Pi’nouf 2009 Languedoc Red, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Pronounced “peee –nooof,” here is an excellent representative of wines from a part of France considered to be the world’s single biggest wine region, making more wine than the entire United States and “on some of the world’s oldest soils.” Though “Old World” wines are prized for their delicate nature, this Languedoc-Roussillon specimen may throw you off a bit. Even its name translates as “bold, rich, persistent,” and its rich, fleshy Syrah plays heavily in that brashness. With 65% Syrah, 25% Grenache, and 10% Carignan, Pi’nouf presents as regal cherry red with purple sheen. It is deeply fruity with a lushness that evokes bittersweet chocolate-covered cherries with smoky vanilla notes. As the winemaker notes, “the palate is medium-to-full-bodied with a long, lingering finish and enough supple tannins to give some classic ‘grip.’” Watch this wine pair perfectly with your heartiest fare or alongside a potent collection of after-dinner cheeses.

Bonny Doon Vineyard 2009 “Contra,” Central Coast, California

Ironically described as a red Rhone blend, this mix of 55% Carignan, 15% Grenache, 14% Mourvedre, 7% Petite Sirah, 5% Zinfandel, and 2% Syrah is grown and produced nowhere near the Rhone River. Though considered a “New World” wine, it comes mostly from “old-fangled” grape varieties and from mostly older vineyards, even if they are in Contra Costa County. It is gorgeously rustic with a nose of cherry, licorice, cassis and blackberry. On the palate, it holds a bright acidity with silky tannins. The winemaker describes “Contra” as having important contrasts of “luscious, opulent fruitiness” with a certain degree of austerity, concluding it’s got the “yin and yang of soft and hard, of fruit and earth….” The Wine Advocate described it as “stunning.” The San Francisco Chronicle included it among its top 100 wines for 2010. We think it marries as well with a hearty Provencal stew as it does with a medium-rare grilled Black Angus ribeye.

However, wine connoisseurs today know that for Italy’s finest wines, one needs to trek further north to the foothills of the Italian Alps known as Piemonte, where the terroir is so unique that few elsewhere in the world would ever attempt to grow its unique and luxurious grapes.

Piemonte’s most revered Nebbiolo grape has been around for centuries, but its most significant road to fame and deliciousness has actually happened in the past 30 years. The Nebbiolo grape is as ubiquitous to Piemonte as Pinot Noir is to Burgundy, but it hasn’t been easy to tame this thick-skinned, high tannin, late-harvesting grape. Until the advent of temperature-controlled barrels, winemakers had trouble softening those thick skins and strong tannins, especially when the aging process was started at the coldest time of the year that would stall fermentation. Often they wound up with wine that even after decades of aging still wouldn’t mellow. Today, Piemonte’s Nebbiolo, Barolo and Barbaresco wines are highly cherished. Interestingly, they come from different villages, but all from that same high-maintenance grape known as Nebbiolo. These are not wines for the weak-hearted. They are robust and with distinctive qualities, invoking some odd descriptors such as tar, licorice, leather and dried stone fruit. Complexity is undoubtedly Nebbiolo’s calling card, and these wines are considered to be among the very best in the world.

And while Burgundy, to which Piemonte is often compared, may be satisfied with having just two famous grape varietals, this region has several well-known wines to its name. Asti Spumante, a light, semisweet sparkling wine gained popularity in the ‘70s because of its clear and easy quaffability.

Gavi is a dry white varietal that many a wine lover has discovered upon tiring of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Italian wine doesn’t necessarily connote white wine beyond that of Pinot Grigio, so it is often a pleasant surprise to taste the crisp, dry Gavi that thrives in the cooler temps of northern Italy.

Other reds of note from this region include Barbera, which is considered the area’s day-to-day, table wine. In fact, this rustic wine is the most widely planted grape in the region.

A lesser-known red but that provides an instantly quaffable wine option is the Dolcetto, which is sometimes compared to Beaujolais because of its highly drinkable fruitiness. It makes an interesting contrast to Nebbiolo because it has little tannin, is much lighter and with very little acid.

