The New Cinco Spread

Got a nice sunny weekend of Cinco Celebrations planned? Hopefully you’ve already hit up our awesome selections of Mexican beers and agave spirits, but if brews and ‘ritas aren’t your thing, you’ve got options!

One of our favorite celebration beverages is the oft’ misunderstood Sangria — perhaps most glorious in its infinite permutations of crisp, fruity, boozy, or light and sessionable profiles. To get you started, we’ve focused in on the base wines to set your stage, with spirit and fruit options to craft your perfect signature Sangria.

WHITE SANGRIA – ultra-refreshing, ideal for spritzer fans

Base – Le Tuffeau Vouvray

Vouvray’s come in a wide range of dryness to lusciousness, and Le Tuffeau lands right in the sweet spot for introducing modifiers. Its predominant notes of honied apricot and white peach meld seamlessly with fruit additions, while the tart dryness can play with multiple styles of spike. Add two parts of aromatized wine or vermouth to bring out the herbal freshness of your new favorite spritz, or aperitif’s/light brandies for more of a soft, summery punch.

Boost – Ask your Top Ten Product Specialists for their top picks in: Aromatized wines, white vermouths, aperitif’s, light brandies

Finishing Touches – Add in fruits like mandarin orange, mango, pineapple; top with seltzer water or your favorite citrus soda

PINK SANGRIA – crisp, juicy, smooth, bright

Base – 90+ Cellars Rosé

It’s the ultimate crowd-pleaser — friendly to many different fruits and spirits that might round out your carafe. Add some pink or orange aperitif and club soda for a fresh and fruity garden beverage, or go with orange curaçao or sloe gin for a more amped-up cocktail. 90+ Rosé works with either vibe, its melon fruit lending well to the light and nuanced spritz, or a richer, boozier tipple.

Boost – Ask your Top Ten Product Specialists for their top picks in: Light amari and aperitif’s, sloe gin, orange liqueurs

Finishing Touches – Add in fruits like berries, white cherries, melon; top with seltzer, tonic, or sparkling lemonade

RED SANGRIA – classic, fruity, rich

Base – Topo Tinto Portuguese Red

The sweet spot here is a nice balance of fruit and texture — ripe but not heavy — to carry the extra bump of booze. Topo Tinto’s blend brings plum and berry notes with a nice amount of spice and a core of strawberry, the ideal host for richer modifiers like applejack brandy or fortified wines.

Boost – Ask your Top Ten Product Specialists for their top picks in: apple brandies, sweet vermouths, or dark-fruited amari

Finishing Touches – Add in fruits like cut red apple, blackberries, Bing cherries; top with a little seltzer or sparkling juice if you’re feeling a bubble

-Aimee Hutchinson | Wine Manager Top Ten Liquors