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This sangria red wine recipe is fruit forward, lightly sweetened, and structured so it tastes like wine, just enhanced. Unlike overly sweet versions, this red wine sangria keeps its balance by starting with a dry Spanish red and controlling the sweetness by dissolving the sugar or honey into the brandy. The result is a sangria red wine recipe that feels polished enough for dinner parties and relaxed enough for paella nights, where the fruit enhances the wine instead of overpowering it.
We made this for a family paella dinner night, and it was delicious! We served this alongside appetizers which included my pan con tomate recipe. We also used my lemon olive oil dressing for the salad alongside the Spanish paella, and finished off the night with Basque cheesecake and my lemon sorbet for dessert.
Interested in hosting your own Spanish paella dinner party? Check out my Spanish paella dinner party post!
Red Wine Sangria
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Chill Time: 2–24 hours
- Total Time: 2–24 hours
- Yield: 6–8 glasses 1x
- Category: Drink
- Cuisine: Spanish
Description
Dry wine prevents the red wine sangria from becoming overly sweet once fruit sugars extract. Brandy and orange liqueur add depth and aromatics without overwhelming the base. Controlled sweetness keeps structure intact. Sparkling water added at the end add a lovely effervescence.Â
Important Tools for This Recipe:Â
These are the tried-and-true tools we reach for every time we make this recipe. If you want the same results we get in our kitchen, take a look at the exact ones we use.Â
Ingredients
- 1 bottle dry Spanish red wine such as Tempranillo or Garnacha (750 ml bottle)
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 2 tablespoons orange liqueur, optional but recommended
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar or honey, adjust to taste
- 1 large orange, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- 1 apple such as Honeycrisp or Fuji, diced
- 1 cinnamon stick, optional but highly recommended (consider ordering whole cinnamon sticks in advance as they can be hard to find)
- 2–3 ounces orange juice, either store bought or freshly squeezed (1 whole orange = 1 oz)
- 1 cup cold sparkling water or club soda, added just before serving
- Ice
Instructions
- Dissolve the SweetenerÂ
- In a pitcher, stir sugar or honey with the brandy until fully dissolved.Â
- Build the Base
- Add red wine, orange liqueur, sliced orange, sliced lemon, diced apple, orange juice, and cinnamon stick.
- Stir gently to combine.Â
- Macerate ProperlyÂ
- Refrigerate for at least 2–4 hours. Overnight is even better but a couple hours will still yield a great result! Â
- Finish and ServeÂ
- Remove the cinnamon stick if you prefer less spice.Â
- Add sparkling water just before serving.Â
- Pour over ice and include fruit in each glass. These Sur La Table stemless wine glasses are the perfect size for the sangria, fruit, ice, and sparking water!
Optional Upgrades:
- Add cubed pears.
- Swap sparkling water for a splash of cava.
- Add a few fresh raspberries for color contrast.
Notes
- Taste before serving and adjust sweetness if needed.
- Use a dry wine to maintain balance.
- To preserve bubbles, do not add sparkling water until just before serving.
Sangria Red Wine Recipe FAQs
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Pairs Perfectly with Red Wine Sangria
Our dinner party hosting post walks you through the exact approach we use in our home to host relaxed but impressive dinners without all the last-minute chaos and stress, including:
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Hosting a Spanish paella dinner party is ideal for busy modern families and parents because it’s interactive, memorable, and surprisingly easy once you prep ahead, especially with these tips.