While just a highlight of some of Piemonte’s greatest wine assets, wine lovers can enjoy a tasting at Hinsdale Wine Cellars Friday, 6-8 p.m., for some excellent representatives of this region from Sottimano winery.

– Ivy F. Kupec

Finca Os Cobatos 2010 Mencia

Say “ola” to Mencia, a new varietal to many American wine drinkers, but definitely one you are likely to want to taste again and again. Sourced from vines planted in the early 1980s, this wine comes from northwestern Spain in an area sometimes referred to as “Green Spain” because of its lush environment and cooler mountainside temps. Look forward to a lush, complex wine that will surprise and delight the most critical red wine oenophiles. Compared to Beaujolais or Cabernet Franc, this Mencia is ruby red in color with a nose of ripe red fruits and a certain earthy herbaceousness that is ever-so-slightly floral. It’s balanced with good texture that is enhanced by double-decanting or just letting the wine breath for about a half-hour. This 100% Mencia wine has bright acidity with a youthful light to medium body and tannins that actually can pair well with fish, not just your Christmas roast beast or roasted game hens.

Pazo do Mar 2010 Ribeiro (Albariño)

Nothing says special occasion like an elegant white wine from one of Spain’s award winning vintners, and this 100% Albariño is just the thing for your holiday table. Another lesser-known varietal is showcased in this refreshing, yet luxurious straw-colored wine. Often compared to Viognier, this wine has a nose of elegant minerality mixed with citrus and tart Granny Smith apple. Good, yet delicate acids make for a medium- to full-bodied white with grip and long finish. Great for drinking alone, this wine is also a wonderful match for your Oysters Rockefeller, salmon bisque or roasted whole snapper.

Merry Christmas to all our Hinsdale friends!

2009 Fess Parker Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir

For red wine lovers, Pinot Noir is often their wine of choice when it comes to turkey time. And, this particular Pinot is certainly one worthy of a special affair. “The 2009 [Fess Parker Santa Barbara] Pinot Noir is a gorgeous wine bursting with dark cherries, spices and sweet French oak,” says Robert Parker Jr. in an August edition of Wine Advocate. “It shows fabulous textural richness and depth, especially for an entry-level offering. This is a tasty, accessible Pinot to drink now and over the next few years.” Indeed, this ruby-colored elixir composed completely of Pinot Noir grapes from four vineyards with complementary terroir offers an exquisite nose of black cherry, autumnal spices of cinnamon and clove, vanilla and foresty earthiness. On the palate, the black cherry comes through with red currant, cranberry, vanilla and spice. Ten months of aging in new Burgundian French oak adds that impressive depth, and its texture is pure velvet. Enjoy at Thanksgiving or to enhance a meal of bourbon-glazed salmon or crispy roasted duck.

2009 Caleo Inzolia. Sicily

One sniff of this Sicilian white, and you will recall a vacation to the tropics with its captivating exotic fruitiness — most notably of kiwi and pineapple. Made from 100 percent Inzolia grapes, this Italian varietal has a spicy aromatic character that is refreshing and unique. Inzolia grapes, also known as Ansonica, have been traditionally used to make the lighter-colored Marsala wines that come from this region. More recently, as Sicilian wines have become popularized through export, those outside of Sicily are enjoying Inzolia as a well-structured, crisp, clean white wine with an intense bouquet. The cool, breezy Sicilian nights add to the wine’s brilliant straw color and distinctive nose. The Caleo Inzolia is a particularly well-balanced, harmonious wine with hints of citrus that pair perfectly with seafood dishes like a shrimp and fennel risotto, linguini con vongole or sole Meuniere.

And sure enough, as we made our way to the unassuming vineyard known as Fattoria La Magia, we were soon to learn just how great that wine could be. Winemaker and owner Fabian Schwarz greeted us and casually took us to a hillside overlooking his grapes with a breathtaking view that also included a distant Benedictine St. Antimo abbey that Charlemagne built so many centuries ago. While it is far from being the biggest vineyard in the world (approximately 52 hectares of which you can see all of it from this one vantage point), here is a winery that has flourished, exporting its wine around the world.

