Easy Christmas Sangria Recipe (The BEST Sangria Ever!) (2024)

FAQs

What are the basic ingredients for sangria? ›

Step 1In a large pitcher, mix wine, orange juice, brandy, and granulated sugar. Stir in oranges, apples, blueberries, strawberries, and cinnamon. Step 2Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.

Don't skimp on the chilling time.

By chilling the sangria, you give the fresh fruits a chance to infuse the wine with sweet, fresh flavor. If you cut this time short, your sangria won't taste as fruity or as balanced. I let mine chill for at least 8 hours before serving, or overnight for the best flavor.

Spanish Sangria Ingredients:

If you ask bartenders here in Spain how to make sangria, they will be the first to tell you that — technically — there is no standard way to make sangria. It's really just a wine punch made with seasonal fruit, sweetener, a good splash of brandy, and possibly something fizzy added in.

EU law says bottles from Spain are limited by law to less than 12% alcohol by volume (ABV). Bottles produced in the U.S. usually have between 5% and 15%. Sangria made with red wine is usually stronger than white wine punches.

"When choosing a brandy, it is best to go toward a Spanish one made with Spanish grapes," said Trujillo. "I find Carlos I Solera Gran Reserva Brandy to be perfect for sangria." This brandy was aged in American oak casks and has notes of vanilla and caramel.

Sangria is as sweet as you make it. As a general rule, it's going to be fruity, so start with a dry red wine to keep that sugar content down. Pick fruits that lean more tart than sweet (like Granny Smith apples rather than white peaches), add more acidic juice like lemonade, or simply don't add sugar to your mixture.

Since we are adding a lot of other sweet components to this drink we like to keep the white wine dry and high in acidity. Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo or a dry Riesling would all work great here.

There's something uniquely convivial about sangria—and we don't just mean the booze (though yes, you definitely can get drunk on sangria if you over do it!).

1) Bottle of Garnacha or Pinot Noir

Garnacha comes from Spain, so it's my top pick for authentic Spanish sangria! Choose an inexpensive wine (under $20) that you would enjoy on its own. Why Garnacha and Pinot Noir? They're fruity, low-tannin red wines.

Can you leave fruit in sangria overnight? ›

Why You Should Refrigerate Red Sangria Overnight. Most sangria recipes call for the wine to rest overnight, or at the very least, for a few hours in the refrigerator. This lets the fruit infuse the wine, letting its juices get in the mix and sweeten up the drink.

It is recommended to add citrus, stone or tropical fruits for the perfect Sangria. If you prefer softer fruits such as berries, watermelon or melon, then add them just before serving so they don't get too soft and mushy. Don't forget to add a splash of sparkling water or soda for a little bit of extra fizz.

Sangria, wine mixed with fruit, has always been legal and available. The issue comes about when Sangria is mixed with brandy or other spirits that raises the alcohol content of the drink. Alcohol-boosted Sangria was illegal because of a 1934 law formed post-prohibition to keep the percentage of alcohol low in drinks.

The name sangria once meant “blood,” which it got because of its dark red color. Mexican sangria is similar to the fruit and wine of Spanish sangria, but it has a higher alcohol content. The high alcohol content makes this drink a great pairing with spicy food, like hot salsa.

I like to set out pineapple, mango, peaches, cherries, and kiwi. Basically, if it's fruit, set it out so people can mix and match their favorites. A few fresh herbs like basil, mint, and rosemary are also a great addition to a sangria bar.

Ingredients. Contains: Carbonated Water, Grape Wine, Cane Sugar, Less than 1% of: Citric Acid, Potassium Citrate, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate to Protect Flavor, Sulfiting Agents.

However, a traditional white sangria has a few basic ingredients that you must include: dry white wine, fruit, and a sweet liqueur (we use Grand Marnier). The mixture is marinated for a few hours and served cold. There are a million versions and ours is really flexible based on what type of fruit you have on hand.