Hotel Linda Bar and Lounge, best Sangria in Spain!
During my two months stay in Spain I kept hearing about Sangria, this amazing wine drink and how I must try it. Every restaurant has their own version, some use expensive wine, some use boxed wine while others brag about their secret ingredient, “Fanta” or even anise. The flavors and combinations were as vast as the Atlantic, but they all had one thing in common; the hangover if you drink too much. After a terrible lunch with Sangria that tasted like liquorish and wine from the anise, I had given up trying any more Sangria.
A cold stormy fall evening changed all that when I stumbled upon a small boutique hotel on a quiet street of Old Town Marbella. Hotel Linda was advertising Mulled Wine on chalkboard sign for 3€. It was cold outside; the whole city was covered in volcanic ash from the Palma Island volcanic eruption, and I was looking to warm up. I ordered the mulled wine and watched as Sherzad (Bar Tender) expertly whipped up a beautiful wine concoction that was unlike anything I had seen before in Spain (See Mulled wine, my new favorite holiday drink).
During my conversation with Sherzad, we talked about the interesting flavors of Spain’s Famous Sangria and how disappointed I was with everything I had tried. Sherzad proposed a solution which I couldn’t refuse; he was going to make me a Sangria that I would LOVE and want to tell everyone about, or he would pay for it himself. Spoiler alert, you already know how this is going to end!
The bottles came off the shelf, alcohol was carefully measured, and out came the Sangria drink that I had so diligently sought after. The amazingly well blended flavors were one which I could indulge in over and over again (and I did this evening). Funny how things work out, I stumbled onto and out of this quiet quaint boutique hotel bar that evening.
I politely and jokingly refused to pay my bill until Sherzad gave me the recipe that I present to you now, cheers from Marbella, Spain!
Spain's Best Sangria Recipe
3 parts Martini and Rosso or (Sweet Vermouth)
3 parts Licor 43 or (Sweet Licor)
3 parts Torres 5 or (Brandy)
3 parts Licor or (Triple Sec)
1 part orange juice (Optional)
3 parts Sparkling water (Optional for fizz, I preferred it without)
- Orange juice and sparkling water can be substituted or combined when using Fanta, I don’t recommend it though.
1 bottle Red Wine, Tempranillo or full-bodied red wine to your taste. Cost and age of wine plays little role in the end product, just use a red wine that you are comfortable with (but not too sweet). Sherzad surprised me when he showed the 1€ per liter boxed wine he used.
Stirred, not shaken and garnished with apple, pears and slice of orange. Be careful eating the garnish at the end, it packs a punch!
Makes 4 large servings and even more memories, please enjoy and drink responsibly!
For more things to do and see, see our post Marbella.
For more information on this Boutique hotel or to book a room, please visit https://lndamarbella.com.
