I’ll Drink to That – Sangria

Sangria is pretty great any way you pour it, but making it with a wine you’d drink on its own can make all the difference. Best of all, choosing a great bottle doesn’t have to mean spending a lot of money. All our picks were well under $20 per bottle.

Reds—For a great red wine sangria, look no further than Spain. Choose bottles from regions like Rioja and for grape varieties such as Garnacha and Tempranillo. Both showcase rich fruit flavours and good acidity, perfect for classic sangria. Just be sure that your Tempranillo has the word “Crianza” or “Joven” on the label to avoid those with heavily oaked flavour. A California Zinfandel will also make a great sangria.

Try: El Nino de Campillo, Rioja (Spain), Borsao Tres Picos, Garnacha (Spain)

Whites—When picking whites for sangria, the only rules are to stay away from oaked varieties and to favour dry, crisp ones instead.The addition of peaches, oranges, lemons and limes will bring out those similar notes in the wine. Safe bets are Pinot Grigio (peach notes), Albarino (lemon, lime and orange) or a dry Riesling.

Try: Poco & Lola Albarino (Spain), Pinot Grigio (Italy)

Rosés—In general, rosés offer great value for little money. The only trick is choosing one that’s dry with bright acidity rather than one that’s overly sweet. That’s as easy as reading the label. Just about any fruit will complement rosé sangria, but raspberries, pears and strawberries are particularly delicious.

Try: Charles and Charles Rose 2013 (USA), Crois de Susana Rose of Malbec 2012 (Argnetina), Bodegas Muga Rioja Rosado (Spain) t8n