drink · Drink
How to Make Sangria
Sangria is wine mixed with fruit, a splash of brandy, and something bubbly. The secret is letting it sit overnight so the flavors marry, then adding the bubbles right before serving. Start with a bottle of red wine, dice whatever fruit you have, add a shot of brandy, chill it all day, then top with soda water or ginger ale when people arrive.
- Total time: 4 hr
- Hands-on: 15 min
- Serves: 4
- Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 1 dry red wine
- 2-3 oz brandy
- 1 orange
- 1 apple
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 can club soda, ginger ale, or lemon-lime soda
Step by step
- Choose your wine. Use a dry red wine you'd drink on its own. Spanish Tempranillo works beautifully, but any medium-bodied red will do. Don't use expensive wine, but don't use cooking wine either.
- Prep the fruit. Dice an orange, an apple, and whatever else looks good. Traditional choices include lemon, lime, and stone fruits. Cut everything into bite-sized pieces that fit on a spoon.
- Mix the base. Pour the wine into a large pitcher. Add 2-3 ounces of brandy, the diced fruit, and a tablespoon of sugar if your fruit isn't very sweet. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Let it rest. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. This gives the fruit time to release its juices and the flavors to blend.
- Add the bubbles. Right before serving, add club soda, ginger ale, or lemon-lime soda to taste. Start with half a can and adjust. The sangria should be refreshing, not flat.
- Serve properly. Fill glasses with ice, ladle in the sangria with plenty of fruit, and top with a splash more soda if needed. Include a spoon for eating the wine-soaked fruit.
Tips & troubleshooting
- Taste before adding the soda and adjust sweetness with simple syrup, not granulated sugar
- Frozen fruit works when fresh isn't perfect and helps keep the sangria cold without watering it down
- Make a double batch because people always want more than you think
- The fruit is half the point, so don't be stingy with it
- If it tastes too strong, add more soda. If it tastes too weak, add more brandy
Variations
- White Sangria. Use white wine instead of red, add green grapes and peaches, skip the brandy and use elderflower liqueur instead
- Sparkling Sangria. Replace half the wine with cava or prosecco, add it at the very end to keep the bubbles
- Winter Sangria. Use pears, apples, and cranberries, add cinnamon sticks and orange peel, serve warm or cold
- Rosé Sangria. Use dry rosé wine, add strawberries and watermelon, finish with a splash of rosé champagne
Questions
- How long can I make sangria ahead of time?
- The fruit and wine base gets better after a day or two in the fridge. Add the bubbles only when you're ready to serve, though, or you'll lose the fizz.
- What if I don't have brandy?
- Try rum, triple sec, or even bourbon. The point is to add a little extra alcohol and flavor depth. In a pinch, skip it entirely.
- Should I use fresh or bottled fruit juice?
- Neither. The whole fruit gives you juice plus texture plus something to eat. Bottled juice makes it taste artificial, and just juice misses the point.
- What's the right wine-to-soda ratio?
- Start with about three parts wine to one part soda, then adjust to taste. Some people like it more wine-forward, others prefer it lighter and more refreshing.
- Can I make sangria without alcohol?
- Yes, use grape juice or cranberry juice as your base, add the same fruit and soda, maybe a splash of vinegar for complexity. It won't be sangria, but it'll be good.