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A refreshing journey in quest of the City’s sangria offerings
The winner of the best summer drink is undoubtedly sangria, the beloved wine punch originally hailing from Spain and Portugal. Providing both a nice buzz and a fruity blast that can’t be beat, sangria is the meat loaf of alcoholic drinks–everyplace has a special take on the concoction.
Toledo’s sangria landscape is a delicious world, with lots of wonderful variety. This reporter visited several local bistros to sample their sangria. And a fruity, eclectic journey it was.
Durty mind
Ye Olde Durty Bird stands as a culinary and social anchor of the Warehouse District. Lots of restaurants have come and gone over the decades since the area was turned into an entertainment district, but the Durty Bird remains a stalwart. ‘Twas a hot summer day in July when I found myself sitting at the bar of the Bird, ordering a Cucumber Ginger Sangria from their drink menu. They also serve red or white sangrias, as well as a blend, but there’s nothing cooler than a cucumber during a heatwave, so I opted for the specialty sangria. The Durty Bird menu lists the ingredients contained in the drink, including riesling, Effen Cucumber Vodka, Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur, lemonade, muddled lemon, and slices of lemon, lime and cucumber.
The Cucumber Ginger Sangria offers a zesty kick to the refreshing drink attributable to the ginger liqueur. It makes for a perfect summer drink and I was pleasantly surprised by the combination of ginger heat and mellow cucumber. I sucked the drink down in three swift sucks on the straw, which led my server to inquire if I liked it.
“I did, indeed. You guys do a really nice take on sangria. Never tasted one quite like that,” I replied. I thanked her, paid for my drink, and left Ye Olde Durty Bird for the next destination on my sangria trail.
A pour at Poco Piatti
Small plates, big taste. That’s Poco Piatti’s trademark, a great local bistro with two locations (well, three, if you count The Garden, their satellite place at Glass City Metropark) I’d heard rumors about Poco Piatti’s sangria, which is available in both red and white or mixed varieties. They also offer a seasonal flavor, the strawberry limoncello sangria, which I ordered.
Served in a tall stemmed glass with ample amounts of freshly sliced fruit, the strawberry limoncello sangria made for a delicious summertime treat. I asked the bartender, a nice guy named Dylan, for the ingredients in Poco Piatti’s famous sangria and he declined to give the secret formula. No matter. Whatever is in this stuff is perfect and I paid my bill, sporting a happy sensation and a satisfied palate.
Behold a pale horse
So there I was at The Pale Horse on Superior Street, former home of several drinking establishments over the decades, thinking to myself, “This is the best incarnation of this place.” The Pale Horse is a horror-themed bar, with posters and film memorabilia showcasing terror icons like Leatherface, Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, Chucky, and other assorted friends.
The lighting is nice, though dim, and the place casts a spooky spell that draws a guest into the overall experience. The Pale Horse may offer a horror aesthetic, but their bar staff is friendly, and their drink list is creative.
I actually hadn’t expected to encounter a sangria offering at The Pale Horse on the night I visited; I was just killing time for an hour before walking to the Valentine Theater to catch The Boxmasters concert. But there it was on the menu–Witching Hour Sangria, made with red wine, brandy, blackberry liqueur, and fruit, soaked overnight. I ordered one and admired the decorum of the bar as I waited for my drink. The Pale Horse even serves red wine in real blood bags, a nice morbid touch for Toledo’s premier horror-themed bar.
My Witching Hour Sangria was served, and did not disappoint. Tart, sweet, and with a deep red color that would please any vampire, this was a truly tasty drink and I savored every drop, using my straw as a chopstick to eat the alcohol-soaked peaches out of the ice once.
I paid my bill and headed out to the Valentine Theater, happy and no longer thirsty. I was really enjoying the sangria journey I was on, leading me to some unexpected places. I was loving every step and sip.
Urban legend
It was a lazy Sunday afternoon when I ventured into Urban Pine Winery in Maumee. I’d never been there before, but a Yelp search led me to the establishment in search of sangria, which according to reviews, was among the best in town.
A nice young woman named Keighty greeted me at the bar and I explained my sangria quest to her. She showed me the Urban Pine Winery menu, which listed 10–count them–10 different varieties of sangria, with flavors ranging from pina colada to mango citrus to raspberry peach. I opted for their most popular flavor, the raspberry dragonfruit.
Keighty poured me half a glass of the amber colored sangria, which was neither served with ice nor fruit. I took a drink and my taste buds woke up with a start. I’d never had dragonfruit except in Starbucks drinks. This strain of sangria was truly a revelation–not too tart, not too sweet, just a burst of flavor that tastes not unlike a liquid Jolly Rancher candy.