“Do you ever get sick of this view,” I said while transfixed by the gentle vineyards with the abbey beyond and a backdrop of the majestic Apennine Mountains.

Fabian chuckled and said, “No, but sometimes they look even better after I have been away traveling.”

The Brunello everybody loves

Most wine experts will say that Brunello is Tuscany’s greatest wine varietal; others say it is the best in all of Italy. Roughly translated as “nice dark one,” this is a red wine lover’s dream with its smooth tannins and robust dark fruit and leather flavors. Brunello di Montalcino was awarded with the first DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) in 1980, which means it can only be grown and produced in Montalcino, that everything used to make the wine must also come from Montalcino and that it can only be made from 100 percent Brunello grapes, which are a perfected clone of the Sangiovese grape that dates back to the mid-19^th century. Fabian explained that Brunello must age at least two years in oak barrels and a minimum of four years overall as part of the DOCG rules. Riserva Brunello ages at least two and a half years in oak barrels and five years overall.

Like many of the local winemakers, Fabian and his wife offer tastings and tours by appointment, and depending on what you taste and whether you would like some charcuterie alongside your wines, the price ranges between 10 and 18 Euro ($14-25 US).  The tour starts in the vineyard, goes through the cellars and finishes outside under a shady tree, where the family dog is quick to nestle herself comfortably under the tables as well.

It’s this kind of environment that allows one to learn about the challenges a winemaker has and see the parts of winemaking that drive his passion. My friend’s simple question about Fabian’s wine label revealed that when he was just four years old, an artist had come to visit his father to design that year’s label for the Riserva wine. However, on that occasion the four-year-old created art that proved to be longer-lived, still adorning all of La Magia’s wine bottles rather than just one vintage like the work from the more experienced artist.

A satisfying tasting

So, La Magia, like most of the wineries in Montalcino has found the benefits of location and have clearly specialized in Brunello. Like most winemakers in this area, Fabian specializes with the three wines of Montalcino: Rosso, Brunello and Brunello Riserva. While winemakers save their best quality grapes for Riserva and lesser quality grapes for Rosso, a lot of the rules can change depending on a good or bad vintage. Many reviewers will note that in bad vintage years, these wines can prove to be exceptional values. As winemakers downgrade their best grapes, the Rosso’s quality improves. Asking Fabian about which years were good years for Rosso and good years for Riserva proved mind numbing. Compounding the confusing list of vintages was the fact that as we tasted his three wines, they all had impressive aroma, taste and color, despite ranging in price from 12 to 45 Euros/bottle.

Bad quality Rosso?  Not from this place was the conclusion we drew. Yes, the Rosso lacked some of that depth and tannins in which the Brunello and Riserva bathed your tongue, but it definitely held its own as a hearty, earthy, robust red wine. We bought two bottles of each wine for the rest of our Tuscan vacation. However, we couldn’t resist opening them in threesomes to continue comparing and contrasting.

My husband likes to say that the best wines are always best because of context – you’re having a good time, surrounded by friends or family, or the setting is just perfect. Well, for six traveling friends in Tuscany, we decided La Magia has some damn fine context.

– Ivy F. Kupec

At Hinsdale Cellars, we all agree that the best Father’s Day gift is membership to our Inspired Wine Club where Dad can travel down many different wine roads for six to 12 months. However, if that’s not the direction you want to take this Father’s Day, consider how much he enjoys his traditional Cabernet or Pinot Noir with those precious steaks, and then think about treating him to something new.

Here are five red wine varietals that promise hearty satisfaction. If this year, you want to treat Pops to a new red wine that marries steak well, then here are a few suggestions:

Gigondas

Think red French wine, and one immediately turns to Burgundy, Bordeaux or maybe even the Rhône Valley with a Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Outside of the mainstream spotlight, however, are Gigondas, which are gorgeously robust wines with aroma and balance that will get people’s attention and have them asking, “How do you pronounce that wine again?”  Made with mostly Grenache grapes, these wines also include Syrah and Mourvèdre, and this varietal is definitely one of France’s well-kept secrets. These are in-your-face reds that reek masculinity with their spicy, leathery aromas and tannin-rich flavor.

