Sangria

Sangria is a method, not a fixed recipe

The wine is the base, the fruit is the seasoning, and the brandy keeps the drink from tasting thin once the ice goes in. Good sangria tastes like the wine it came from, softened and lifted.

Sangria recipe in ml and oz

This ratio suits a standard 750 ml bottle of Spanish red, and it scales by bottle.

Use a young, fruity red with moderate tannin: Rioja, Tempranillo, Garnacha or a Portuguese blend. An oaky Reserva tastes like wet wood once the fruit and sugar are in. Add the soda water only when you serve.

Building it: the maceration matters

Combine the wine, brandy, orange juice and syrup in a jug, add the sliced fruit, then cover and refrigerate for at least four hours and preferably overnight. Slice the citrus thinly and leave the peel on. Berries bleed colour quickly and should go in two hours before serving. Fish the cinnamon stick out after eight hours so it does not turn the batch bitter.

Alcohol strength and calories

A 750 ml bottle of wine at 13% ABV, diluted with brandy, juice and syrup, gives a pre-ice strength near 12% ABV; with ice and soda in the glass it lands near 8%. That is roughly the strength of a glass of wine, which makes sangria deceptively easy to over-serve. A 180 ml glass holds about 14 ml of pure alcohol and around 160 kcal.

Substitutions that change the drink honestly

• Sangria de cava — sparkling wine instead of still red, built the same way and served at once.
• Sangria blanca — white wine, white peach and a little elderflower cordial.
• Tinto de verano — red wine and lemon soda, no fruit and no maceration.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

• Serving it immediately. An hour is not maceration; you get wine with fruit floating in it.
• Too much sugar. Taste after four hours, then decide whether the syrup was needed at all.
• Cheap, harsh wine. If the wine is unpleasant on its own, the sangria will be too.

What to serve with sangria

Sangria is built for a table with several plates: cured ham, Manchego, olives, garlic prawns, grilled vegetables, tortilla española. Serve it in large wine glasses with ice and a spoon for the fruit.

Sangria FAQ

What is the best wine for sangria?

A young, fruity, low-tannin Spanish red such as Tempranillo, Garnacha or a basic Rioja. Avoid oaked Reservas and expensive bottles, whose character the fruit will bury.

How long should sangria sit before serving?

At least four hours, and overnight is better. Add delicate berries in the last two hours and remove whole spices after eight hours.