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Reál Sangria – White Sangria Drink

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OK, so here’s a review that’s a little different than most that we do here, due to the fact that this is really a “wine drink” rather than just a wine.  In other words, flavors were added— citrus flavors, to be exact.  Given that fact, I’m not going to give it a score, because my scoring methods require measures like “varietal correctness” and I have no way to gauge that.  Instead, I’ll just give you the scoop on my thoughts about sangria and about this Reál Sangria.

First of all, I love sangria.  Red sangria is actually the first wine drink I remember tasting when I was just 13 years old on a visit to Spain.  But I like both red sangria and white sangria.  I’ve made them both numerous times.  When I make sangria, I just use some inexpensive Spanish wine (usually grenache), fresh fruit, some brandy, triple sec, sugar and Sprite or just a club soda.  Here’s my sangria recipe, for the red version anyway.  So, I’m accustomed to mixing my own sangria rather than using a pre-made version, but I was curious how Reál Sangria would compare.

Reál Sangria White is labeled as being made with Spanish white wine and natural citrus flavors.  I’m not really sure what that means.  I would expect it to have natural citrus juices, but that’s not what it says.  The label also states that the alcohol level is 7 – 10%, which struck me as odd as I would expect a consistent production process to yield a consistent alcohol level.  I inquired with the PR rep about that, but didn’t get a reply.  It retails for $6.99 – $8.99 (depending on region) for a 750 ml bottle.

Real Sangria White

The aromas smell much more orange-like than wine-like, and it’s kind of an artificial orange too.  It reminds me a bit of Sunkist soda.  On the palate, it’s very sweet — which is to be expected from a wine in the 7 – 10% abv range.  And I don’t have a problem with sweet wines as long as that sweetness is well balanced with acidity.  But this drink is somewhat off-balance to me with a sugary sweetness that overpowers any other flavors.  The aftertaste is that of sugar-coated orange slices — you know, the candy ones.

It’s best served on ice, and/or used as a mixer (i.e. add a bunch of fresh fruit or fruit juice to it).  On its own, this isn’t really my cup of tea, due to the fact that I can’t really taste anything wine-like in it.  I prefer my sangria to have more wine flavors along with fresh citrus and other fruits.

Given that this didn’t strike my fancy, I asked my wife, Robyn, to give it a shot.  She loves sangria — even more than I do — although we both generally prefer red versus white.  Her review: “It’s pretty good on ice, with a salty snack… if you’re desperate.”  She then finished the bottle.

I guess she was desperate.

Disclosure: This product was received as a sample.

Tim Lemke Tim is the founder and chief reviewer at Cheap Wine Ratings since 2007.

Comment(0)

  1. never had a sangria of any kind ! But from what I know I would make my own ! You should of posted your recipe :O)

    I am a wine newbie enjoy your reviews even if I don’t know what your talking about most of the time but iam learning all be it slowly . I got a couple months befor I have to go to a 4 star eatery and order wine like I know what iam doing .

    keep the reviews coming

    GW

    1. Thanks for the comment, GW. My recommendation, if you’re just learning, is to focus on a couple regions and varieties that most appeal to you. Often times, you’ll go into a restaurant and not recognize any of the wines on the list by name (or at least very few). But if you know about a specific region and variety (better still if you know about the vintages from that region) it will give you something to base your decision on. And when I say region, I mean learn the specific appellations. Know exactly where a wine comes from and what inherent qualities to expect from that appellation.

      Another good idea, if you’re new to wine, is to check the website of the restaurant you’re visiting beforehand. Often they will have their wine list posted and you can do a little homework before you go.

      But most important, just explore and enjoy. No amount of reading is going to tell you what YOU like. Take notes when you find something you enjoy and build on that experience. Cheers!

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