Keighty said that all the sangrias and wines are made in house, with no short cuts taken. Before I left, she also offered me a sample of the chilled sangria slush which, that day, boasted a cinnamon pomegranate flavor. Spicy and tangy, the icy treat delivered a nice kick and a flavor that was more autumnal than summer. Keighty said this slush was extremely popular in the fall and was one of their best sellers. I smiled and finished the slush, thinking to myself that autumn was only about a month away. Gee whiz, man, where has the summer gone?
Bully for Basil
Nestled snugly in Levis Commons, Basil Pizza & Wine Bar pours a damn good sangria. As I’d eaten earlier, I didn’t partake of their artisan pizza pies; I just told their bartender– Grace–that I was there to drink sangria.
Grace smiled and recommended the Ride the Tiger sangria, made with orange liqueur from Toledo Spirits, raspberry vodka, sweet wine and Sprite. Garnished with an orange slice and a stemmed cherry, Ride the Tiger roars from the first sip as a delicious, fruity potion that lingers on your tongue and is a sheer delight.
Basil Pizza & Wine Bar also pours other varieties of sangria, including the Ruby Red, Aperol Rose, and the Sicilian, all of which sounded fantastic. But I’d made a good choice with the Ride the Tiger. It was the perfect summertime drink. I paid my bill, ate the cherry, and attempted to tie the stem into a knot with my tongue, the famous trick performed by Audrey Horne in “Twin Peaks.” Alas, I failed and returned the untied stem to my drained glass. Time for the next stop.
Standard practices
By this time, my sangria tasting journey was starting to wind down. I only had a few more places to visit throughout the area. And my quest was providing a chance to visit restaurants and bars I had never frequented before. I was being introduced to drink flavors I had never experienced.
I was excited to visit The Standard on Monroe Street, in the same plaza as my old karaoke hangout, The Bier Stube. I was the first customer of the day as the establishment didn’t open until 4 p.m.
I took a seat at the bar and told the bartender I was looking for some sangria. She recommended the Rose Sangria, and even though I’m not much of a rose drinker, I happily ordered one when I was told that the drink contained strawberry puree, lemon juice, St. Germain, and rose. And I didn’t regret my decision; this was a damn good drink. Light, tangy and thirst-quenching. The Rose Sangria is perfect for an after-work drink or something to sip on during a relaxing weekend evening.
I opted out of ordering dinner at The Standard, making a note to come back some other time to try their crab cakes, which are locally famous. I thanked my bartender, polished off my drink, and waved goodbye. I had one last stop on my sangria quest. It was time to finish the job.
Way Out at Webber’s
No, I’m not related to the family that owns Webber’s in Erie, Mich., but I wish I was. It’s a great family owned business located on the Ottawa River, serving great food and drink in a relaxing atmosphere.
Following GPS directions, I meandered through Point Place, past the Mayfly Tavern and the Whale’s Tail, two of my favorite blue collar bars in the area. I arrived at Webber’s with a touch of melancholia. This was it. The last stop of my summertime libation journey through Toledo’s sangria scene.
Like The Standard, Webber’s also opened at 4 p.m., and I arrived right as they were unlocking the doors. I went inside the brightly lit interior, looking out the windows at the river.
I took a seat and my bartender cheerfully asked what brought me in. “I’m here to drink sangria,” I announced. “Do you want red or white? Red is our berry flavor, white is our peach flavor,” she explained.
Knowing this was my last stop on the tour, I ordered both varieties. I also ordered a slice of key lime pie because Webber’s menu said it was “famous.” So why not?
First, I was served the berry sangria, a rich, fruity number that tasted like perfect classic sangria. The berry flavor was pleasant and not overpowering, a nice adult Kool Aid that chased away the summertime heat.
The peach sangria surprised me because I don’t really care much for white wine based drinks; I’m strictly a red wine man, and a snobby one at that. But the peach sangria is thoroughly enjoyable with just the right amount of sweetness. It also paired perfectly with the key lime pie, among the best citrus based pie I’ve had. Cool, tart and tasty, the peach sangria and the pie coupling was the perfect finish to my tasting journey. Like Poco Piatti, Webber’s is a bit secretive about how their sangria is made, but I’m not sure I want to know their ingredients anyway. Some things are best enjoyed without studying all the fine print.
I left Webber’s feeling happy, pondering the drinks I had experienced on my pilgrimage through the Toledo area’s sangria landscape. It had been a delicious journey, as well as an inspiring one. It was just really cool how each restaurant or bistro had their own unique take on the classic summertime staple. I felt good. I got to my car, turned to face Webber’s one more time, and muttered to no one in particular, “Cheers.”