Malbec

Thanks to Sean Chaudhry’s trip to Argentina and his relationship with several Argentine wine makers, we have written about Malbec before. So associated with Argentina and other South American vintners that one might forget Malbec is one of the grapes usually blended in Bordeaux. Malbec, with its inky purple color, is an earthy wine that is often blended. It’s known for its jammy quality with rustic tannins that any good Gaucho would know matches perfectly with his favorite range-fed beef.

Shiraz

Another name for Syrah, Shiraz is best known as the great red wine from Down Under. Reportedly, the Australians don’t expose their Shiraz to as much oak as Cabernets, but they are still lush, fruity wines with softer, balanced tannins that measure up quite nicely with a hearty meal. Mostly Shiraz brings forth berry, black cherry, plum and pepper flavors, but they can also have hints of licorice, spices, chocolate and even coffee.

Pinotage

Considered South Africa’s signature varietal, Pinotage promises a rich, earthy, full-flavored wine. Developed in 1925, this varietal is a combination of Pinot Noir and Cinsault. It is possible to find lighter variations of this red wine, but it is best known as a smoky, brambly wine that pairs well with hearty fare and is reminiscent of fine Pinot Noir. This wine ages exceptionally well. Color is deep red with purple tinges and the texture is velvety.

Amarone

Want to splurge on Dad, then this might be the wine for you!  Never listed as a bargain wine, Amarone is considered one of Italy’s most elegant red wines. Picked late and made with partially dried grapes, Amarone is known for its intensity and its thicker texture. One might think that this sounds like the makings of a sweet wine, but that would be wrong. If done well, this blend of primarily Corvina grapes, mixed with Rondinella, Molinara and Negrara is a dry, dense, earthy wine that seems to have almost a cult-like following. If Amarone’s grape blend sounds familiar, it’s likely because they are the same ones used in making Valpolicella, the other big red from this region, but serving at only 11 percent alcohol as compared to Amarone’s 15-16 percent.

Of course all these wines have a range of producers, so the key to finding a wine that matches your wants, needs and budgetary limitations, is talking with one of the great wine experts at Hinsdale Cellars. Happy Father’s Day!

– Ivy F. Kupec

And while the fast race cars and “hot chicks” may draw the majority of America to drink mainstream beer, a growing number of beer guzzlers have found their way to American craft beers, often brewed locally and always with great passion and impeccable character. This week marks American Craft Beer Week, so what better time to reflect on the benefits of these smaller brewers who continually find new ways to titillate and surprise our malt-and-barley-loving tastebuds.

History in the hop-ping

After prohibition, American beer manufacturing came back as primarily a mass-produced product. Like many things, it was far more lucrative to focus on quantity rather than quality. Obviously, this eventually opened the door for beer makers who explored the unexplored territories of beer making, varying hoppiness and the other primary beer components while also adding flavorings like chocolate, chilies and fruits.

“The craft brew industry is really the idea of having a vision, taking a risk, building something from the ground up and doing it a lot of times with your friends,” said Bryan Simpson from New Belgium Brewing Co. “It’s a great reflection of the grit and integrity it took to build this country from the ground up.”

Yup, talk to craft brewers, and one is awash with patriotism and all-American love for craftsmanship. Mark Edelson of Iron Hill Brewery has said, “craft brewing is a grassroots [movement], and like so many grassroots movements, it is driven by passion.”

And while there is a whole lot of science to craft brewing, it is clearly also an art: “America’s craft brewers are artisans that rather than working in paint or photography or some of those medium, they are working in beer,” said Tim Myers of Strange Brewing.

Craft brew’s growing popularity

Currently, the United States has 1,753 small, independent craft brewers, according to the Brewers Association. This is the highest number of craft brewers the U.S. has ever had, too. These are folks who produce less than 6 million barrels of beer each, compared to 100 million barrels that Anheuser-Busch produced in 1997 to earn it the title of world’s largest brewer THEN. (Note: 1 barrel = 31 U.S. gallons).

