In Virginia, serving sangria could land you in jail
WASHINGTON (AFP) — Serving the traditional Spanish beverage of sangria could land you in hot water in the southern state of Virginia, but lawmakers were debating Thursday whether to legalize the tapas bar favorite.
"We have a code in Virginia that says no distilled spirit may be added to wine or beer prior to a customer's order," Kristy Marshall, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control agency, told AFP.
"A lot of restaurants like to pre-mix a drink in the morning and have one big batch to serve throughout the day. It's the pre-mixing that makes it illegal," Marshall said.
Violating the code, which dates from 1934, a year after the end of the Prohibition Era, when alcohol was banned in the United States, is a "class one misdemeanor, punishable by a 2,500 dollars fine and/or 12 months in jail," Marshall said.
Another rule bars restaurateurs and bartenders from "keeping liquor in a container other than a bottle with a tax stamp on it," said Marshall.
Sangria, which is usually a blend of red wine, brandy and cut fruit, is often served in jugs or punchbowls, and more often than not pre-mixed to allow the flavors to flow together.
Early Thursday, lawmakers at the state legislature began debating whether to legalize sangria in Virginia, an official said.
Also Thursday, representatives of a popular tapas bar and restaurant in Alexandria, Virginia were due to attend the latest in a series of hearings after receiving a citation from Alcoholic Beverage Control agents two years ago for serving sangria.
"We're pushing to legalize sangria in Virginia and advocating for the bill that's on the floor of the state legislature," a spokeswoman for the La Tasca restaurant said.
