Friday, July 21, 2017

Chill Out With Besa del Sol Sangria


My wife and I were sitting on a shady terrace overlooking the Guadalquivir River in Seville.  It was August. It was hot.  We didn’t even know what the temperature was.  Afraid to ask.
We were nibbling on olives and thin slices of Bellota jamon. We had finished a couple of copitas of chilled fino Sherry but it hadn’t managed to chill us.
A waiter passed our table carrying a large pitcher of sangria and several glasses on a tray.  The pitcher was frosty and so were the glasses,  taken from the freezer only moments before.
Ann turned slightly in her chair to follow the progress of the sangria toward a table of young women who greeted the waiter and the sangria with welcoming smiles.
“Why didn’t we think of that,” Ann asked?
What, I ventured, would happen if two wine nerds were spotted drinking sangria?
She gave me that look.
I signaled the waiter and ordered a pitcher of sangria.
Might have saved our marriage.
*
So come on, people. Loosen up.  It’s summer. It’s hot. And I have some virtual sangria for you.
Besa del Sol Sangria from Spain has just arrived in the US market in red, white and pink versions and it is delicious and cooling, The wine base is made from a single estate in the Valdepeñas wine DO. The red and pink versions are made from Tempranillo, the white sangria from Airén, the most widely grown white wine grape in Spain.
The wines are refreshing on the palate with a welcoming edge of acidity and a touch of citrus leading to a just off-dry and slightly spicy finish. Serve it over ice or straight up from the fridge. It comes in a 3 liter bag in box, a 1.5 liter glass bottle and 500ML TetraPak.  It is fairly low alcohol, at only 8.5%.
Just try it. Nobody’s looking.  Besides even wine nerds can chill out when the weather is so hot.
Another round, please.
And make mine pink.

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