Spanish · Drinks

Red Wine Sangria

Spanish red wine steeped overnight with brandy, citrus and stone fruit, topped with soda only at the moment of serving. The overnight rest is what turns it from wine with fruit in it into sangria.

15 min prep and cooking plus 4 hr chilling 4 hr 15 min start to finish Serves 6 servings Easy
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Red Wine Sangria

Photograph credit: Sangria by svensmail · CC0 1.0 · Flickr

Don't Make These Mistakes

Use a wine you would happily drink on its own. Sangria does not rescue bad wine, it amplifies it.

Do not add the soda water early. Flat sangria is a sad drink.

For a white version, use Albariño with peaches, apples and elderflower liqueur.

Making Red Wine Sangria

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  1. Put the sugar in a large jug with the orange and lemon slices and press them together with a spoon for 30 seconds to release the citrus oils.

  2. Add the brandy and orange liqueur and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

  3. Add the peaches, strawberries and cinnamon stick, then pour in the wine.

  4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. This rest is what makes sangria taste like sangria.

  5. Just before serving, remove the cinnamon stick and taste — add a little more sugar if the wine is very dry.

  6. Add the ice and top up with chilled soda water, stirring gently once.

  7. Serve in glasses with plenty of the fruit and a sprig of mint.

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Why the Method Works

Time does the work: over several hours the wine's alcohol extracts aromatic oils from citrus peel and sugars from the fruit, while the fruit in turn absorbs wine. Adding the sparkling element at the last moment preserves the fizz that would otherwise be flat by the time it is poured.

Storage and Reheating

The steeped base keeps 2 days refrigerated. Add ice and soda only when serving.

Serving Red Wine Sangria

  • Serve with tapas — patatas bravas, tortilla, olives
  • A good match for grilled meat or paella
  • Best drunk outdoors in the heat

Common Questions About Red Wine Sangria

How long does Red Wine Sangria take to make?

15 minutes of preparation and of cooking, plus 4 hours of chilling, so allow 4 hours 15 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 6.

Nutrition per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. The calories include 18 g of alcohol a serving, which is not part of the protein, carbohydrate or fat. How the figures are worked out.

214Calories
1gProtein
21gCarbs
0gFat
2gFibre
16gSugar
10mgSodium

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Compiled by Turab

Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked. Found a mistake? Tell us.

First published ; last changed .