Sangria Spritz Recipe: A Bright, Bubbly Party Drink

A sangria spritz is a pitcher-friendly mix of red wine, citrus, fresh fruit, and sparkling water, served over ice. This lively take on sangria pairs the fruit-steeped character of the Spanish-inspired drink with a lighter, bubbly finish; recipes vary, so you can adjust the fruit and sweetness to suit your table. This alcoholic drink is for adults of legal drinking age; drink responsibly.

Ingredients

1 bottle (25.4 fl oz / 750 ml) dry red wine, such as a fruity Spanish red or another medium-bodied red
1/4 cup (60 ml) brandy
1/2 cup (120 ml) orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
1 medium orange (about 6 oz / 170 g), washed and thinly sliced
1 medium lemon (about 4 oz / 115 g), washed and thinly sliced
1 medium apple (about 6 oz / 170 g), cored and cut into small pieces
1 small cinnamon stick (about 2 g), optional
2 cups (480 ml) chilled plain sparkling water or club soda
4 cups (about 560 g) ice cubes, for serving

Instructions

Prepare the fruit. Wash and dry the orange and lemon, then slice them thinly so they release some citrus aroma into the wine without making the slices difficult to scoop. Core the apple and cut it into bite-size pieces. If you prefer a less bitter finish, remove any visible seeds and trim away the thickest parts of the citrus pith.
Start the sangria base. In a large pitcher, stir the sugar into the orange juice until it mostly dissolves. Add the brandy and red wine, then stir again. The sugar does not need to disappear completely at this point; it will continue dissolving as the mixture chills. Add the orange, lemon, apple, and optional cinnamon stick.
Chill for one hour. Cover the pitcher and refrigerate it for 1 hour. This gives the fruit time to flavor the wine and lets the sugar blend in. Avoid leaving the pitcher on the counter while it steeps; chilling also keeps the drink ready to serve cold. If you have extra time, you can chill it longer, but the fruit texture is best when it is not left steeping for days.
Taste and adjust. After chilling, stir gently and taste a small sip. If your wine is especially dry or tart, stir in a little more sugar, dissolving it first in a tablespoon or two of the liquid taken from the pitcher. If the mixture tastes too sweet or strong, add a splash of chilled water or orange juice. Adjust in small amounts so the fruit and wine remain balanced.
Add the bubbles just before serving. Pour the chilled sparkling water into the pitcher and stir once or twice gently. Stirring hard will drive off some of the carbonation. For the fizziest glasses, you can instead pour the sangria base over ice and top each glass with sparkling water individually.
Serve over ice. Fill six glasses with ice, spoon a few pieces of fruit into each, and pour in the sangria spritz. A pitcher spoon or small ladle makes it easier to distribute the fruit evenly. Serve promptly while the sparkling water is lively.

Tips

Choose a wine you would enjoy in a glass. A fruity, dry red gives the drink flavor without needing a large amount of added sugar. A medium-bodied wine is a good middle ground: very tannic reds can taste astringent when chilled, while a delicate wine can be overwhelmed by citrus and brandy. There is no need to use an expensive bottle, but avoid wine that tastes unpleasant on its own.
Keep the fruit pieces manageable. Thin citrus slices look attractive and are easy to lift from the pitcher. Cut the apple into small pieces rather than leaving it in large wedges; smaller pieces are easier to serve with a spoon. If you are sensitive to citrus bitterness, peel the orange and lemon, or use thin strips of zest plus peeled segments instead of slices with pith.
Hold back the sparkling water until serving. The bubbles fade after they are stirred into the wine, and ice will gradually dilute the drink. Chill the wine mixture, fruit, sparkling water, and glasses if convenient, then combine them when guests are ready. If you are serving over an extended period, top up each glass rather than adding all the soda to the pitcher at once.
Adjust sweetness with care. Orange juice, wine, and fruit vary in sweetness, so taste after chilling before adding more sugar. To avoid gritty sugar at the bottom, dissolve extra sugar in a small amount of sangria liquid first. Simple syrup can also be used; add it a teaspoon at a time because it is easy to make the drink too sweet.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this spritz in wine glasses, large tumblers, or stemless glasses with plenty of ice. A few pieces of fruit in each glass make the pitcher feel festive, while a thin orange slice on the rim adds a simple garnish. Use a long-handled spoon to stir the pitcher gently before each pour, since the fruit and wine can settle at different rates. If the pitcher is nearly empty, avoid pouring the last fruit-heavy portion into one glass; divide the remaining fruit among the servings.

The drink works well at a casual lunch, a cookout, or a small gathering where guests can serve themselves. Set out the chilled sangria base, a separate bottle or carafe of sparkling water, ice, and glasses so the fizz can be added as people pour. For a crowd, make multiple batches rather than doubling everything in one narrow pitcher; a larger container can make it harder to chill the mixture evenly and distribute the fruit. Keep the pitcher cold between pours, and bring it out in smaller amounts if the gathering lasts a while.

