Port Wine Sangaree

As I've discussed before, the word Sangaree refers to a (usually sparkling) punch of wines and spirits that is the colonial American equivalent to Spanish Sangria.

The Port Wine Sangria (and it sounds redundant to call port a wine in the title, but so is the way of this and other drinks like the Port Wine Cobbler) is a refreshingly light and two-layered drink that starts out dry and boozy and ends sweet and fizzy. This is because of the float of brandy on top that a cocktail drinker is thankful for--that stiff backbone that keeps a drink like this from going completely sugary.

• 3 oz. ruby port (Sandeman used)
• 1 tbsp. brandy (Christian Brothers VSOP used)
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• sparkling water
• 1 tsp. water

Dissolve sugar in the tsp. of water at the bottom of a chilled highball glass. Add port and ice and fill almost to the top with sparkling water. Stir and float the brandy on top.