Pink Sangria Recipe with Rosé, Citrus, and Fresh Berries

Pink sangria is a chilled wine punch made with rosé, citrus, berries, a little brandy, and sparkling water. This pitcher-style variation draws on Spanish sangria’s wine-and-fruit format; fresh fruit and restrained sweetness keep it bright and easy to serve over ice.

Ingredients

1 bottle dry rosé wine, 750 ml (about 3 1/4 cups), chilled. Choose a fruity, crisp rosé rather than an expensive bottle; its flavor will be combined with fruit and citrus.
1/3 cup (80 ml) brandy. This adds a gentle, rounded spirit note without overpowering the wine.
1/4 cup (60 ml) orange liqueur, such as a dry orange curaçao-style liqueur. It brings sweetness and orange aroma; see Variations for a non-liqueur option.
1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh orange juice, from about 1 large orange.
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon.
2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar, or to taste. Use less if your rosé or orange liqueur is already sweet.
1 medium orange, about 180 g, thinly sliced into rounds or half-moons.
1/2 medium lemon, about 60 g, thinly sliced. Remove any seeds so they do not end up in the glasses.
1 cup (150 g) fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced.
1 cup (125 g) fresh raspberries, rinsed gently and drained. Frozen raspberries are an option, but they soften and tint the drink more quickly.
2 cups (480 ml) chilled plain sparkling water or club soda, added just before serving.
About 4 cups (560 g) ice, for serving rather than chilling the pitcher.

Instructions

Wash and dry the orange, lemon, strawberries, and raspberries. Slice the citrus thinly, hull and slice the strawberries, and check the raspberries for any damaged fruit. Drying the fruit helps avoid diluting the sangria with extra rinse water.
In a large pitcher, stir the orange juice, lemon juice, and sugar until the sugar mostly dissolves. Add the brandy and orange liqueur, then stir again. If you are unsure how sweet you want the finished drink, begin with 1 tablespoon (12 g) of sugar and add more after tasting.
Pour in the rosé and add the orange, lemon, strawberries, and raspberries. Stir gently so the berries stay mostly intact. Taste a small spoonful of the liquid: it should taste slightly more concentrated and sweet than you want in the glass, because ice and sparkling water will soften it.
Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for 2 hours. This gives the wine time to take on the fruit and citrus flavors without leaving the berries to soak for so long that they lose their shape. Keep the sparkling water and ice separate during this wait.
Just before serving, uncover the pitcher and pour in the chilled sparkling water. Stir once or twice, gently, to combine. Taste and adjust with a little more lemon juice if it seems too sweet, or a splash of sparkling water if the fruit flavor is too concentrated.
Fill glasses with ice and ladle the sangria and fruit into them. Aim to distribute the fruit across the servings rather than letting it all fall into the first few glasses. Serve promptly while the bubbles are lively.

Tips

Choose a rosé you enjoy drinking. A dry or off-dry rosé gives you room to adjust sweetness, while a very sweet wine can make the finished pitcher cloying. A crisp, berry-scented rosé is a reliable choice, but the exact grape variety matters less than its balance and freshness.
Chill all the components first. Cold wine, juice, and soda mean you do not have to add ice to the pitcher, where it would melt and dilute the whole batch. If you forgot to chill the wine, put the sealed bottle in an ice-water bath while you prepare the fruit.
Adjust sweetness after combining. Fruit, rosé, and orange liqueur all vary in sweetness, so treat the listed sugar as a starting point. Dissolve sugar into the citrus juice before adding wine; granulated sugar stirred into a cold finished pitcher can remain gritty.
Keep the bubbles and fruit in good shape. Add soda only at the last moment and stir gently. Cut the strawberries and citrus shortly before assembling, and avoid crushing the raspberries, which can make the pitcher cloudy and pulpy.

Serving Suggestions

Serve pink sangria in wine glasses, stemless glasses, or small tumblers, with a few pieces of fruit in each pour. A long-handled spoon or small ladle makes it easier to reach the fruit at the bottom of a wide pitcher. Keep a bowl of extra ice nearby so guests can add it to individual glasses without watering down the remaining sangria.

This pitcher works well with a relaxed meal or a gathering where people can help themselves. Pair it with salty snacks such as olives, roasted almonds, or crisp crackers, or serve it alongside grilled vegetables, seafood, chicken, and salads with citrus or herbs. For a simple nonalcoholic option at the same table, offer sparkling water with orange slices and berries; it is better to make that separately than to try to remove alcohol from the finished pitcher.

