The perfect aperitifs

Patxaran: This sloe-flavoured liqueur, commonly drunk in Navarra in Basque country, is made by soaking sloe berries, collected from the blackthorn, in an anise-flavoured spirit with a small number of coffee beans and a vanilla pod. It results in a light red dish-brown sweet liquid.

How to drink it: It is served cold or on ice.

When to drink it: On a relaxed evening after a filling dinner.

Manzana: This greenish liqueur is made from wild apples and comes from the Basque region of Spain. The name manzana means apple in Spanish; and verde is Spanish for "green". Manzana contains around 20 per cent alcohol. It is sweet and tastes like green apples.

How to drink it: Straight

When to drink it: Any time of the day.

Chinchón: This is a kind of anisette produced in the village of Chinchón, Madrid. A mediumgrade distilled wine is first marinated with green anise seeds, and then is redistilled in copper. The result is a transparent liquid, free of suspended particles.

How to drink it: Traditionally, men mix it with brandy, calling it sol y sombra (sun and shade).

When to drink it: After lunch with a cigar or as a digestive, served at room temperature mixed with water or on the rocks.

The classic punch

Sangria is best summed up as a wine punch. The word sangría comes from the Spanish sangre meaning blood. It typically consists of red wine, chopped or sliced fruit, a sweetener such as honey or orange juice, a small amount of brandy or Triple Sec. Sangría is often served in 1-litre pitchers or other containers large enough to hold a bottle of wine plus the added ingredients.

A lid or a strainer helps prevent the fruit and ice cubes from falling into the glass.

Spanish wines

There are more than 50 recognised wine-producing districts in Spain. The red wines of Rioja and the sherries of Jerez are the most famous of Spanish wines but a whole range of other quality wines are available from its diverse regions.

What to look for in Spanish wines

Look for these quality designations on the Spanish wine label.

Crianza: Crianzas spend between 6 and 12 months in oak casks.

Reserva: Reservas are aged a minimum of one year in oak casks and two years in bottles or a combination of both with a minimum of one year in casks.

Gran Reserva: These wines are only made in exceptional years, undergo extensive ageing, with a minimum two years in oak and three in the bottle.