BRUSSELS — Not all sweet red wine blended with fruit may claim to be genuine sangria.
The European Parliament on Tuesday passed legislation requiring tougher labeling rules to establish that true sangria comes from Spain or Portugal.
In the future, aromatized wines produced elsewhere will have to clearly state their country of origin on the labels, marking them, for example, as German or Swedish sangria.
Sangria is usually consumed chilled as a popular summer drink. It typically contains red wine, sugar, brandy, orange, peach and other chopped fruit plus slightly sweetened seltzer water.
European lawmakers in Strasbourg passed the motion — which also protects the Vermouth and Gluehwein aromatized wines — in a 609-72 plenary vote with four abstentions.
The legislation still needs a rubber stamp approval from EU governments.