The Winter Winery is back for 2008! The first feature of the year is this tasty yet inexpensive red wine from Wild Bunch Wines. The combination of fruity notes from strawberry and raspberry and spicy notes of cinnamon, cloves, and anise give this wine a rich flavor and finish. Like many of my other features, this wine is screwtop, which is becoming more and more popular with vineyards.
Wild Bunch’s Red Wine is a combination of Zinfandel (69%), Syrah (25%), and Barbera (6%). The blend is quite sophisticated, but if it does not tickle your fancy this wine makes a great sangria!
To make an easy sangria, you can add a splash of orange juice and sliced lemons or strawberries. Another suggestion would be to make a simple syrup: equal parts water and sugar in a saucepan, heated until the sugar is completely dissolved and water thickens slightly, and cooled completely. Mix a small amount of simple syrup with the wine and fresh fruit of your choice. Pour over ice and enjoy!
Just as a note: Sangria is practically the only time it is acceptable to add ice to wine. I have had Sangria served to me in a variety of glassware: red wine glasses, white wine glasses, martini style glasses, big fishbowl glasses, highball, and more. I’m also guilty of using plastic drinking cups on vacation. Use whatever you prefer or have on hand, since we are already breaking the wine rules, what’s one more? Here, I’ve stolen James pilsner glass:
