Classic Spanish Sangria

Name: Classic Spanish Sangria
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 bottle dry red wine, preferably Spanish Tempranillo or Garnacha; 1 cup fresh orange juice, strained; 0.25 cup Spanish brandy or Cognac; 2 tbsp granulated sugar; 1 large large navel orange, washed and sliced into rounds; 1 large crisp apple like Honeycrisp or Gala, cored and diced; 0.5 cup green grapes, halved and seeds removed if needed; 2 cup club soda, well-chilled; ice cubes

Real-Deal Spanish Sangria with Brandy and Fresh Fruit

Proper sangria starts with good red wine and patience — the fruit needs time to release its juices and marry with the brandy. What separates this from sugary imitations is the balance: enough sweetness to complement the wine without masking its character, and that final splash of bubbles to lift everything up.

SpanishDrinkVegetarianVeganGluten FreeDairy FreeParty FoodNo CookSummer

Prep15 min

Cook—

Total15 min

Servings6

Difficultyeasy

Nutrition

fat0g

carbs12g

protein0g

calories145

Ingredients

1 bottledry red wine, preferably Spanish Tempranillo or Garnacha
1 cupfresh orange juice, strained
¼ cupSpanish brandy or Cognac
2 tbspgranulated sugar
2 cupclub soda, well-chilled
ice cubes

Fruit

1 largelarge navel orange, washed and sliced into rounds
1 largecrisp apple like Honeycrisp or Gala, cored and diced
½ cupgreen grapes, halved and seeds removed if needed

Instructions

Pour the wine, orange juice, and brandy into a large glass pitcher, then add the sugar. Stir steadily for about a minute until the sugar completely dissolves — you shouldn't feel any grit when you drag the spoon along the bottom.
Drop in all the prepared fruit: orange rounds, diced apple, and halved grapes. Give everything a gentle stir to distribute the fruit throughout the wine mixture, making sure pieces aren't clumped together.
Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 2 hours — this chilling time lets the fruit release its juices into the wine while the flavors blend together. The longer it sits, the better it gets, so don't rush this step.
⏱ 2 hrs
Right before your guests arrive, pour in the cold club soda and fold it in with a long spoon using gentle motions. You want to preserve the bubbles while ensuring everything mixes evenly.
Fill wine glasses with ice, then ladle the sangria over the cubes, making sure each glass gets a generous scoop of the wine-soaked fruit. The fruit isn't just garnish — it's part of the experience.