Red wine sangria is the perfect cocktail for Spring/Summer. It’s light, it’s fruity, it’s tasty, it’s lush, it’s refreshing, it’s freaking delicious! Until I get to travel to Spain or just leave the house in general…..this recipe I believe comes pretty darn close.
Our sangria cocktail was inspired about this Spanish tapas restaurants in the DMV area called Jaleo. Their food, cocktails, paella, and so much more is amazing! When I think sangria, I think party time and a cool evening with friends and family. Most importantly, I think a fun fruitful evening is underway.
The Ingredients
Now it’s time to talk about the ingredients we used to make this amazing sangria. But, first a quick note…..it’s all up to you what flavors you’re looking for in your sangria. What we used are just suggestions, feel free to add and/or remove any ingredient listed below.
- Red Wine (Spanish or Dry)
- Vermouth (Dry or Sweet) completely optional
- Orange Juice
- Brandy
- Orange Liqueur
- Flavored Sparkling Water
- Orange slices
- Apple slices
- Strawberries
- Mint
Of course we are going to explain the deets behind all the sangria ingredients. First things first, let’s talk about the wine…..Red wine is definitely the most important this recipe. But, what kind of red wine should you use? That’s up to you. If you have Spanish wine on-hand, use it. If not, some cool alternatives would be any type of red wine that’s not overpowering such as red blend or pinot noir. All of the other ingredients added simply enhance the notes in the wine selected. The finishing touch to this sangria is the sparkling water. If you’re not a huge fan of fizz and bubbles, remove the sparkling water all together. If you want to spice it up more, I suggest adding a bottle of Cava or champagne instead of sparkling water.
Making the Red Wine Sangria
Alright…on to the final and best part actually making and enjoying this red wine sangria! First, cut into slices one orange, one apple, and a few fresh strawberries or whatever berries you have on hand. Next, add the fresh fruit into a large pitcher. Open a bottle of amazing red wine and add it into the larger pitcher. Then, add in the finishing touches such as brandy, orange juice, vermouth, orange liqueur and a handful of fresh mint. Using a bar spoon, give this sangria a quick stir. Next, refrigerate the sangria for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. This step allows for the flavor profile to completely develop.
Now before serving, add in the bubbles to this amazing red wine sangria. Before serving this cocktail, garnish a few glasses with the apple, orange, and strawberry slices. Finish it off with a few mint leaves. Enjoy!
Interested in more cocktails? Check out the links below.
Red Wine Sangria
Ingredients
- 750 ml Red Wine Roja or Pinot Noir
- 1 cup Flavored Sparkling Water Orange or Strawberry
- 1 oz. Orange Liqueur Cointreau or Grand Marnier
- 1/3 cup Brandy
- 2 oz. Vermouth Dry or Sweet
- 1/4 cup Orange Juice
- 1 Medium Apple sliced
- 1 Medium Orange sliced
- 4 sprigs Fresh mint
- 10 Strawberries sliced
- ~1 cup Ice to chill serving
Instructions
- In a large pitcher, add in the fresh sliced strawberries, apple, and oranges.
- Add the red wine, vermouth, orange juice, brandy, and orange liqueur. Stir well using a bar spoon. Add in the fresh mint and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Before serving, add in the flavored sparkling water. Serve chilled over ice. Enjoy.