My Favorite Red Wine Sangria

When you need an easy cocktail for a party, this Red Wine Sangria is always a favorite. Made with sweet red wine, spiced rum, fresh orange juice, and plenty of colorful fruit, it's a make-ahead drink that looks just as good as it tastes.

One of the best things about sangria is that you can prepare it hours before your guests arrive. As it chills, the fruit soaks up the flavors of the wine and rum, creating a refreshing cocktail and a delicious fruit treat in every glass.

Whether you're hosting a summer barbecue, backyard gathering, holiday party, or casual get-together with friends, this easy red wine sangria is guaranteed to disappear quickly.

Easy Red Wine Sangria for a Crowd

This red wine sangria recipe is a perfect choice for any occasion. It is easy to make, refreshing, and delicious. The combination of sweet red wine, spiced rum, and fresh citrus juices creates a well-balanced and flavorful drink that is sure to please. 
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Why This Sangria Is Perfect for Entertaining

• You make it ahead of time so you're not mixing drinks while guests arrive.
• It serves a crowd with very little effort.
• The colorful fruit makes a beautiful presentation in a clear pitcher.
• Guests can customize their drinks with extra fruit, seltzer, or lemon-lime soda.
• The fruit becomes a delicious treat after soaking in the sangria.

This is one of those recipes that feels special but couldn't be easier to make.

Watch the Red Wine Sangria Video

The Secret to Better Sangria

Most people focus on the wine when making sangria, but the real secret is the fruit.

For this recipe, I use oranges, lemons, limes, apples, pears, and grapes. The variety adds layers of flavor and creates a beautiful presentation. Thin slices allow more of the fruit to come in contact with the wine, helping the flavors blend together as the sangria chills.

Don't rush this step. Allowing the sangria to rest in the refrigerator for at least four hours gives the fruit time to absorb the wine and rum. By party time, the fruit is almost as popular as the cocktail itself.

Tips for Delicious Sangria

1. Use Fresh Ingredients: When making sangria, it is important to use fresh ingredients whenever possible. Freshly squeezed citrus juices and sliced fruits will give your sangria a brighter and fresher taste.

2. Choose the Right Wine: The key to this recipe is finding a sweet red wine that works for your taste buds.  Sweet red wines are not our thing when we are selecting wines.  We found our favorite sweet red wine for this recipe when we toured the San Sebastian Winery in St. Augustine, Florida. During the tour, it was suggested that their San Sebastian Vintner's Red would be tasty in sangria.  We weren't fond
of it as a stand-alone wine but did find it to be perfect in this sangria. 

You'll want to find a similar wine that is both robust and sweet so that you won't need to add additional sugar to the sangria. Ask for suggestions at your local wine store.  I suggest Zinfandel, Merlot, or Malbec.

3. Let It Chill: Sangria tastes best when it has had time to chill in the refrigerator. It is best to make the sangria at least a few hours in advance and let it chill before serving.

4. Add Plenty of Fruit: Fruit is important in a sangria, so don't skimp on the fruit.  We love adding apples, pears, and grapes to this sangria.  Lemon and lime add a little citrus tang.  Orange juice and slices of orange add sweetness.

You'll find that the apples and pears absorb the wine and rum when you make your sangria in advance and let it sit. The fruit is a yummy bonus treat to munch on from the sangria glass.

5. Add Spiced Rum: We always use spiced rum in our sangria.  You can use a white rum if you prefer, but I think the spiced rum adds a little extra flavor that makes this sangria special.

6. Use Festive Glassware: You'll want to be sure you have a pretty glass pitcher for mixing your sangria.  A clear pitcher is perfect so you can see the pretty fruit floating in the sangria.  These wine glasses are fun, too! Everyone loves the fruit!

7. Have Seltzer or lemon-lime soda on hand for guests who may want to add a splash to their glass of sangria. 

8. Create a Sangria Bar for Guests : A few bowls of extra fruit, a pitcher of sangria, seltzer water, lemon-lime soda, and plenty of ice let guests build their own drink. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best wine for sangria?

A fruity, slightly sweet red wine works best. Look for wines such as Merlot, Zinfandel, or Malbec that provide flavor without requiring additional sweeteners.

Can I make sangria the day before?

Yes. In fact, sangria tastes even better after several hours in the refrigerator because the fruit has time to absorb the flavors of the wine, rum, and citrus juice.

What fruit should I put in sangria?

Oranges and grapes are classic choices, but apples, pears, lemons, and limes add additional flavor, color, and texture. The fruit becomes one of the best parts of the drink.

Can I make sangria without spiced rum?

Yes, simply replace the spiced rum with a non-alcoholic beverage such as ginger ale or sparkling water.

Can I make sangria ahead of time?

Yes, sangria can be made ahead of time. I recommend it. It is best to make the sangria at least a few hours in advance and let it chill in the refrigerator before serving.

red wine cocktail, red wine sangria, party cocktail

adult beverage

American

Yield: 8 servings

Author: Donna Urso

Red Wine Sangria

Looking for an easy party drink? This fruity red wine sangria is made with sweet wine, spiced rum, and plenty of fresh fruit. Make it ahead and let the flavors mingle.

Prep time: 20 MinTotal time: 20 Min

Ingredients

• one 750 ml bottle of sweet red wine
• 1 1/2 cups spiced rum
• one cup of orange juice, freshly squeezed is best
• one lemon, sliced
• one lime, sliced
• one orange sliced
• one apple, sliced
• one pear, sliced
• one cup sliced grapes

Instructions

1. Prepare this sangria at least four to six hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
2. Slice the fruit.
3. Pour the wine, spiced rum, and orange juice into your pitcher.
4. Add the fruit to the pitcher.
5. Reserve some slices of fruit to garnish your glasses.
6. Chill until serving.

Recommended Products

Starfish Wine Glasses

Beverage Pitcher

Stemless Wine Glasses

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250.4

Fat (grams)

0.24 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

0.04 g

Carbs (grams)

19.71 g

Fiber (grams)

2.48 g

Net carbs

17.23 g

Sugar (grams)

12.67 g

Protein (grams)

0.93 g

Sodium (milligrams)

5.83 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

0 mg

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