I first touched sangria to my lips on my 21st birthday. It was a weekend brunch at a Mexican restaurant, and about all I can remember about the drink is that it was red and served on ice.
I did not drink Sangria again until two years ago while on a trip to Europe. We found a tapas bar in the middle of Barcelona, and drank both white (blanco) and red (tinto) renditions. While not poured over ice, they were served in ice-cold glasses.
And this time, I remember one more thing about them: They were delicious.
Not only did they refresh our palates following a long walk through the narrow streets of the city, but they paired beautifully with the array of tapas we had an opportunity to sample.
Now, as the weather morphs from warm to hot to sizzling, I am beyond thankful for the Toréo Premium Sangria Collection from Vinesse.
Why? Well, not only does it quench the thirst on a hot day; it saves me a lot of work.
Making sangria at home can be challenging, to say the least. It’s not simply a matter of mixing together wine, fruit juice and sugar; it’s getting those ingredients mixed in the proper proportions.
After returning from Spain, I tried in vain to replicate the wonderful sangrias we’d guzzled at that tapas bar, and I couldn’t even come close.
But thanks to Christian Gomez, the owner of Wet Stone Wine Bar & Café in San Diego, Calif., I no longer have to worry. Gomez created a line of Sangrias called Toréo — a blanco, a tinto and a Rosado (rosé) — that remove all the guesswork.
All you have to do is chill them down… or pour them over ice, if you wish… and enjoy. If you’re feeling creative, go ahead and add a fresh fruit garnish.
Then adjourn to your poolside lounge chair, your deck, your porch or even your front yard, and hit back at the heat with a delicious glass of Toréo Sangria. The hue is up to you.
Or invite your friends over for sangria and tapas — anchego cheese, marcona almonds, marinated olives and, of course, some Spanish ham.
I’m getting thirsty… and hungry… just thinking about it.
