making sangria

[daisylittleone]

i'm making sangria for my birthday party (two days away!) and i was wondering what a good wine to use would be. i don't want to spend more than $15 on a bottle, and the less expensive the better, since there will be fruit, fizzy water, sugar, & rum in the punch as well.

[Innkeeper]

You can use any red wine, but tradition calls for using Rioja. Would not pay more than $10 for one for it.

[Auburnwine]

As one who relishes local ingredients (and the joy of experimentation), I would encourage you to look for Ranier cherries, if they are still available. It's certainly not traditional sangria, but chop them into your fruit blend and use a white wine, perhaps a Moscato, in lieu of a red wine.

Rum? No, I would use brandy.

[daisylittleone]

i'll see if i can find rioja in the grocery store (the only store selling alcohol open at midnight in oregon...i need to buy it as far ahead of serving time as possible, hence midnight)...i considered making a sangria blanco, but the traditional sounds oh-so-tasty! and ranier cherries (my fave!) are out of season [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/frown.gif[/img] but thanks for the brandy recommendation - i'm also making cuba libres & figured i'll kill two birds with one bottle, but i suppose i can get a small bottle of brandy.