Despite the snowfall last week in Chicago, Cinco de Mayo is only two weeks away!  What better way to virtually celebrate than with some Sangria?  Not all Sangrias are created equal so if you’re looking for an authentic and hand-crafted product, look no further than de la Costa Sangria which has been produced by Chicago’s Glunz Family Winery and Cellars for the past 44 years.  Today, de la Costa Sangria is made in Paso Robles, CA where the Glunz Family Winery and Cellars recently moved from Grayslake, Illinois.

De la Costa was born in 1976 when owner Joseph Glunz Sr. became the first person to put wine in a keg.  He created 4 other kegged wines as well but the Sangria rapidly became a local favorite.

What makes de la Costa so popular is its hand-crafted taste of pure flavors and harmonious balance of Sangria’s sweetness with vibrant acidity.  Made as any typical wine from fermented grapes, de la Costa Sangria comes in 3 flavors.  The White is made from a base of Sauvignon Blanc, the Red from a base of Zinfandel and Merlot, while the Rosé is a bit of a blend from the White and Red.

Once the respective grapes have completed fermentation, Matthew and Stephan Glunz (two of Joseph’s sons) produce the Sangrias themselves by adding pure distilled lemon, lime, grapefruit, and orange juices into the wine with some final residual sugar to balance all the flavors out.  No water is added to de la Costa Sangria (unlike many other brands) which preserves the fresh fruit flavors when the wine is poured over ice. The result is summer-in-a-glass. 

De la Costa is also unique for its custom packaging in a bottle type that Joseph Glunz Sr. discovered during his Second World War job of cleaning and recycling bottles.  The bottle has a swing-top that is airtight and resealable which keeps the Sangria fresh if you don’t drink the wine all in one sitting.  Once all the wine is consumed, the bottle can then be easily reused for something else.

In addition to bottles, de la Costa Sangria is now also sold in 4-pack cans which make it perfect for virtual picnics.  From its initial start at one Whole Foods store, today de la Costa Sangria is sold in all 50 states and can be found in Illinois through multiple retail channels such as Marianos, Whole Foods, Binnys, Pete’s Fresh Market, and Costco.  Typically priced around $10.99 retail for a 1-liter bottle or $17.99 for a 4-pack of 375ml cans, you can easily stock up for the summer which is right around the corner!