But today, the majority of brewers in the United States, believe it or not, are craft brewers. Probably the reason for this is because it is easier to set up a small business than a big business, of course, and that the market can only sustain so many big beer companies. However, the taste for craft beer grows, according to the Brewers Association. Craft brewers sold an estimated 9,951,956 barrels of beer in 2010, up from 8,934,446 in 2009. That is still a fraction of the beer love that is going around, but, if you are or know a craft beer drinker or brewer, you know this is a demographic that loves to talk about “passion.”

What’s to love…

With more than 1,700 U.S. craft beers to choose from, it can be overwhelming to move beyond the cool labels and funky names. But the good news is that these beer makers have gone to such great lengths of innovation that, much like finding your soul mate, undoubtedly a beer awaits that is your ideal beverage. For the past two years, Russian River Brew Company’s Pliny the Elder has been the Zymurgy Poll’s top American beer. An Imperial India Pale Ale, it might be just your stein of beer. Second best last year was Bell’s Brewery Two-Hearted Ale, an American Pale Ale. Other top brews included: Stone Arrogant Bastard, Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, and Stone IPA. Beer Advocate has also given A+ ratings to beers like Rare Bourbon County Stout that comes from Illinois-based Goose Island Beer Co. They also praise Duck Duck Gooze from California’s Lost Abbey and characterize it as an American Wild Ale. Likewise, Kuhnhenn Brewing Co.’s Bourbon Barrel Fourth Dementia receives merit as an old ale from Michigan.

Have no fear; your next favorite beer is out there—maybe Craft Beer Week holds your destiny and the time has come for you to find it.

– From the 5^th International Academy

of Wine Business Research Conference, 2010,

Auckland, New Zealand

I don’t know if you have heard, but Mother’s Day is this coming weekend. And, considering that mothers are pretty universally women, I couldn’t help but think of the impact women have had on wine. Without doubt, some of today’s best, and most trendsetting winemakers are women. And on the other end, market researchers estimate that women make anywhere from 57 to 80 percent of today’s wine purchases.

A 2008 Minneapolis Star Tribune piece went so far as to contrast men and women’s wine buying practices. Reportedly men are more likely to find a wine, varietal, region or winemaker and stick with it. On the other hand, women are tasters, willing to buy a new varietal or wander into a wine section that is less familiar. They listen to wine suggestions from Food Network or look to the wine experts in a store to navigate through the unfamiliar territory. Women are the ones more likely to fill a case with 12 different bottles of wine rather than settling on just one. In essence, women – myself included – love to learn about and explore wine.

License to explore

A great way to try new wines is through a wine club. Lucky for folks close to Hinsdale, one of the biggest and best in the Chicago area is Hinsdale Cellars Inspired Wine Club with more than 400 members. The reason so many choose to join this club is because the wines are not only remarkably good, but remarkably unusual – wines that proprietor Sean Chaudhry has tasted himself, often as he converses directly with the winemakers while walking through their vineyards in Italy, Spain or Argentina. Always on a quest to find better wines and get better values with the bulk buying power of his large wine club, Sean literally travels the globe, testing wines in burgeoning regions and reveling in the artistry from artisanal winemakers.

Lucky mothers

Mother’s Day is but once a year and the perfect time to say thanks to your favorite “mom” — whether she’s your own mom, your mother-in-law, wife, sister,  aunt, or elderly neighbor-lady. Nothing does that better than a six-month Inspired Wine Club membership, and it lasts much longer than a bouquet or box of chocolates. For $34.99/month (no long-term contract required), members receive:

* Two fine wines each month, valued on average at $50 and selected through a rigorous tasting process

* Informative literature on Wine Club wines, including tasting notes and reviews

* 10 percent off all retail wine purchases

* Invitations to “Members Only” wine tasting events

* And just for Mother’s Day — a free box of Godiva chocolates when you sign up!

For more information, come visit the store at 12 E. Hinsdale Ave., the Web site at http://www.hinsdalecellars.com or call 630.654.9862.