Because the drink is fruity and sparkling, pair it with salty or savory foods rather than only sweet desserts. Olives, marinated vegetables, spiced nuts, grilled vegetables, and small savory pastries are all practical options. It can also accompany a meal with rice, roasted vegetables, or grilled dishes. Keep the food and drink service flexible: guests can choose a glass with more fruit, more soda, or less ice without changing the pitcher recipe.

Variations

Use white wine. Replace the red wine with 1 bottle (750 ml) of dry white wine for a lighter-colored spritz. A crisp, not-too-sweet wine works especially well with the orange, lemon, and apple. The flavor will be less berry-like and more citrus-forward, so taste the chilled base before adding extra sugar.
Make a rosé version. Use a dry rosé in place of the red wine. It keeps the fruit-and-wine character while giving the pitcher a lighter color and a softer profile. You can add sliced strawberries in place of some of the apple, but add them shortly before chilling so they keep their shape.
Swap the brandy. Use an equal amount of orange liqueur for a more pronounced orange aroma, or leave out the brandy and add 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra orange juice for a lower-strength, less spirit-forward pitcher. The juice-only option tastes fruitier and slightly less complex. If you omit the brandy, taste before adding sugar because the balance will change.
Make it without alcohol. Replace the wine with 3 cups (720 ml) chilled red grape juice and 3 cups (720 ml) chilled water or alcohol-free red wine, and omit the brandy. Start with less sugar, since grape juice is often already sweet, then add sparkling water as directed. This version will taste more juice-forward than wine-based sangria, but citrus and sliced fruit still give it a refreshing pitcher-drink character.
Change the fruit or spice. Pear, peach, or a handful of berries can replace some of the apple, depending on the season. Use a similar total volume of fruit so the pitcher remains easy to pour. For a warmer aroma, keep the cinnamon stick; for a cleaner citrus flavor, leave it out. Avoid adding too many strong spices, which can cover the wine and fruit.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate the wine, juice, spirit, and fruit mixture if it will not be served immediately, and keep it chilled throughout service. Perishable food and drink should be refrigerated within 2 hours; do not leave the pitcher sitting at room temperature for an extended gathering. The base is best within 24 hours. It can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but the citrus may become bitter and the apple softer as it sits. Remove the cinnamon stick after the first few hours if its flavor is becoming too strong.

Store the base without sparkling water whenever possible. Once soda is added, the drink is still safe to refrigerate promptly, but it will lose much of its fizz, and the fruit will continue to soften. For leftovers, strain out the fruit if you want to limit bitterness, then keep the liquid covered and refrigerated. Do not reheat sangria spritz; it is meant to be served cold. Add fresh sparkling water to chilled leftovers just before drinking, understanding that the remaining fruit may be less crisp.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make sangria spritz ahead of time?
Yes. Mix the wine, brandy, orange juice, sugar, fruit, and optional cinnamon up to 24 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Add the sparkling water only when you are ready to serve so it stays bubbly. If making it farther ahead, it is better to prepare the liquid base and add fresh-cut fruit closer to serving; prolonged contact with citrus can make the drink bitter.

What kind of red wine works best?
Choose a dry, fruity red with moderate tannins, such as a Spanish-style red blend or another medium-bodied wine you enjoy. Sangria is flexible and does not require one exact grape variety. A very oaky or strongly tannic wine can seem harsher when chilled, and a very sweet wine may make the finished pitcher cloying. Taste the wine first, then use the recipe’s sugar as a starting point rather than assuming every bottle needs the same amount.

Can I use prosecco instead of sparkling water?
Yes. Replace the sparkling water with 2 cups (480 ml) chilled prosecco or another dry sparkling wine, adding it just before serving. This makes the spritz more wine-forward and stronger than the sparkling-water version, so pour smaller servings if appropriate. Use a dry style to keep the drink from becoming overly sweet, and do not stir vigorously after adding it.

How do I keep the drink from becoming watery?
Chill the ingredients before mixing, use large ice cubes, and avoid putting ice directly into the pitcher. Ice in individual glasses melts more slowly and lets guests control how much dilution they want. You can also freeze a few pieces of fruit and use them in place of some of the ice, though frozen fruit can soften as it thaws. Add the sparkling water and ice only when serving.

Do I have to include brandy?
No. Brandy adds warmth and a more traditional sangria-like depth, but the recipe still works without it. Replace it with orange juice for a fruitier, less spirit-forward version, or use orange liqueur for a stronger orange note. After changing the spirit, chill the base and taste it before adjusting the sugar or citrus; small differences in sweetness can shift the balance noticeably.

Can I make one glass instead of a pitcher?
Yes. For one serving, use about 4 oz (120 ml) red wine, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) brandy, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) orange juice, a small pinch of sugar, and a few pieces of orange, lemon, and apple. Stir and chill the mixture for about an hour if time allows, then pour over ice and top with roughly 1/3 cup (80 ml) sparkling water. The proportions are a guide, so adjust the soda to taste.

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