OWNERS DIRECT their guests to the table by the pool where a jug of sweetened Sangria sits waiting to be poured into glasses. Sangria in the dictionary means a colour usually referring to a burnt red colour. The word itself comes from Latin sangre which means blood but it can also refer to a deep red colour or a dark pink, even a slight reddish brown. The name also refers to one of the popular drinks on the Iberian peninsula which has been around since the dawn of time or at least since the Romans first arrived and introduced vine trees. There was a time when a group of tourists arriving at their hotel would be welcomed with an offering of sangria, red or white wine and soft drinks for children in the group as a tradition.
When the Peninsular was first invaded by the Romans they bought with them vines for wine making and the irrigation systems for purifying water. In those days, the wine made was a thicker more concentrated product than the one found on the average table at home today. Wine would be added to water to sweeten the taste and on occasion making it safer to drink and it became one of the exports back to the Empire, mostly red in all its different varieties. A few hundred years later when the Muslims sailed onto the Iberian peninsula in 711, they brought with them new goods to trade and grow such as citrus fruits, sugar, honey, almonds and a host of other products.
Water has not always been safe to drink and throughout history man has been searching for ways to filter and cleanse it. Since the earliest of times when it has not been feasibly to filter, it would be added to something and wine usually the choice at the time. With citrus fruits also in such abundance, often giving the wine made at the time different flavours. Honey was occasionally being added as well, even ginger or cinnamon. It wasn't until brandy came around in the 12th century that it was added to the mix. The origins of brandy came from the development of the distillation process. It was believed that wine had been distilled in order to lessen the tax cost when the produced product arrived at its destination as assessors would charge tax per volume. Once the wine was at its destination, water would then be added to the concentrated product. It was after many long voyages the concentrated wine inside large wooden casks discovering that the produced wine had improved inside the casks. Yet another ingredient for Sangria was found.
Sangria typically made from red wine, fruit juices, fruit, soda water and brandy. Usually a superior quality red wine should be used: Rioja is an excellent choice for an authentic Spanish flavour but failing that Bordeaux or Claret would suffice. Although Sangria comes from Spain many other countries have similar products no doubt when Spain discovered America and a vast number of immigrants had come from Spain that a version had been imported around the same time. It was the Worlds Fair in New York in 1964 that the Spanish world served the fruity punch to its visitors and Sangria suddenly exposed to the American public. When you arrive in Spain make sure to try out some authentic Sangria from one of the
OWNERS DIRECT.
