Sangria and Box/Jug Wine

[hdblair]

We are having a party for over 150 people and will be serving Sangria. Can anyone recommend a good (inexpensive) dry red box/jug wine for this purpose? It will probably need to be a widely distributed name since we do not live near a really large city. Thanks, Harold

[Kcwhippet]

Welcome to the WineBoard. There are a few routes you can go with this. The most traditional would be to start with a Spanish wine, such as a Rioja or a Garnacha (Campo de Borja). You can get basic versions for about $10 a magnum. One bottle with a 2 liter bottle of ginger ale, a 375 bottle of inexpensive brandy (Christian Brothers), some Triple Sec and lots of fruit will give you 4 liters of Sangria, and will serve about 8 to 10 people. Another way is to go with a 3 or 4 liter bottle of a hearty red from Carlo Rossi, Livingston or Almaden, all about $10. Add the other ingredients mentioned above in the same proportions and you can serve about 25 to 30 people. The second option is probably your best bet for such a large crowd. Figure your total cost at about $1 per person.