Sangria Recipe Measurements for a Balanced Pitcher

Sangria is a Spanish wine punch made with red wine, fruit, a little sweetness, and often a splash of brandy and sparkling water. These measurements make a balanced pitcher that tastes fruity without hiding the wine, and the fruit has time to infuse before serving.

This recipe makes six generous glasses. Sangria has many regional, household, and modern variations, so treat the proportions as a dependable starting point rather than the only way to make it. This alcoholic drink is for adults of legal drinking age; drink responsibly.

Ingredients

1 bottle (750 ml) dry Spanish red wine, such as Tempranillo or Garnacha
1/2 cup (120 ml) brandy
1/2 cup (120 ml) orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
1 medium orange (about 180 g), washed and thinly sliced
1 medium lemon (about 100 g), washed and thinly sliced
1 medium crisp apple (about 180 g), cored and cut into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) chilled plain sparkling water or club soda, for serving
2 cups (about 300 g) ice cubes, for serving

Instructions

Prepare the fruit. Wash and dry the orange, lemon, and apple. Slice the citrus into thin rounds, removing any visible seeds as you go; cut the apple into bite-size pieces. Thin slices release citrus aroma into the wine, while slightly larger apple pieces are easier to pick out of a glass. Keep the peel on for flavor and color, but avoid including a lot of the white pith if your citrus has a particularly thick layer, since pith can taste bitter.
Dissolve the sugar. In a large pitcher, stir the sugar into the orange juice until it mostly dissolves. This small step helps distribute the sweetness evenly instead of leaving grains at the bottom. If the sugar is stubborn, stir in a tablespoon or two of the wine rather than heating the mixture; sangria does not need to be cooked.
Combine the base. Pour in the bottle of red wine and the brandy, then stir gently. Add the sliced orange, lemon, and apple. Stir again just enough to coat the fruit. Taste a small spoonful of the liquid now: it should be wine-forward, lightly sweet, and bright with citrus. The fruit will contribute more flavor as the pitcher chills.
Chill and infuse. Cover the pitcher and refrigerate it for 2 hours. This gives the fruit time to flavor the wine and lets the ingredients become properly cold. If you need to make it earlier, it can chill longer, but the apple and citrus will soften over time. Do not add the sparkling water yet, because it will lose its fizz while sitting in the pitcher.
Finish and serve. Just before serving, pour in the chilled sparkling water and stir once gently. Fill glasses with ice, then ladle in sangria and some of the fruit. For a less diluted pitcher, put ice in individual glasses rather than directly into the pitcher. Taste a glass and adjust only if needed: a little more sparkling water softens the wine and brandy, while a small splash of orange juice makes the drink fruitier.

Tips

Choose a wine you would drink on its own. A dry, fruit-forward red is a useful choice; it does not need to be expensive. Avoid very tannic or heavily oaked wine, which can make the finished pitcher taste rough, and avoid sweet wine unless you plan to reduce the sugar.
Adjust sweetness after chilling. Fruit and cold temperatures change how sweet the drink seems. Start with the listed 2 tablespoons (25 g) of sugar, chill the pitcher, and taste before serving. If it needs more, dissolve another teaspoon of sugar in a little orange juice first so it blends smoothly.
Keep the bubbles separate until serving. Add sparkling water to the pitcher immediately before pouring, or top each glass individually. If you use lemon-lime soda instead, the drink will be sweeter; reduce or omit the granulated sugar and taste before adding more.
Keep the fruit balanced. Citrus and apple provide aroma, tartness, and a crisp bite. A large quantity of strongly flavored or very soft fruit can overwhelm the wine or turn mushy during chilling. Use ripe but firm fruit, and remove any bruised portions before slicing.

Serving Suggestions

Serve sangria well chilled in wine glasses, tumblers, or small pitchers at the table. Give each glass a little of the citrus and apple, and set out a long spoon if guests want to eat the soaked fruit. The fruit is flavorful but wine-soaked, so label or describe the pitcher clearly when serving a mixed-age gathering. For a buffet, keep the pitcher in a bowl of ice or return it to the refrigerator between pours instead of leaving it warm on the counter.

This red-wine version goes naturally with Spanish-inspired tapas such as olives, marinated vegetables, manchego, almonds, or tortilla española. It also suits grilled vegetables, roasted chicken, and simple salty snacks. Because the drink is fruity and lightly sweet, pair it with savory food rather than an especially sweet dessert. If serving several drinks, offer water alongside the sangria and provide a nonalcoholic option for anyone who does not want wine.

