Everyone who came to my party brought a bottle of something – at least one bottle – some people brought many more. The strange thing being that it was almost all red wine. They arrived, handed me a bottle of red and then when I asked them what I could get them they invariably requested white wine. Every last bottle of white wine was emptied come the end of the night with about 15 bottles of red stacked up unloved and unopened in the corner.
I usually drink either beer or white wine myself as red wine often puts me to sleep after one glass – yes I know its terribly uncivilised of me. So yesterday I stared at my laden wine rack willing them to change into my favourite whites when I had a wonderfully splendid terrifically brilliant idea. What else can you do with red wine I thought? Mulled wine! I love mulled wine, sitting around the christmas tree seeing how many more mince pies you can eat without getting sick. In 20+ degrees heat on a gorgeous sunny day however mulled wine just isn’t going to float my boat. No, you need something cool and refreshing. And then it came to me - Sangria. A quick investigation on the internet for a recipe and some kitchen magic followed. An hour later there I was sitting on my balcony with my occasionally nefarious friend clinking our glasses together and making a good dent in the rivers of excess red wine. It tastes as innocuous as ribena but after three glasses you’re in love with the world.
I have a feeling the rest of the red wine isn’t going to last much longer.
A brilliant idea. I have the same problem – don’t like red wine but people keep giving it to me. Sangria Shangri-la! And stuffing yourself with mince pies at the same time – sounds divine!
Philistines!
Looks like your friends missed out, they brought their left over red wine to your party drank all your white and now have to buy some red to make sangria !
I prefer white to red these days as well. The red puts me to sleep as well. You have obviously found the perfect solution. I put some club soda in with the red wine and fruit just to make it even lighter doing down.
Cheers!
…or put it in the post to me and i’ll let it rest on my wine rack. I will then dish it out when it’s someones birthday that i have forgot about.
oh and if you like white wine look out for a New Zealand wine called THE NED. Beautiful stuff
My first thought was “Regift it!” but the Sangria sounds so much better.
Jesus Conor, (yep, apotheosis happens when you’re 30) I don’t know how you can drink wine. I’d sooner drink my own blood than drink red wine. Far too sharp.
Mmm … coppery …
Nick – throw in some summer sun and it’s close to heaven
hidh – well I know how you prefer vintage beer yourself
ellie – gosh you’re right – maybe I should feel sorry for them. Nahhh…
Medbh – good to know I’m not on my own in red wine slumbers
Manuel – you’re officially the best at giving tips – books and now wine.
Beth – I did think of regifting also but then I can’t remember who gave me what so it could lead to an embarassing situation or ten
Dario – I’ll drink all sorts – it’s just staying awake that can be the problem – that’s usually not a big problem for those I’m with though
Excellent idea – sangria rocks.
Fat sparrow – I have to say for a first attempt mine was pretty darn good too! And it can only get better with practice.
Grmbl… FYI, in the Netherlands, Heineken is not considered vintage beer… (even when it’s old)
Mmmmm… Sangria. I might have to make some.
Red wine is my favorite, though, so I would have a hard time adulterating it.
hidh – I tell you what, I’ll make you my killer sangria some day and we’ll debate it over a glass or three
sassy – that’s the beauty – you can use really cheap plonk for it and no one will be any the wiser
Deal!
Damn, I’m so easy to convince…
Cunning plan or you could just wait til winter when everyone starts drinking red again.
Regift it to me. Mmm, red wine.
…
Oh, wait, I have to gift before I can be regifted.
Are those even proper words?
hidh – fabulous – can’t wait
flirty – there’s no way any alcohol would last that long in my household – apart from that strange bottle of something I brought back from Denmark – been there for years and hardly a drop taken
staroga – after a few glasses of my sangria you can make up any words you like and nobody would even notice
Oh what a sensible way to use up red wine… I think you should come here and make me sangria now. It’s perfect weather for a cool, relaxing and deceptively alcoholic drink.
Mind, given that it’s a school night, I suppose I should stick to camomile and rosehip teas. Yuck.
now that’s brilliant. wish i’d thought of that last summer when we had a party and ended up with 13 or 14 bottles of red wine. i can’t drink it, either–gives me a crashing headache–but i can down white wine like nobody’s business.
we regifted most of the red, though come to think of it there might be a few bottles lying around somewhere that would taste good in a punchbowl…
btw you should try Villa Maria, a New Zealand white. very very good. only about $14 a bottle here.
there’s another great spanish drink..tinto de verano..which is red wine with lemon fanta soda or sprite*L* sounds strange but absolutely delish when it’s hot outside
You called me staroga. That felt weird…
I called myself staroga; that was even weirder. I’m not sure why I did that.
Anyway, yep, I don’t need sangria to make up words; I do it all the time. It’s an Alan thing
jovica – I can’t believe the words sensible and wine were used in the same sentence to describe me – I’m in shock and rosehip tea just isn’t going to be enough to calm me down
laurie – thanks for the tip – I will investigate. I have no problem downing lots of white either
savannah – well I certainly have enough to experiment with so tinto de verano is next
alan/staroga – you’re confusing me – I thought there may have been a reason for the change in identity and didn’t want to out you so to speak. It felt strange to me too but also kind of exciting! I love how you use words by the way¬
Oh my god, Villa Maria….
Laurie, you’re SO right. I had my first taste of a fabulous Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc at the tender age of 18 – I’d just got my A-level (high school final exams) results, and was ready to party with my friends. Somehow I’d managed to freeze the celebratory champagne, so had to make do with the still stuff… and do you know what, with Villa Maria it was still a proper celebration.
Conortje – don’t invite hidh round for sangria. He is the source of all evil in the world and therefore must not be trusted.
Coincidentally, Villa Maria was also the name of a very popular Croatian soap opera, modelled on the imports of telenovelas from Latin America.
Clearly that is proof that white wine is superior – how many soap operas are named after red wines???
what are you saying Jovica – hidh is a wonderful young man – do I detect some jealousy? I’ll make you some more sangria too – better?
I like the word ‘young’ here…
Jovica, darling, you are too generous as usual – most of the evil in the world, granted. But there is a little evil here and there that did not originate with me. Very nasty evil even, however insignificant it may be. You, for example!
hidh – see my latest post on how I am great at writing such waffle
I see – it sounded familiar already. Ever considered a career in politics or diplomacy?