The best homemade red wine sangria
- Preparation 10 min
- Servings 8 to 10 glasses (2L pitcher)
- Freezing I do not suggest
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🍷 My red wine sangria from youth, inspired by a trip to Spain
This red wine sangria recipe, I’ve been making it for a really long time. It dates back to when I used to go to lots of summer parties, on terraces, in the sun. I’ve always loved red wine sangria since my first trip to Spain. The problem with the ones you buy in stores is that they’re too sweet and don’t taste enough like wine. That’s what pushed me to make my version, more balanced, where wine stays the star and fruits play their supporting role. I know people love red wine sangria, and this was a recipe that absolutely had to be on my site. The combo of brandy, Triple Sec and cinnamon sticks brings that characteristic warmth, while raspberries, strawberries and green apple give a berry freshness that works amazingly in the glass.
🍓 The two tricks for perfect sangria
First trick, the mistake I made the first time: I took a cheap wine and added too much sugar. Result: ordinary, candy-sweet, no depth. For wine, aim for a Spanish Tempranillo around $15 at the SAQ for a more full-bodied red wine sangria, or a Grenache for a more rounded and naturally slightly sweeter version. No need for a grand cru. Just something you’d drink by the glass. Second crucial trick: maceration for 2 to 4 hours in the fridge, never a full night. Overnight is too much. Your fruits become all mushy and the sangria loses its balance. And above all, never add ice and sparkling water to the pitcher during maceration. Ice and bubbles go in the glass individually when serving, otherwise everything dilutes and goes flat at the bottom of the pitcher.
🌞 For beach parties, BBQ with friends and 5 to 7 on the terrace
This sangria is exactly the kind of entertaining recipe that transforms an ordinary Saturday afternoon into a memorable moment. Perfect for a beach party, BBQ with friends, 5 to 7 on the terrace, a picnic, or even a Sunday brunch. Little warning: this 2L pitcher mysteriously disappears in five to ten minutes as soon as you set it on the table. My advice: double the recipe in advance and use a big plastic pitcher or punch bowl. No need for something fancy, it’s the “wow” effect of the taste that counts. You can also vary the fruits according to season: blueberries in August, peaches in July, grapes in September. The recipe base holds up well with all these additions. Soon, I’ll also publish my white version, so stay tuned.
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🍷 The wine makes all the difference in my homemade red wine sangria
Classic mistake: choosing too cheap a wine to save money. Result: ordinary sangria that tastes like sugar, not wine. For my best homemade red wine sangria, aim for a Spanish Tempranillo around $15. For a more rounded and naturally sweeter version, choose a Grenache. No need for a grand cru. Just a wine you’d drink in a glass. Borsao Seleccion at $13.85 does the job perfectly.
🍓 Macerate 2 to 4 hours, never overnight
Overnight is too long for a balanced red wine sangria. Your fruits become mushy, the raspberries fall apart, and the sangria loses its balance. My sweet spot: 2 to 4 hours in the fridge. Flavors have time to mingle, the wine takes on the fruit, and the fruits stay intact for presentation and tasting.
🧊 Ice AND sparkling water AT SERVING TIME
Crucial detail for my red wine sangria: never put ice or sparkling water in the pitcher during maceration. Ice dilutes everything as it melts, and sparkling water loses its bubbles. The right move: fill each glass individually with ice, pour the sangria, and top with a splash of sparkling water. You keep the freshness and bubbles in every serving.
🥃 Saint-Rémy brandy or any other
I use Saint-Rémy for my homemade red wine sangria because it’s accessible at SAQ and does the job. Any base brandy works. For Triple Sec, I take the classic. No need for premium Cointreau here, basic Triple Sec brings the citrus touch we want without inflating the SAQ bill.
🍒 Variations by season
The base of my best homemade red wine sangria is solid, but fruits can vary based on what’s in season. Blueberries in August, sliced peaches in July, halved grapes in September. You can pile on the small fruits without issue. Avoid extra acidic citrus (pineapple, kiwi) that would throw off the balance.
📦 Double the recipe for parties
Real warning: this 2 L pitcher of red wine sangria disappears in five to ten minutes once it hits the table. For a summer party with friends, double the recipe directly and use a big plastic pitcher or punch bowl. No need for fancy. Taste matters, not the container.
🥖 Leftovers: wine-soaked fruits
My red wine sangria keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge. If raspberries become too soft, just remove them. Wine-soaked fruits are delicious. You can make pancakes the next day and top them with the fruits, but it’s intense so go easy.
✅ What to serve with my best homemade red wine sangria?
This red wine sangria pairs beautifully with anything Spanish-inspired or summer BBQ. Perfect with my white balsamic arugula salad as a starter, my BBQ grilled shrimp skewers as a main, or pasta bruschetta salad for a Mediterranean-style buffet.
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Ingredients
- 1 bottle (750 ml) fruity red wine (Spanish Tempranillo for a more full-bodied version, or Grenache for a more rounded version)
- 2 cups (500 ml) fresh orange juice
- ¼ cup (60 ml) brandy (I use Saint-Rémy)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) classic Triple Sec
- ½ cup (125 ml) sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 orange, cut into thin slices
- ½ unpeeled green apple, seeded and cut into thin slices
- ½ cup (125 ml) fresh raspberries
- ½ cup (125 ml) strawberries, hulled and cut in half
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- Ice cubes (when serving)
- Sparkling water (when serving, to taste)
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Preparation
- In a large bowl, combine the red wine, orange juice, brandy, Triple Sec, sugar and lemon juice. Whisk until sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add orange slices, green apple slices, raspberries, strawberries and cinnamon sticks. Mix gently.
- Transfer everything to a large 2L pitcher. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours (no longer, otherwise fruits become too soft).
- When serving, fill each glass with ice cubes. Pour sangria with some fruits and top with a splash of sparkling water to taste for freshness and bubbles.
Aim for a Spanish Tempranillo around $15 at the SAQ for a more full-bodied and structured version, or a Grenache for a more rounded and naturally sweeter version. The Borsao Seleccion at $13.85 is my default choice. Garnacha-Tempranillo-Syrah blend that does the job perfectly. Avoid wines too tannic or too delicate, no point wasting a grand cru in a cocktail.
Between 2 and 4 hours, never a full night. Overnight is too much: fruits become all mushy, raspberries fall apart, and sangria loses its balance. At 2 hours, flavors start to marry well. At 4 hours, it’s the optimal point. Beyond that, it starts to fall apart.
Ice melts and dilutes everything during maceration, and sparkling water loses all its bubbles before even reaching the glass. The right move: keep sangria pure in the pitcher in the fridge, then fill each glass individually with ice cubes when serving, pour sangria with some fruits, and top with a splash of sparkling water. Each glass is fresh and bubbly from the first sip.
3 to 4 days in an airtight pitcher in the fridge. Flavors even continue to develop a bit. If you find raspberries or strawberries become too soft, just remove them before serving. Wine-soaked fruits are delicious to eat with a spoon or put on crepes the next day.
This red wine sangria pairs beautifully with anything Spanish-inspired or summer BBQ. Perfect with my white balsamic arugula salad as a starter, my BBQ grilled shrimp skewers as a main, or a pasta bruschetta salad for a Mediterranean-style buffet.
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