Ingredients
The base
- 1.5 litresdry or off-dry white wine, cold (Torrontés or a young Chardonnay)
- 250 mlorange juice, freshly squeezed
- 150 mlsugar syrup, or 120 g sugar dissolved in 150 ml water
- 60 mlbrandy or white vermouth, optional
The fruit
- 2peaches, stoned and diced
- 2oranges, peeled and cut in segments
- 200 gstrawberries, hulled and halved
- 200 ggrapes, halved
- 1apple, cored and diced
- ½pineapple, peeled and cubed
- 1lemon, sliced thin
To serve
- 500 mlsparkling water or lemon soda, added at the last minute
- Plenty of ice
Directions
- Cut all the fruit into pieces small enough to sit on a spoon; clericó is eaten as much as drunk and the fruit at the bottom of the glass is part of the point.
- Put the fruit in a large jug or bowl with the sugar syrup and the brandy if using, and stir to coat.
- Leave to macerate 30 minutes at room temperature. The sugar draws out juice and the fruit begins to perfume the syrup.
- Pour in the cold wine and the orange juice, stir, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours so the fruit takes on the wine and the wine takes on the fruit.
- Taste before serving and adjust with syrup or lemon. It should be refreshing and only lightly sweet, since it is drunk in the heat of an Argentine Christmas.
- Just before serving, add the sparkling water. Add it earlier and the drink is flat by the time it reaches the table.
- Fill tall glasses or tumblers with ice, ladle in plenty of fruit and top with the wine.
- Serve with a long spoon or a fork so the fruit can be eaten, and keep the jug in ice rather than adding more cubes to the batch.
Technique
- Clericó is the Argentine and Uruguayan white-wine relative of sangría, drunk at Christmas and New Year, which fall in high summer in the southern hemisphere.
- Use a wine you would drink. The fruit will not rescue a bad one, it will only make it sweet.
- Do not macerate overnight. Past six hours the fruit goes soft and the wine picks up a stewed, oxidised note.
- Ice goes in the glass, not the jug, so the batch does not water down as it stands on the table.
Substitutions
- No fresh peaches: use tinned peaches in juice, drained, and cut the added syrup by half.
- For a version without alcohol, replace the wine with cold white grape juice and a squeeze of lemon and lift the soda to a litre.
- Cider makes a good substitute for the wine and is used in some households.
Variations
- Clericó blanco, the standard white-wine version.
- A rosé clericó with red summer fruit.
- Clericó with a splash of Gancia or sweet vermouth in place of the brandy.
History
The summer holiday drink of Argentine tables, poured at Christmas Eve and New Year.
Frequently asked questions
What is Clericó?
Clericó is a cocktail from Argentina: white wine punch with chopped fruit, served cold at Christmas. The summer holiday drink of Argentine tables, poured at Christmas Eve and New Year.
How long does Clericó take to make?
Clericó takes 25 min of preparation and 4 hr macerating of cooking. The recipe makes 2.5 litres, about 8 glasses. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Clericó?
Yes, within limits. No fresh peaches: use tinned peaches in juice, drained, and cut the added syrup by half. For a version without alcohol, replace the wine with cold white grape juice and a squeeze of lemon and lift the soda to a litre. Cider makes a good substitute for the wine and is used in some households.
What is the most important thing to get right in Clericó?
Cut all the fruit into pieces small enough to sit on a spoon; clericó is eaten as much as drunk and the fruit at the bottom of the glass is part of the point.
