Best wine for sangria

Cafe Society
1

I’m a big fan of sangria, and I’m planning to make a batch for my birthday party this weekend. For as long as I could find it, I used a Portuguese red wine that a friend turned me on to, but I haven’t been able to find it now for some time. Experimenting with various red wines has yielded inconsistent results. Since no one is thoughtful enough to label their wine "Perfect for mixing with fruit and brandy, I have questions:

  1. Does anyone have any specific recommendations?

  2. What should I be looking for when selecting a wine for sangria?

2

Maybe a classis Rioja?

Tempranillo or possibly a Malbec should work for a sangria.

(I love sangria.)

Whatever you do, don’t put rum in it.*
*That should be a given, but we had a ‘dopefest’ BBQ here a few years ago and my (already intoxicated) husband decided that the sangria needed a ‘kick’, and added rum to it.

Horrible, horrible idea. :wink:

3

Call me an infidel, but I find that Carlo Rossi “Burgundy” does the trick.

What?

4

We’ve always used Gallo Hearty Burgundy to make sangria. Stay away from the regular burgundy…it’s mosquito repellant. But the Hearty Burgundy is a damn fine jug wine.

5

My specific recommendation would be to ask Steve the wine steward at the HEB in Hancock Square - he’s never led me astray :slight_smile:

6

I know you didn’t ask for a recipe, but this one is delicious. Cheap jug Gallo burgundy is what we used…mmmmm.

1 gallon burgundy wine
1 liter 7-up
a pint of vodka
8 oz unflavored brandy (usually E&J)
6 oz. triple sec
1/4 cup sugar
a quart of juice berry-ish (twister)
fresh fruit – apples, oranges, pears, peaches,
whatever

mix it all together and enjoy

It tastes better if you make it the day before and cut
up the fruit and let it sit overnight.

7

I make red sangria with some regularity. I like Glen Ellen’s merlot for it. Dry, it has some depth of flavor and it doesn’t add that off putting bad red wine taste. Truth be told I’ve found that if you use fresh fruit juice however the wine doen’t matter that much.

My recipe

1 bottle red
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (I have juicer just for this)
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup brandy
1/3 cup sugar

10-12 oz club soda.
Fruit for garnish

I find it works best if you wisk the sugar and brandy together then add the juice then the wine. Two oz of soda in each glass followed by ice and the sangria keeps thing’s fizzy all evening.

8

“No, if anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am NOT drinking any fucking Merlot!”

Sorry, it’s automatic whenever I see Merlot mentioned!! :stuck_out_tongue:

9

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I got a Tempranillo and used the idea of whisking the sugar and brandy together. The sangria turned out great and was a hit.