol to the mix. Try vodka, rum or brandy. It’s up to you how fun you want to get with the amount.

Sangria

Photo by Elizabeth Emery

Now all that’s left is to add all of the ingredients to a large pitcher. Put it in the fridge and wait for your concoction to blend together. Soon you’ll be enjoying a cold beverage that will impress all of your friends.

Sangria

Photo by Elizabeth Emery