Picture this: A wise grandmother leans over the kitchen table in a house in Spain. She empties a few bottles of red wine into a big bowl, adds a generous dose of brandy and triple sec, and gives it a good stir. On a wooden chopping board, she finely cuts apples and oranges into bite-sized pieces and soaks them in brandy for 10 minutes to ensure they retain their crunchiness. To uplift the taste, she adds a spoonful of mixed spices — cinnamon and cloves. She pours herself a glass and takes a swig. Satisfied, she carries it outside for her thirsty family members. This was how Sangria was first made in 15th century Spain. It was initially consumed to beat the heat but later turned into a community drink during festivals.

“Sangria doesn’t have a single recipe. It could well have been a hand-me-down grandmother’s recipe. You never make just one glass of sangria. It is always made in a pitcher or a big bowl. While there is hieroglyphic proof that the Egyptian pharaohs enjoyed a glass of wine in the 14th century, the drink earned the status of a party swig in 1964 when it first became popular in the US,” says Shishir Rane, group head (beverage and brand experience) at Impresario Entertainment and Hospitability Pvt Ltd.