If you want to know how to make sangria we have you covered! It’s the perfect spring and summer drink for picnics, graduation parties, pool parties, girls nights, and more.
Sangria is simple, sweet and refreshing and always gets me excited about nice weather and being outside. Whether it’s a red or a white sangria recipe, all have their purposes and all are amazing.
Some of the best memories I have are holidays with my family and a big pitcher of Sangria. It’s a crowd pleaser and a great change from the normal (and sometimes boring) beer and seltzer options.
If you want to be transported to the perfect flowering spring day, check out how to make sangria from the recipes below.
What is sangria?
Sangria has a rich historical origin and was drunk as early as 2,000 years ago by the Romans.
The original sangrias were mixed with lots of water, spices and herbs to make the table wine more pleasing.
The name also means “bloodletting” in both Spanish and Portuguese for its traditional red color.
Sangria was brought to the Americas in the late 18th century, but for a time was forgotten and reintroduced to the US and became popular in the 1980s.
Interestingly, Sangria variations and popularity have grown mostly in the United States, rather than in Spain or Europe, with specialty sangrias available at most restaurants here in the US.
How to make sangria
Sangria is a relatively simple cocktail to make, with the majority of ingredients being the various types of fruit. You can make it ahead of time and add all of your ingredients into a pitcher or pot, stir then refrigerate for a few hours.
Sangria is such a versatile drink in that fruits and juices can be added or subtracted per your taste. You can choose fruits that happen to be in season at the time you will be making your sangria.
The specifics on the more traditional recipes for Red and White Sangria options are below.
What is sangria typically made of?
Typically and originally sangria is a type of flavorful punch made with red wine, spices, an additional liquor (traditionally brandy), lots of fruit and a type of sweetener.
Some people also choose to add in a seltzer or soda if you like the bubbles. Local and various fruits have been used in the drink and can be easily customizable to fit your taste.
Some common fruits to use are;
- Apples
- Peaches
- Oranges
- Pomegranates
- Cranberries
- Berries
Various sweeteners have been used such as;
- Orange Juice
- White Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Honey
- Agave
Some spices you can add are:
- Cinnamon
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Cloves
What are good wines for sangria?
Sangria is a great option for parties because it can be relatively inexpensive. Because of the additions of flavors, sweeteners and fruits, there’s no need to pick the most expensive, fancy wine.
Quite literally you can pick any you’d like and it’ll taste fantastic. Though because of the extra sweetness in a Sangria, a dry red or white wine would likely be your best option.
Just make sure you don’t go overboard on the sweetness (and have a headache the next day!).
Some of recommended wines for Red Sangria would be:
Rioja, Garnacha, California Red Blend, Tempranillo, Pinot Noir, Merlot, or my personal favorite; a nice(a bit older) Cabernet Sauvignon.
Red sangria recipe
~ 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 bottle dry red wine(see above suggested wines) or non-alcoholic option
1 sliced apple
1 sliced orange
½ cup berries/blueberries
½-1 cup of brandy (depending on how boozy you’d like)
½ cup orange juice (or by preference)
3 tablespoons of sweetener (white sugar, brown sugar, agave, honey, simple syrup)
Seltzer/Sparkling Water to top (optional)
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a large pot, container, or pitcher.
- Stir to combine.
- Refrigerate until serving (preferably 2-4 hours)
- Pour into glass and serve! If you like the bubbles fill ¾ way with sangria, and top with a tonic, seltzer, or other sparkling liquid.
Some choices for White Sangria:
The dryer and crisper the better, so; Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, or a Moscato are great options for white wine. If you want to completely switch it up with a different take on Sangria, it can also be made by using your favorite rosé as well!
White sangria recipe
White sangria is a great option if
- a) you prefer white wine over red
- b) you want something a bit lighter and crisper.
While I prefer red wines to drink on a regular basis, I love a crisp White Sangria for the summer time.
I like to switch up the fruits a bit from a traditional Red Sangria, add a bit more tartness with some limes or lemons and always use some peaches as well.
~ 6 servings
Ingredients
1 bottle of dry white wine
½ – 1 cup of brandy (depending on how boozy you’d like)
3 tbsp. sweetener (brown sugar, honey, white sugar, agave)
2 sliced limes/lemons
1 sliced orange
1 sliced peach
Optional: Seltzer/Tonic Water to top
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a large pot, container, or pitcher.
- Stir to combine.
- Refrigerate until serving (preferably 2-4 hours)
- Pour into glass and serve! If you like the bubbles fill ¾ way with sangria, and top with a tonic, seltzer, or other sparkling liquid
Can sangria be non alcoholic?
Sangria is incredibly versatile and can be made amazingly without wine!
It’s always important to provide non-alcoholic options whether it’s for the kids or you just don’t drink, you can enjoy all the flavors without the alcohol.
Providing water and sodas are fine for parties and events, but you leave out the fun in specialized drinks. Nowadays, it’s incredibly easy and accessible to find non-alcoholic wines which you could use to substitute.
If the flavor of wine itself is what deters you, you could use sparkling juice, or sparkling water and other fruit juices.
Use the same process and fruits you would use with alcoholic Sangria like; peaches, cranberries, oranges, apples, as well as orange juice for some sweetness.
One thing to remember though, if you’re making non-alcoholic Sangria with a type of juice, extra sweetener isn’t necessary.
Instead of wine try;
- Grape Juice
- Cranberry Juice
- Non-alcoholic Red/White Wine
- Sparkling Grape/Cranberry Juice
How to serve sangria
The first and only rule I’d give to sangria is to make sure it’s served chilled!
Otherwise, the world is your oyster and you can drink your sangria on its own, or topped with a seltzer, sparkling water, or even go above and beyond with champagne or prosecco.
If you want to spice up your glass, you can also slice an orange and place it on the side, or rim the glass with some sugar.
Our sangria Infusions
While Sangria is easily customizable and a lovely party drink, there are steps to make it even easier for any event.
Our infusions offer a great, near ready to drink Sangria infusions for busy people who want to make a delicious punch with very little effort.
Each cocktail kit is especially perfect for larger parties or events.This allows you to always be ready for an impromptu party or simply hosting a friend that is stopping by.
Bring it to a tailgate or brunch, and you’ll be everyone’s favorite guest.
We offer three flavors of Sangria; Strawberry Hibiscus Rosé Sangria, Rich and Fruity Sangria, and Crisp White Sangria.
Each infusion has a different variation of flavors and can be made with or without alcohol and shortcuts the entire process of making Sangria!
How long will Sangria keep?
Having leftover Sangria is no problem! Normally the shelf life in the fridge for your drink will last around 3-5 days if properly sealed.
After that time, the fruits and drink itself will lack the same freshness you initially had.
Conclusion
Hopefully we have given you lots of ideas of how to make sangria and given you lots of options to create your own with our red and white sangria recipes.
Our rosé sangria and frozen rosé recipes can be added to your party or buffet repertoire also.
Try our newest infusions if you would like artisan created flavors to make your next gathering extra special.
Visit “Everything you need to know about sangria”
