Is it any good? We’re going to my favorite Mexican restaurant tonight for my birthday ::I’m 27 and it has been a very lovely day, thanks for asking:: and I was thinking of trying it. Is it tasty?
All I know about sangria I learned watching Sanford & Son. Fred’s comment was something like, “It tastes like Ripple that’s gone flat. It’s ‘Flapple’.” Since I have never tried Ripple, either, I don’t know whether this is good or bad.
Yes, it’s good. Imagine a combination of red wine and orange juice, with the emphasis on the wine. (It’s also usually sweetened, so it isn’t to puckery.) I prefer it to margaritas.
I agree. When it’s made well, Sangria tastes (to me at least) like a combination of fruit punch and red wine. And I like eating the fresh fruit they put in the drink. =) It is definately worth a try.
Well, it’s good if it’s done right, and terrible if it’s done wrong.
Really good sangria is made with either red or white wines tthat have a higher-than-average sugar content (like, say, a dessert wine) with orange and apple slices soaking in it for a few hours (but not mixed with fruit juices). If it’s done right the fruit chunks have a helluva kick. It’s great on hot days.
Really bad sangria is like Bartles & Jaymes that someone urinated in.
The quality can vary widely, so I recommend trying it at several places before you make your mind up about it.
Sangria is a Spanish invention. I’ve noticed that authentic Spanish restaurants seem to have the better versions.
I’ve worked in two Mexican restaurants and both made it the same way.
Fill a carafe half full with either red or white wine.
Add simple syrup.
Add soda water.
Add fruit.
I think it’s vile.
Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Gr8Kat, happy birthday tooo youuuuuuuuuuu!
Try it like this:
red wine
orange juice
champagne
a touch of brandy
a touch of cinnamon
slices of oranges
Yum. I used to keep a pitcher in the fridge during the summer, and add the champagne just before pouring a glass.
It all depends on the recipe. The Ground Round used to serve a decent Sangria (their red, not their white).
It’s sort of like a fruit punch with wine. The bottled Sangrias don’t have the necessary fruit, though adding orange may help. It’s certainly not a great wine, but a nice casual drink if done right.
I had a glass last night and thought it was pretty tasty. I am by no means a conniseur of fine wines, so my opinion probably doesn’t mean much, but at least it didn’t taste like urine 
And thanks, Sue, for the birthday song! I had a wonderful day
Well, it’s good if it’s done right, and terrible if it’s done wrong.
what ren said…it takes a long time (you gotta soak the fruit atl least overnight) but when it’s done right…ahhh.
The source for good sangria…almost any true Spaniard you encounter. I luckily have a local authentic spanish restaurant for my fix.
Count me in a a sangria lover. I could drink gallons of the stuff. Here’s my favorite recipe:
1 bottle red wine. I usually use some cheap Chilean Merlot or Cab Sav. Sangre De Torro is good, too.
1 orange sliced up
1 orange juiced
1 lemon sliced up
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Triple Sec, if you’re cheap, Grand Marnier or Cointreau if not.
Mash the sliced fruit with the sugar until it dissolves. Add in everything else. Put in fridge for a few hours. Drink over ice.
I am not sure that any Spaniard can make good sangría but it is good when it’s good. Unfortunately, American restaurants tend to do a lousy job. Most Spanish recipes are fairly simple and restaurants like to embellish them which makes them worse rather than better.
Gazpacho, Tortilla de patata, sangría are very simple recipes which you can get in any cheap place in Spain and nowhere in America.
Paella is somewhat more involved but well worth the while.
Sangria was very popular with the grown ups when I was a teenager in the 70’s. I hadn’t had it in years until last fall when my sister and I attended a big art opening in town. One of the artists had it there just like I remembered with fruit cut up in it. It was wonderful. Anyway, afterward I looked for it. Not in a wine shop mind you, I don’t know of one in my area. I just checked Sam’s Club and a few stores. I couldn’t find it anywhere. Plenty of zinfandel out there of course. Why not try it at least, what can it hurt. Let us know if you like it. I did.
Needs2know
Needs2know, as has been pointed above, you have to make sangría fresh on the spot because it has fresh fruit. Anything you buy bottled may say sangría on the label but it is not sangría, it’s crap.
In Spain, the drink of choice in hot weather, especially for the wroking classes with meals, is 1/3 cheap red wine, 2/3 sevenup (I use diet 7up). I love the stuff nd it’s everyday easy.
Don’t be fussy about recipes. It’s like any other punch drink. The second cup is fabulous and if you stand at the drink table to chat you will soon be draped over a chair with your friends asking “How many fingers am I holding up?”