– Ivy F. Kupec

Picture springtime Sevilla at a tapas café whose sliding glass doors are wide open to easily allow in customers as well as the light, warm evening breeze. In addition to a bustling inside business, small round tables invite customers outside in the quieter cobblestone walkway. The menu is modest and traditional. The wine list only divides reds from whites, with hardly a familiar wine on the list. I close my eyes and pick what I think will be a cooling white, figuring it will be some permutation of the local favorite Muscat. But I don’t pay attention, and when the waiter brings a smaller, narrower glass cloudy from the chill of it being stored in a freezer and filled with ice cold manzanilla “La Goya” sherry, I am at first perplexed.

Don’t get me wrong, I had planned on tasting sherry on this trip, but not until I got to the land of sherry, Jerez. I’m so glad I didn’t wait. manzanilla sherry is the driest of the sherry types and noted for its brininess. In this case, the golden beverage (always served ultra cold) was crisp, light and perfect for the very warm evening in Spain. It shocked my senses such that I returned to the menu quickly to see if more sherry was available to taste. Sure enough, the majority of the wines at this particular location were sherry. Another manzanilla, and then I was into the more amber and sweeter sherry: Oloroso Alfonso and Solera 1847. This was not your grandmother’s idea of sherry, I’m pretty sure.

An introduction to Spain’s fortified wine

Learning about sherry is no easy task. Sherry ranges from very dry to cloyingly sweet, with approximately seven specific types to choose from: “fino-type” known as manzanilla, fino, amontillado, palo cortado and “oloroso-type” that are the darkest and sweetest known as oloroso, cream, and Pedro Ximénez. A tour in Jerez at the Tío Pepe bodega showed the solera system that is used to make sherry. All sherry starts out from pressed grapes that are fortified with grape spirits and then progressively mixed with sherry from previous years such that one cannot buy a specific vintage. It is always a mix of many years’ vintages. Newer casks sit upon older ones and are methodically mixed together to lend the older sherry’s depth to the newest characteristics. However, in the initial fermentation, fino-style sherry is stored in casks that are only partially filled to allow for a layer of yeasty “flor” that prevents oxidation and preserves a lighter color and drier flavor. While most sherry uses Palomino grapes, the oloroso and Pedro Ximénez tap raisin-like Pedro Ximénez grapes in varying amounts to produce very sweet wines that rival the complexity of fine Port, Sauterne or Tokij.

Grandma’s sherry

In February, Lettie Teague wrote in the Wall Street Journal of how restaurants and wine shops often buy sherry more for the proprietors and staff tastes than for the customers’. Indeed, at Commander’s Palace, one of New Orleans most famous restaurants, they go through 60 liters of sherry per week…making soup. And according to our Tío Pepe Tour Guide Roberto, it’s Brits who rival the Spanish in sherry consumption. However, in the United States, we more likely think of sherry as that bottle that sits around for ages saved only for cooking or consumed by little, old ladies who like a sweet drink in small amounts. Teague recounts a disappointing story of going to a bar, ordering sherry and receiving a glass of month-old Harvey’s Bristol Cream at room temperature. “Women love it,” the bartender tells her.

Only a month after Teague’s article ran, New York Times wine critic Eric Asimov countered with his own sherry piece that a revival is afoot in the United States and our taste buds are on the search for something old that is new again. I hope he’s right.

Sherry can be delicious – even cream sherry – but to enjoy what it has to offer it should be served icy cold and from a freshly opened bottle. Keeping an opened bottle more than 2-3 days will only lead to disappointment as I found out in the latter part of our Spanish adventure outside of sherry country, after I had grown accustomed to my sherry aperitif.

So here is my Andalucian takeaway. Give sherry a try. But do it right. Talk to wine gurus like the folks at Hinsdale Wine Cellars who can make sensible recommendations for your taste. Find yourself some marbled Serrano ham and mild Manchego queso and chill a bottle of sherry until you think it will almost freeze, despite the 22 percent alcohol levels that some of the sweetest sherry contains. Then on one of those spring nights that seems far too balmy to still be called spring, bring all these essential ingredients and a chilled glass out to your deck, terrace, balcony or front porch. Taste a little ham. Maybe some cheese. Sip the sherry. Close your eyes. And then tell me you can’t see Andalucia’s poetic olive trees and feel the Spanish sun kissing your cheeks. It’s magical.