This recipe serves eight modest pours, especially when served over ice. For a larger crowd, make two pitchers rather than doubling everything in one narrow container; fruit is easier to distribute and the mixture chills more evenly. Keep the second pitcher covered and refrigerated until needed, and add its soda only when you are ready to serve it.

Variations

Make it less sweet. Omit the sugar at first and use a dry rosé, then taste after chilling. Add the sugar gradually only if the citrus makes the drink too sharp. You can also replace some or all of the orange liqueur with extra orange juice, though the result will have a lighter, less pronounced orange flavor and a lower alcohol content.

Try other fruit. Peaches or nectarines work well in place of some of the strawberries, particularly when they are ripe but still firm. Blueberries can replace the raspberries, and thin slices of green apple add a crisp texture. Keep the total fruit amount close to the recipe so the pitcher remains easy to pour and the wine stays in balance.

Use another citrus profile. Substitute grapefruit juice for up to half of the orange juice for a more tart, gently bitter drink. Add a few thin grapefruit slices if you like, but remove them before storing overnight because prolonged contact can make citrus pith taste bitter. A small amount of lime juice can sharpen the flavor, though too much may overwhelm the delicate rosé.

Make it without brandy. Leave out the brandy and add 1/3 cup (80 ml) more orange juice, then taste before adding sugar. The sangria will be lighter and more fruit-forward. For a softer, less bubbly finish, use chilled still water instead of sparkling water, or pour soda into each glass so guests can choose their preferred level of fizz.

Use frozen berries when needed. Frozen strawberries or raspberries can stand in for fresh fruit if thawed and drained first. They tend to become soft, so stir them in gently and expect the color to be deeper. They can also help cool the pitcher, but do not rely on frozen fruit to replace all the ice in the serving glasses.

Storage and Reheating

Because this recipe contains fresh-cut fruit, refrigerate the pitcher promptly and never leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours. For the best flavor and texture, serve it within 24 hours. The fruit can continue to soften and release juice as it sits, and citrus peel may add bitterness if left in the liquid for a long time.

If you expect leftovers, keep the sparkling water separate and store the sangria covered in the refrigerator. It is generally best used within 2 days; strain out the fruit after the first day if you want to reduce bitterness and sogginess. Add fresh chilled soda only to the amount you plan to serve, since bubbles fade after they are stirred into the pitcher. Do not freeze the finished drink, as thawing damages the fruit and changes the texture. Reheating is not appropriate for sangria; serve it chilled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make pink sangria ahead of time?

Yes. Mix the wine, citrus juice, spirits, sugar, and fruit, cover the pitcher, and refrigerate it for up to 8 hours before serving. The recipe calls for a 2-hour chill, which is enough for the flavors to mingle; a longer chill is convenient, but the fruit will gradually soften. Wait to add sparkling water until just before serving so the drink stays fizzy.

What kind of rosé is best for sangria?

Choose a fresh, fruit-forward rosé that is dry or only lightly sweet. A crisp bottle helps balance the orange liqueur, fruit, and sugar. Avoid using a bottle that tastes unpleasant on its own, because the other ingredients will not hide poor flavor. If your rosé is sweet, skip the added sugar at first and adjust after chilling.

Can I make this recipe without orange liqueur?

Yes. Replace the 1/4 cup (60 ml) of orange liqueur with 1/4 cup (60 ml) of orange juice. The sangria will have a fresher, lighter orange taste and less sweetness, so taste it before adding the full amount of sugar. You can also omit the liqueur without replacement for a less sweet pitcher, then add a little extra sparkling water if needed.

How do I keep sangria from tasting too sweet?

Start with dry rosé and use only 1 tablespoon (12 g) of sugar, or leave the sugar out until after the pitcher has chilled. Add lemon juice a teaspoon at a time if the drink needs more brightness. Extra soda can also lighten a strong, sweet pour, but add it to individual glasses if you do not want to dilute the entire pitcher.

Can I make this pink sangria nonalcoholic?

For a separate alcohol-free pitcher, replace the rosé with chilled nonalcoholic rosé or a mix of white grape juice and sparkling water, and omit both brandy and orange liqueur. Begin with less sugar because grape juice is often sweet, then balance it with lemon juice. Add the sparkling water at serving time. This is a different drink rather than a way to remove alcohol from already mixed sangria.

This drink is for adults of legal drinking age; drink responsibly.

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