Utter confusion. Why are our beverage laws so messed up?

Does anyone have a recipe for sangria? What is actually in the stuff?

According to the bill:

"Sangria" means a drink consisting of red or white wine mixed with brandy, triple sec, or other similar spirits, sugar, fruit or fruit juice, and soda water.

Currently, you're not allowed to sell wine to which spirits have been added. Can anyone think of other drinks that have wine and liquor?

Michael

It probably doesn't count under the liquor law but technically a martini is wine (vermouth, a fortified wine) and liquor (gin).

Also, is this illegal as of now. I know that I have purchased pitchers of sangria at Virginia restaurants before. Were they breaking the law or is there something else?

so what are the proportions?

According to a google search:
1 liters Red Wine Cabernet Sauvignon
1 cup Sugar
4 ounces Brandy
1 whole Lemon sliced
1 whole Orange sliced
1 whole Apple cut into thin sections
1 liter Soda Water
Combine fruit and wine in a large container. Stir. Refrigerate and let sit for about a day. Remove from refrigerator, stir and add sugar and/or brandy to taste. Then, slowly add soda water until it seems to have a thinner, wine-like consistency. If desired, you may instead add Lemon-Lime soda. Serve in red wine glasses.

The strange fight over sangria has its roots in Virginia's failed experiment with prohibition. As Ebbin's bill has demonstrated, the prohibitionists are still at it.

Fascinating! Thanks for providing those links. Especially stunning is this bit:

"If we had our way, we’d go back to prohibition," said Jack Knapp, executive director of the Virginia Assembly of Independent Baptists. "We think a lot of good came out of prohibition — despite the Untouchable television series and everything else."

Knapp's quite a character -- I can't pretend to be surprised -- but who can take seriously a group that thinks Prohibition was (and is) a good idea?