This easy red sangria is the best drink to cheers to a lovely summer!
Made simply with seasonal ingredients, it’s incredibly easy to make.
Plus I’m giving you tips on how to change up the ingredients for other seasons too.
A traditional red sangria is generally made up of 5 components –
What are the basic ingredients for sangria
- Fruit
- A sweetener like brown sugar
- A liquor like brandy or rum
- Orange juice
- A bold Spanish red wine like Rioja or Tempranillo
For my recipe I went with a bit of an ‘end of summer’ spin using seasonal fruits like plums, nectarines and peaches.
What is red wine sangria made of
Fruit: Plums, nectarines or peaches and cherries are perfect for this end of season drink.
Sweetener: Honey as the sweetener for something a little different.
Liquor: Triple Sec or Cointreau work beautifully with the fruit flavours.
Red Wine: A fizzy Lambrusco, a dry yet somewhat fruity wine which pairs brilliantly with the stone fruits. However, there are many other Spanish red wines that will work beautifully too.
What red wine is good for sangria?
A Spanish wine like Garnacha (also called Grenache), Rioja or Tempranillo are your best bet for an authentic Spanish sangria. However, a pinot noir works well too. My top tip – choose a wine under $20 that you would normally enjoy a glass of on it’s own.
It’s such an easy make-ahead drink for entertaining; plus it feels fancy and festive!
Easy Red Sangria
Ingredients
- 2-4 tbsp honey see notes for substitutes
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 4 plums, pitted and sliced
- 2 nectarines or peaches, pitted and sliced
- 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup triple sec
- 1 bottle red wine, chilled (garnacha, rioja, pinot noir for example)
- fresh thyme and extra plum slices for garnish
Instructions
- To a pitcher add 2 tbsp honey and hot water and stir to dissolve. Then add the prepared fruit, triple sec and bottle of red wine.
- Stir to combine and taste. Add up to 2 tablespoons more of honey for more sweetness.
- Serve this red sangria immediately if bottle of wine was chilled or try a glass over ice. Alternatively, chill in the fridge for up to 8 hours before serving.
Notes
Even though I want summer to last forever so I can enjoy this sangria much more, I’ve got you covered with a few variations for the Fall and Winter months so we can cheers all year long!
How to make a sangria for the Fall
Fall red sangria: Replace the stone fruit with a combination of 1 orange sliced, 1 apple sliced, 1 pear sliced and 2 sticks of cinnamon. Optional: top up glasses of sangria with ginger ale.
How to make a sangria for the Holiday season
Festive winter red sangria: Replace the stone fruit with a combination of 1 orange sliced, 2 limes sliced and 1 cup of whole frozen cranberries. Optional: add in 1 cup of cranberry juice.
More cocktails to love from the blog:
Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess
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