A Summer Classic Celebrated in December...
If you’re looking to add a little Olé to your life, why not try that fruity wine punch named for the Spanish word sangre, which means blood. Yes, we’re talking about that deliciously crimson drink everybody loves known as sangria.
This uncomplicated mix of red wine, spirits, simple syrup and a ton of chopped, seasonal fruit has long been considered the perfect summertime tipple, a refreshing concoction to be sipped whiling away a hot afternoon or added as a pick-me-up to your patio party’s line-up of refreshing beverages.
It’s ironic then that National Sangria Day comes on December 20. But if you think about it, quaffing an alcoholic beverage filled with fresh fruit is good any time of year.
This uncomplicated mix of red wine, spirits, simple syrup and a ton of chopped, seasonal fruit has long been considered the perfect summertime tipple, a refreshing concoction to be sipped whiling away a hot afternoon or added as a pick-me-up to your patio party’s line-up of refreshing beverages.
It’s ironic then that National Sangria Day comes on December 20. But if you think about it, quaffing an alcoholic beverage filled with fresh fruit is good any time of year.
Sangria 101
There are practically as many recipes for sangria as there are drinkers of the fruity punch. How this drink varies centres on the type of fruit, the presence or lack of carbonation and the kind of spirits added, if any at all.
While all fruits are worthy, the key is to use fruit that’s in season in order to optimize flavour. So while citrus and berries are mainstays for sangria, also consider peach, pineapple, mango, melon and apple. Try to let the fruit marinate in the wine a day ahead or at least a few hours before serving.
Brandy is commonly used in sangria, but you can add a few shots of your favourite liquor and a splash of orange juice or try a liqueur such as Triple Sec.
If you’d like to add bubbles, consider soda water or a citrus-flavoured soda pop. Some sangria lovers add honey or sugar as well.
While connoisseurs say it’s important to use a good quality red wine such as Rioja to get the authentic Spanish flavour, many agree that you should choose something you like. Inexpensive wines are perfect for this drink. Sangria can also be made with white wine and is known as sangria blanca. In some parts of Southern Spain, sangria is called zurra and is made with peaches or nectarines.
Sangria was introduced to the United States in 1964 during the World’s Fair in New York, but it’s believed this wine punch has been around in Europe in various incarnations for hundreds of years.
The Brits favoured something called Claret Cup Punch in the 1700s and 1800s, a similar libation to sangria made with Bordeaux wine (which they called Claret), which is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot.
Centuries earlier in the Middle Ages a wine known as hippocras, a mix of wine, fruit, sugar and cinnamon, was produced. The drink was sometimes warmed. Apparently, the recipe for hippocras was brought back to Europe from the Orient. The drink became extremely popular and was regarded as an aphrodisiac and as having various medicinal properties.
It’s speculated that Europe’s heavy emphasis on wine came from a widespread fear that water was unsafe for consumption. It was thought alcohol would kill any bacteria so the thinking went that the only safe liquid to drink was one with alcohol in it.
It’s thanks to the Romans that Spain became home to many good wines. They planted vineyards as they swept through Spain in and around 200 B.C. Red grapes grew very well in Spain and a busy wine shipping trade began in which the country supplied much of Rome’s drink.
While all fruits are worthy, the key is to use fruit that’s in season in order to optimize flavour. So while citrus and berries are mainstays for sangria, also consider peach, pineapple, mango, melon and apple. Try to let the fruit marinate in the wine a day ahead or at least a few hours before serving.
Brandy is commonly used in sangria, but you can add a few shots of your favourite liquor and a splash of orange juice or try a liqueur such as Triple Sec.
If you’d like to add bubbles, consider soda water or a citrus-flavoured soda pop. Some sangria lovers add honey or sugar as well.
While connoisseurs say it’s important to use a good quality red wine such as Rioja to get the authentic Spanish flavour, many agree that you should choose something you like. Inexpensive wines are perfect for this drink. Sangria can also be made with white wine and is known as sangria blanca. In some parts of Southern Spain, sangria is called zurra and is made with peaches or nectarines.
Sangria was introduced to the United States in 1964 during the World’s Fair in New York, but it’s believed this wine punch has been around in Europe in various incarnations for hundreds of years.
The Brits favoured something called Claret Cup Punch in the 1700s and 1800s, a similar libation to sangria made with Bordeaux wine (which they called Claret), which is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot.
Centuries earlier in the Middle Ages a wine known as hippocras, a mix of wine, fruit, sugar and cinnamon, was produced. The drink was sometimes warmed. Apparently, the recipe for hippocras was brought back to Europe from the Orient. The drink became extremely popular and was regarded as an aphrodisiac and as having various medicinal properties.
It’s speculated that Europe’s heavy emphasis on wine came from a widespread fear that water was unsafe for consumption. It was thought alcohol would kill any bacteria so the thinking went that the only safe liquid to drink was one with alcohol in it.
It’s thanks to the Romans that Spain became home to many good wines. They planted vineyards as they swept through Spain in and around 200 B.C. Red grapes grew very well in Spain and a busy wine shipping trade began in which the country supplied much of Rome’s drink.
Contact us at: info@NationalSangriaDay.com
