Sangria (C &M)

Sangria comes from the Spanish word sangre, meaning blood from the colour. In Spain and the surrounding area, it is drunk at many festivals with great theatrical drama - poured directly into the mouth from a long spouted jug! The art lies in being able to drink the Sangria from varying heights without spilling any! It has now become a very well known drink, cool and packed with fruit. Ideally, Sangria needs to sit for a full day before it is served, to ensure a smooth and mellow taste. If a day is not possible, give it an absolute minimum of two hours to sit. Doubling or tripling the recipe is fine, but you'll have to switch to a large punch bowl in place of the pitcher.