How To Make Sangria
Sangria is a Mediterranean drink that usually blends red wine, seasonal fruit, fruit juice (or soda), a sweetener and brandy.
Learn more about the fruits, wines and other ingredients used to make this popular drink, then try the recipe below!
The History of Sangria
Sangria originated in Spain (or possibly Portugal). Its beginnings are somewhat mysterious, but sangria almost certainly did originate in one of the sun kissed, wine-making European nations that had easy access to both red wine and citrus fruits.
Serving sangria had a number of big advantages over serving straight red wine back then, too. The addition of fruits, fruit juice and sweeteners like sugar or honey could conceal a mediocre (cheap) vintage; so it was a delicious way to turn an inferior wine into a superior drink.
Sangria can pack a wallop, too. With the addition of a little brandy, even a low alcohol wine could be made into a strong drink that tasted refreshing.
With so many family vineyards across Spain and Portugal, it’s easy to imagine how sangria became a popular way to transform a seasonal grape harvest into a flexible and fashionable way to serve red wine — and make that wine go a little farther by using some clever and tasty flavorings.
Fruits For Sangria
Swirling red wine complete with slices of lime, lemon and orange looks spectacular when served in a punch bowl or clear pitcher. Those fruits aren’t just for show, either. They add flavor and depth to the mix.
Sangria can be made with any of a number of different fruit and spice combinations.
A simple sangria recipe can morph and change with the seasons pretty successfully by just changing the amount and variety of the fruits and spices in the mixture.
These are some popular fruit ingredients for sangria:
- Apple
- Apricot
- Blueberry
- Cherries
- Grape
- Kiwi
- Lemon
- Lime
- Mango
- Melon
- Orange
- Peach
- Pear
- Pineapple
- Raspberry
- Strawberry
These are some popular spices added to sangria, too:
- Allspice berries
- Cardamom
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Cloves
- Ginger
- Peppercorns
- Star Anise
Wines For Sangria
There’s no getting around the fact that a great sangria starts with the wine. Although fruit and sugar will alter the taste, starting with a quality wine is still a good idea. These are some popular red wines used in sangria:
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Chianti
- Malbec
- Merlot
- Pinot Grigio
- Pinot Noir
- Rose
- Zinfandel
Sangria is traditionally made with red wine, but using white wine is a new variation you might want to explore. It creates a lighter, somewhat sweeter flavor — and all that colorful fruit looks attractive swirling around a pitcher of white wine. Here are some wines you might try in white wine sangria:
- Chablis
- Chardonnay
- Gewurztraminer
- Pinot Grigio
- Riesling
- Sauvignon Blanc
Other Sangria Ingredients
Sangria also contains fruit juice or soda, a sweetener and often brandy or another variety of spirits. Here are some options:
For the juice:
- Club soda
- Cranberry juice
- Diet (non-cola) soda
- Ginger ale
- Lemon-lime soda
- Limeade
- Orange juice
- Pineapple juice
- Pomegranate juice
As a sweetener:
- Granulated sugar
- Honey
- Superfine sugar
For an optional alcoholic punch:
- Brandy
- Cognac
- Cointreau
- Grand Marnier
Basic Sangria Recipe
You can see that there are lots of ways to blend sangria for a variety of flavors. Some experts claim there’s no basic sangria recipe because the process of choosing ingredients is so individual.
The best way to discover a sangria recipe that works well for you is to experiment. If you love pineapple, your preferred sangria will be different from your friend’s favorite recipe that uses mangos and apricots.
To get you started, here is a simple sangria recipe. Feel free to modify it liberally until you find a blend that tastes as good (to you) as it looks.
Sangria Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon wine using a red wine is a good option for your first turn at making sangria
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup club soda
- 2 oz. brandy optional
- 2 tbsp. superfine sugar superfine will dissolve quickly and completely
- 1 orange cut into thin slices
- 1 lime cut into thin slices
Instructions
- Pour liquid ingredients into a chilled pitcher, add sugar and stir to incorporate.
- Add fruit and stir.
- Chill for 10 to 20 minutes before serving.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon wine (using a red wine is a good option for your first turn at making sangria)
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup club soda
- 2 oz. brandy (optional)
- 2 tbsp. superfine sugar (superfine will dissolve quickly and completely)
- 1 orange cut into thin slices
- 1 lime cut into thin slices
Directions:
- Pour liquid ingredients into a chilled pitcher, add sugar and stir to incorporate.
- Add fruit and stir.
- Chill for 10 to 20 minutes before serving.
Tips and Tricks for Making Sangria
- If you’re using sugar, blend it into the wine before adding the fruit. Stir thoroughly to incorporate.
- To avoid diluting your sangria with “water” ice cubes. Freeze some of the juice you’re using into flavored ice cubes instead.
- Since you’ll probably be leaving the peels on the fruit you’ve selected, prefer organically grown produce for sangria.
- After adding the fruit to your sangria, refrigerate it for 20 minutes to let the flavors mellow.
- If you have a bit of leftover wine from last night’s dinner party, it’s probably a great candidate for an impromptu pitcher of sangria. Give it a try.
- When adding spices to sangria, boil them in the fruit juice. Cool and strain the juice before adding the wine.