Variations

White sangria: Replace the red wine with a dry white Spanish wine, such as a crisp Verdejo, and use peaches, green apple, or berries in place of some or all of the citrus. Keep the same wine and brandy quantities. White wine tends to taste lighter and more delicate, so begin with the same amount of fruit and avoid letting it infuse much longer than a few hours.

Lower-sugar pitcher: Omit the granulated sugar and use a ripe orange or apple for natural fruit sweetness. Taste after chilling; if the wine is too tart, add 1 tablespoon (about 12 g) of sugar dissolved in orange juice. This version will be less rounded and sweet than the standard recipe, particularly if the wine is very dry.

Without brandy: Leave out the brandy and replace it with 1/2 cup (120 ml) more wine or orange juice. Extra wine keeps the flavor drier and closer to the base recipe; orange juice makes it softer and fruitier. Do not replace the brandy with extra sparkling water before chilling, since the added bubbles will fade.

More spice: Add one small cinnamon stick to the pitcher while it chills, then remove it before serving if the spice becomes prominent. A cinnamon stick gives a gentle warm aroma, while ground cinnamon can make the drink cloudy and leave a gritty texture. Avoid adding several strong spices at once; they can cover the citrus and wine.

Storage and Reheating

Keep the sangria covered and refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or below. Refrigerate it within 2 hours of preparing it, and do not leave the pitcher out through a long meal or gathering. For the best texture, serve it within 24 hours; the fruit continues to soften and the citrus peel can become more bitter as it sits. If stored promptly in a clean, covered container, the wine-and-fruit mixture can generally be kept for up to 3 days, but discard it if it has been left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours or shows any signs of spoilage.

If you expect leftovers, keep the sparkling water and ice separate. Strain out the fruit after about a day to limit bitterness and mushiness, then refrigerate the liquid in a covered container. Add fresh sparkling water to each glass when serving again. Sangria is served cold, so reheating is neither necessary nor recommended; warming it changes the fresh, bright flavor and drives off the bubbles. Do not freeze the pitcher with its fruit and soda: the fruit becomes soft and the carbonation is lost.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the basic ratio for a pitcher of sangria?

For this six-serving pitcher, use one 750 ml bottle of wine, 1/2 cup (120 ml) brandy, 1/2 cup (120 ml) orange juice, about 2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar, and roughly 3 cups of sliced fruit. Add 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) sparkling water just before serving. The exact balance can shift with the wine and fruit, so taste after chilling rather than assuming every bottle needs the same sweetness.

How long should sangria chill before serving?

Chill it for at least 2 hours for cold, lightly infused sangria. That is enough time for the citrus and apple to begin flavoring the wine. If you prefer a stronger fruit infusion, you can make it several hours ahead, but leaving the fruit in overnight may soften it and make the citrus peel more noticeable. Add sparkling water only at the end.

Can I make sangria the night before?

Yes. Mix the wine, brandy, juice, sugar, and fruit, cover the pitcher, and refrigerate it overnight. For the freshest fruit texture, you can also prepare the liquid base ahead and add the sliced fruit a few hours before serving. Keep the pitcher cold, and wait until guests are ready to pour before adding the sparkling water.

Which red wine is best for sangria?

Choose a dry, relatively young red wine with fresh fruit flavors and moderate tannins. Spanish Tempranillo and Garnacha are traditional-feeling options, but other dry reds can work if they taste pleasant without added sugar. Since fruit, juice, and brandy will be added, a costly bottle is unnecessary; an unpleasantly harsh or very sweet wine is harder to balance.

Can I make this sangria without added sugar?

Yes. Leave out the sugar and rely on ripe fruit and the orange juice, then taste the chilled mixture. If you want a little more sweetness, add a teaspoon at a time, dissolving it in a spoonful of juice before stirring it in. The result will vary with the wine: a dry, tart bottle may still taste sharper than a fruit-forward one.

Should I put ice in the pitcher?

It is usually better to put ice in individual glasses. Ice in the pitcher melts as it sits and dilutes every serving, especially if people pour slowly. If you want the whole batch very cold, chill the pitcher and the sparkling water well in advance, then use ice in the serving glasses as needed.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).