As Jacob Grier notes, the Washington Post ran an excellent article highlighting a silly Virginia law that bans sangria. The law does not specifically outlaw sangria, but states that restaurants cannot serve beverages in which spirits are added to beer or wine. Sangria is a traditional Spanish beverage that runs afoul of the law because it is typically made from red wine and brandy. A restaurant in Northern Virginia is currently facing a $2,000 fine for violating the law.

As the article indicates, the law has broader implications

It’s not just sangria. Other popular drinks are also off-limits, including kir royals, which are made with sparkling wine, and boilermakers, which include beer and a shot of liquor.

This invites a question: does the law also make martinis illegal? Martinis are a mixture of gin or vodka and dry vermouth, which is a blend of fortified wine and herbs. Can a bartender in Virginia add fortified wine to spirits? The text of the law says you cannot “sell wine to which spirits or alcohol, or both, have been added,” but does not clarify if it is illegal to add wine to spirits.

Regardless of the legal implications for martinis, Manhattans, and other cocktails with vermouth, this is a silly and unnecessary law. Unfortunately this is just the tip of the iceberg, as many other states still have outdated, Prohibition-era laws on their books. The U.S. is riddled with ridiculous state liquor laws that impose restrictions on the size of beer bottles, the number of ounces of spirits allowed in a particular beverage, and the percentage of alcohol in beer, just to name a few. These attempts to reduce alcohol consumption are misguided and often counterproductive. State governments should get out of the nanny business and allow responsible adults to enjoy the alcoholic beverage of their choosing.