– Ivy F. Kupec

Every Tuesday is sangria night at The Cellar Door in Downers Grove, and they know that sangria transforms ordinary get-togethers into fun, festive fiestas. It’s true. Lucky for me, I will get to survey sangria and tapas in the part of Spain where both apparently originate. In honor of that upcoming excursion, I thought it would only be fitting to write about sangria.

Sangria’s supposed history

One of the problems of researching a drink so embedded in a culture is that information gets passed around much like children play that “telephone” party game. Thankfully, a book, Sangria: Fun and Festive Recipes, is available to set the record straight. According to author Mittie Helmich, the first recorded sangria is attributed to Romans who lived in Andalusia, the Spain’s southern coast, around 300 B.C., and who cooled themselves off with a nice little wine drink made from a young red wine, steeped with fresh local fruit and magnified by regional spices and other personalized flair.

But here is where it’s hard to distinguish fact from lore. Most say the word sangria comes from the Spanish word for blood, sangre, in a nod to the red wine used to make this drink. However, according to Helmich, lexicographers have hypothesized a Sanskrit derivation: sakkari means “sugared wine.”  Whatever the case, Americans reportedly didn’t get a good taste of sangria until it was introduced at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City.

The right way to make sangria

As best as I can tell (having yet to talk to the “locals), there are only three rules to sangria.

1. Sangria must contain wine.

2. Sangria must contain fruit.

3. Sangria must be refreshingly chilled.

After those rules, it would seem almost anything goes. Although we think of sangria as a light red wine drink, sangria blanca employs white wine or even Spain’s wonderful sparkling wine, cava. Sangria fruits generally include apples, pears and citrus, but it’s clear that the Spanish focus on locally grown produce when making sangria. When plums, melons or peaches are in season, in sangria they go. In more tropical locales, one may see mango or pineapple or other local produce. The goal is to keep it fresh, using only the best fruit.

So, after the fruit and the wine, the craziness really begins. Some fortify their sangria with liqueurs or liquor. Others add fizzy mineral water to give it a little bounce. Spices, again generally of local origin, customize and regionalize sangria. According to Helmich, Mediterranean Spain’s concoctions utilize peaches, apricots, melons, cherries, grapes, oranges and pears from Barcelona and Valencia while tapping Catalonia’s cava or the ever-abundant riojas. However, in Andalusia, where Moors had a strong foothold, the sangrias may blend in sherry (it’s local, afterall), saffron, figs and dates with dry white wines, sweet Muscat or reds from Valdepeñas.

But the original American sangria, served in the 1964 World’s Fair Spanish Pavilion was introduced by Alberto Heras, who opened a tony restaurant on New York’s Park Avenue after his great success at the World’s Fair. Thanks to Jane and Michael Stern and their great book, American Gourmet, the recipe is presented for all to use and fiesta-ize their next dinner party or gathering:

1964 World’s Fair Sangria

Serves 4

1 bottle red Spanish wine

2 tbsp. sugar

1 lemon, cut into slices

½ orange, cut into slices

1 ounce Spanish brandy

1 ounce Cointreau

2 cups ice cubes

1 cup cold club soda

An hour before serving, pour wine into a large pitcher. Add sugar and mix well. Stir in lemon and orange slices, brandy and Cointreau. Chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, add ice cubes and club soda, stirring just enough to chill very well.

Obviously, there’s not a whole lot of fruit in this recipe, so like the Spanish, one is always free to extemporaneously deviate with more or different fruit and other choices for fortification. While the Sterns recommend you drink this sangria strained from its ice and fruit a la World’s Fair style, many other sangria lovers say, it’s up to you. Bottomline, the drink should be fresh, fruity and a whole lot of fun. Salud!

–Ivy Kupec