With mounds of fresh fruit, red wine, and vanilla brandied cherries, this classic Red Sangria Recipe will transport you to the vibrant streets of Spain! Whether sitting poolside on a hot summer day or spreading some warmth this winter, this sangria recipe will become one of your favorite go-to cocktail recipes!
There’s something about adding fresh fruit to a cocktail that screams refreshing. Whether enjoying a Blueberry Margarita or sipping on a Pear and White Wine Sangria, you can’t go wrong with adding flavorful fruit to your cocktails! For this recipe, we’re breaking down the traditional sangria. Even if you’re not a huge red wine fan, you’ll still become obsessed with this recipe. So, grab your favorite bottle of red wine, and let’s dive into this delicious cocktail for your summer parties!
What Is a Red Sangria?
This recipe is a fun twist on authentic sangria from Spain and Portugal. We start by making the brandied cherries ahead of time. Then, we grab our red wine base, sparkling water, brandy, and triple sec and stir in the sugar. Finally, we throw in any type of fruit we want and our brandied cherries! The result is a delicious fruity drink that will keep you cool during the summer months!
What you need to make a pitcher of sangria
- Cherries – Use any kind of cherries you like.
- Sugar
- Water
- Vanilla Pod
- Salt
- Brandy – Use your preferred brand.
- Sparkling Water – Club soda also works.
- Bottle of Red Wine – Use your favorite type of red wine, preferably a fruity wine, for the best results. We like a Pinot Noir.
- Triple Sec – You can also use another orange liqueur like Grand Marnier.
- Sliced Fruits – Use what is in season. Always grab an apple and a few other fruits to mix in. For this particular batch, we used limes, brandied cherries, an orange, and nectarines.
How to Make a Red Sangria Recipe
- First, make the brandied cherries (a few days ahead). Dissolve the sugar in the water in a small pot over medium-low heat. Stir in the vanilla pod and pinch of salt. Add the brandy and pour over the cherries in an airtight resealable container. Allow to sit in the fridge overnight or up to two weeks.
- When ready to make the sangria, combine the wine, sparkling water, 1 cup of the drained brandy, and triple sec in a large pitcher. At this point, you may choose to stir in some more sugar but do so in small batches.
- Add in the sliced fruits and some of those awesome brandied cherries. Serve with ice cubes if needed.
Expert Tips
- Use simple syrup or maple syrup instead of sugar!
- Add a splash of orange juice instead of triple sec or orange liqueur to cut down on the alcohol content. Or you can add an extra splash on top for an even more citrusy flavor!
- For a sweeter sangria, add in more sugar and adjust to your liking.
- Add a splash of fruit juice like pineapple or mango to up the fruity flavors!
- Throwing in some seasonal fruit like strawberries and blueberries during the summer is a great way to enhance the flavor of this simple sangria recipe! Or mix it up in winter and make it a cozy Christmas Sangria.
What to Serve With This Red Sangria Recipe
Your sangrias wouldn’t be complete without a few tasty dishes like this Enchilada Pasta Skillet or Tortellini Bake. If you’re having a bunch of people come over, you can also serve your sangrias with some appetizers like Parmesan Artichoke Bites and a Cheese Plate. Sangria also pairs wonderfully with rich desserts like these Fudgy Amaretto Brownies or this No Bake Cherry Crisp!
Leftovers
- Store any leftover sangria in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipe FAQs
The best wine for making authentic Spanish sangria is Garnacha or Pinot Noir. This type of wine is fruity and contains a low amount of tannins, which give the wine a bitter taste. However, if you prefer a less sweet sangria, you can use a dry red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon if you like! You can always add more sugar if your sangria isn’t sweet enough.
We always recommend fresh fruit, but we totally understand if you’d rather use frozen. Plus, you can use frozen fruit instead of ice, so you don’t water down your drink!
Absolutely! Just throw all your ingredients into a blender with some ice!
Of course! Just make sure to serve within 5 days of making because the fruit will start to break down.
More Fruity Cocktail Recipes to Try
This fruity drink is a true crowd-pleaser that will quickly become a fan favorite amongst family and friends. Whether sipping it on your back porch on a hot summer night or enjoying it with good company, you can’t go wrong with this Red Wine Sangria! Raise your glasses and toast to good times and great wine! Also, please rate the recipe card and leave a comment below to help out the next reader!
Red Sangria Recipe
AmericanIngredients
For the cherries
- 1 lbs cherries - washed and pitted
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 vanilla pod
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup brandy
For the Sangria
- 1 to 2 cups sparkling water
- 750 ml large bottle red wine
- 1/4 cup triple sec
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup sugar
- sliced fruits - use what is in season. Always grab an apple and a few other fruits to mix in. For this particular batch, I had everything – limes, brandied cherries, an orange, and nectarines
Instructions
For the brandied cherries
- First, make the brandied cherries (a few days ahead).
- Dissolve the sugar in the water in a small pot over medium-low heat. Stir in the vanilla pod and pinch of salt.
- Add the brandy and pour over the cherries in an airtight resealable container. Allow to sit in fridge over night or up to two weeks.
Make the red sangria
- When ready to make the sangria, combine the wine, sparkling water, 1 cup of the drained brandy and triple sec in a large pitcher.
- At this point, you may choose to stir in some more sugar, but do so in small batches.
- Add in the sliced fruits and some of those awesome brandied cherries.
- Serve with ice if desired.
Notes
- Use simple syrup or maple syrup instead of sugar!
- Add a splash of orange juice instead of triple sec or orange liqueur to cut down on the alcohol content. Or you can add an extra splash on top for an even more citrusy flavor!
- For a sweeter sangria, add in more sugar and adjust to your liking.
- Add a splash of fruit juice like pineapple or mango to up the fruity flavors!
- Throwing in some seasonal fruit like strawberries and blueberries during the summer is a great way to enhance the flavor of this simple sangria recipe!
Nutrition
Nutritional informations provided as a courtesy and is only an approximatation. Values will changes based on ingredients used.
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Sangria was the first drink I had (legally) in University. I remember going to a steak house for dinner, ordering sangria, and feeling so grown up and sophisticated. Then, we went to see Dances With Wolves. Not important, but still.
Sounds fabulous! I’ve made one with cherries as well. Sangria is so much fun! Your photos are pretty incredible!
Glad to be featured with you via Taking on Magazines. I have never met a sangria recipe I didn’t like which keeps me trying more and more. I thought I had found the ultimate with a Tuscan Sangria I posted this summer. Hmm….too bad the stores are closed today or we would be trying this one this evening!
Brandied cherries? Brilliant. I too love to liquor up my sangria. The fruit at the bottom of the cup is dangerous.
What type of red wine do you recommend and when you say a large bottle of wine, what size are you referring to?
Hi Sylvia, I usually hunt out the biggest bottle I can while at the liquor store, mainly because I am just going to end up buying two bottles at 750ML. If your liquor store has 1.5L bottles, I would go with that. If not, two 750mL will do great. As far as what kind, really this one depends on what wine you like. I tend to not spend too much on sangria wine and go for something sweet, because a lot of other ingredients are going into the pitcher and the subtle unique wine flavors will be lost or diffused. A few companies even make ‘sangria’ as an option now.
Your pictures are beautiful! And I had no idea there’s brandy and extra sugar in sangria! Bring it on. The first time I had sangria was at a sketchy hostel in Madrid… this feels much more sophisticated 😉