Señor Sangria

Bonnie: People always ask me how we find products to review on Bite of the Best. Some are samples that just find their way into my mailbox, some I trip over at events/conferences and others find us through PR (public relations) pitches.

“Do you ever look at alcoholic beverages?” e-mailed Jeff Davis. “I’m working with a new premium, all-natural sangria. If up your alley, let me know.”

That was the first time I’d heard about this new sangria. What followed next intrigued us even more. The owner, Rick Martinez, sent Bryan, Eric and me a link to a video that he created just for us.

“I wanted to make the sampling of our product a bit more social,” said Rick.

Rick didn’t plan to start a sangria company. As he said, it found him. He served his friends his homemade sangria both at his home and theirs (as it’s what he brought to parties). The idea to start the company came from his fiancé Maria Camelo, after she continually heard Rick’s friends and family rave about it.

A year after beginning the business, Rick quit his job to focus on selling this newly bottled sangria. Señor Sangria contains nothing artificial. It’s a blend of real fruit juice and Chilean Merlot and is best served over ice along with fruit. It’s been available only since March.

I served it this past weekend at a Fourth of July party. Some enjoyed it, others found it too sweet. My thoughts: It would have been much more of a hit had I not also had many other wine selections and varieties of beer. Most who sampled it switched to other libations for the rest of the party.

That said, I’d serve it again — but in a fruit-and-ice-filled pitcher — and provide only that offering at a dinner party with tapas and/or paella.

Bryan: Sangria, literally translated, as “bloody,” essentially is a wine punch. The drink originated in southern Europe (Spain, Portugal and Italy) but now can be found as a sweet summer offering all around the world. Sangria is as much a reflection of its locality as any food. There is no actual “recipe” for sangria as much as there is a loose interpretation of the drink, allowing for endless flavors to emerge from a single idea.

Though the rules are loose, the beverage generally consists of a combination (often with vastly differing amounts) of wine, fruit, sugar, liquor and club soda. With so many different recipes, sangria’s alcoholic content will vary greatly with the ingredients used. Common spirits you might find in your next glass include brandy, triple sec, vodka, schnapps and other fruit liqueurs. Drinker beware…

Though less common, you also will occasionally see a white wine punch. If you’re wondering, it’s still sangria. It’s just referred to as sangria blanca, though you’ve got to admit that “white bloody” doesn’t really make much sense.

So what is Señor Sangria?
It is a bottled, premium sangria made by a passionate, boutique creator. (Yes, bottled, premium sangria is rare next to the rest of the bottled sangria, most of which is crap…. Yeah, I said it.)

So, it’s good. But why would I want bottled Sangria anyway? Isn’t half the fun of sangria making it?
It’s hard to argue with the enjoyable process of creating a sangria, but I’ll clue you in on something: The other half the fun is drinking sangria, and sometimes I want my enjoyment “on demand.” Pizza is also fun to make, but I order delivery often.

Señor Sangria is made from Chilean Merlot, natural fruit juices and pure cane sugar; an all-natural, delectable sangria that’s as good as, or better than, homemade, according to its passionate creator. Created by Rick Martinez from a personal sangria recipe originally developed for friends and family, the drink still displays the passion Rick has for his craft. His dedication to quality is inspiring, and his concoction is, as well.

There are few drinks better for a warm summer day than a glass of cold sangria. Señor Sangria is sweet, satisfying and has just enough kick to remind you that you’re drinking. Think of a mixing up a batch of your own (or picking up a bottle of Rick’s) for your next backyard barbecue… it’s a truly interesting transition from bottled beer that will have you thinking.

Though you can understand why, one thing missing from Señor Sangria is the fresh fruit. Loaded up with natural fruit juices, the bottled beverage is unfortunately bereft of actual fruit pieces. Feel free to cut up your favorites (oranges and cantaloupe are mine) and toss them into your glass. Think about getting ahead of the game and empty the Señor Sangria bottle into a pitcher with your choice of fruit and any added “kicks” (I like Grand Marnier). Let the mixture sit overnight and then add your club soda and ice. Serve and enjoy!

Eric: Ever since my first visit to Spain, sangria has become my quintessential summer drink. It is refreshing, intoxicating and delicious (that is of course dependent on the variety) and even my girlfriend, an avid nondrinker, will usually fill a glass, sit back, and enjoy. The difficulty when it comes to drinking sangria is that if you don’t have the right ingredients at home, you’re usually heading to the nearest restaurant to get a pitcher – and that is not always a sure thing.