Sangria Recipe UK: A Bright, Easy Pitcher for Sharing

Sangria is a Spanish wine-and-fruit drink served chilled, usually with citrus, a little spirit and something fizzy. This UK-friendly red sangria balances orange, lemon and apple with brandy and lemonade, making a refreshing pitcher for sharing; family and regional versions vary. It is for adults of legal drinking age; drink responsibly.

Ingredients

1 bottle dry Spanish red wine, 750 ml (about 3¼ US cups)
¼ cup brandy, 60 ml
½ cup orange juice, 120 ml
1–2 tbsp granulated sugar, 12–25 g, to taste
2 medium oranges, about 300 g total, thinly sliced
½ lemon, about 35 g, thinly sliced; remove any visible pips
1 medium apple, about 180 g, cored and cut into small cubes
1 cinnamon stick, about 2 g (optional)
1½ cups chilled lemonade, 350 ml, or soda water, 355 ml, to finish
Ice, about 3 cups (400 g), for serving

Instructions

Wash and dry the oranges, lemon and apple. Slice the oranges into thin rounds or half-moons, slice the lemon thinly and discard its pips, then core and cube the apple. Thin slices release citrus aroma without needing to crush the fruit, while small apple pieces are easy to scoop into glasses. Allow about 10 minutes for this preparation.
Pour the red wine, brandy and orange juice into a large jug or non-reactive bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and stir until it dissolves. Add the sliced fruit and the cinnamon stick, if using. Stir gently to distribute everything; pressing or muddling the citrus can draw out bitterness from the peel and pith.
Cover the jug and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours. This gives the wine time to take on some of the fruit and spice flavour. If you have more time, chilling for up to 8 hours is convenient, but a much longer soak is not necessary. Keep the lemonade or soda water separate so it stays fizzy.
Just before serving, taste the chilled mixture. If it needs more sweetness, stir in the remaining tablespoon of sugar until dissolved. Pour in the cold lemonade for a sweeter, classic UK-style finish, or use soda water for a drier drink. Stir once or twice, gently, so you do not knock out too much fizz.
Put ice in six glasses and pour over the sangria, sharing the fruit between them. For a less diluted pitcher, serve the ice in the glasses rather than adding it to the jug. Offer a spoon or cocktail pick so guests can eat the wine-soaked fruit if they wish.

Tips

Choose a dry, fruity red. A Spanish Tempranillo or Garnacha works well, as do other affordable, medium-bodied dry reds. Avoid a very oaky or tannic bottle, which can taste harsh after chilling, and do not use a wine you would not enjoy drinking. There is no need to use an expensive bottle: fruit, juice and lemonade will shape the final flavour.
Adjust sweetness after chilling. Cold drinks taste less sweet than room-temperature ones, and lemonade adds sugar too. Start with one tablespoon of sugar, then taste after the fruit has steeped and add more only if needed. If your lemonade is particularly sweet, leave the sugar out at first.
Keep the fruit fresh-tasting. Thin citrus slices look attractive, but avoid crushing them. If you prefer a softer citrus flavour, peel the lemon before slicing or use only a few slices. The apple can be cut shortly before mixing to limit browning, although its colour is less noticeable once it is in the wine.
Plan the fizz and the ice. Add lemonade or soda water immediately before serving, not during the long chill. Keep ice out of the main jug if the sangria will sit on the table, because melting ice dilutes the whole batch. Chill all the liquids in advance instead.

Serving Suggestions

Serve sangria cold in wine glasses, large tumblers or small stemless glasses. A generous glass usually holds around 200–250 ml (about ¾–1 US cup), including some fruit and ice, so this batch makes roughly six servings depending on glass size and how much ice you use. Set out a long-handled spoon or small tongs for the fruit, and keep the pitcher in the fridge or in a bowl of ice between pours on a warm day.

This fruity pitcher suits a relaxed summer lunch, a barbecue or a tapas-style spread. It pairs particularly well with salty olives, grilled vegetables, patatas bravas, tortilla española and simple plates of cured meats or cheese. Because the drink is already fruity and lightly sweet, serve it alongside savoury food rather than very sweet desserts. For a larger gathering, make two batches rather than doubling everything in a narrow jug; a wide bowl or two pitchers makes it easier to stir and serve the fruit evenly.

Variations

White sangria: Replace the red wine with a dry Spanish white wine. Use peach or nectarine in place of the apple, and keep the orange and lemon. The result is lighter in colour and often tastes especially crisp with soda water.

More citrus-forward: Add a few strips of orange zest, avoiding the white pith, or replace some of the orange juice with lemon juice. Add lemon juice gradually and taste, since it can make the jug sharply tart. A splash more lemonade can balance it if needed.

Use another spirit: Replace the brandy with an equal amount of dark rum or orange liqueur. Rum brings a warmer, richer note; orange liqueur makes the citrus flavour more pronounced and may make the drink sweeter, so reduce or omit the sugar until you taste it.

Make a no-alcohol pitcher: Use dealcoholised red wine and leave out the brandy, replacing it with 60 ml (¼ cup) of extra orange juice. Alternatively, use red grape juice diluted with a little chilled water; it will be sweeter and less wine-like, so skip the sugar and choose soda water over lemonade. Chill and serve it in the same way.

Storage and Reheating

Keep the sangria covered in the refrigerator, and refrigerate it within 2 hours of mixing or serving. For the freshest flavour and texture, drink it within 24 hours; it can generally be kept for up to 48 hours, but the fruit will soften and the citrus peel may turn bitter as it sits. If you expect leftovers, keep some lemonade or soda water separate and add it only to each glass or serving portion, so the remaining base does not go flat.

Remove the fruit if you are keeping the base beyond the first day, then cover and chill it promptly. Do not leave the pitcher at room temperature for an extended period, and discard it if it has been left out for more than 2 hours. Sangria is served cold and should not be reheated. Freezing is not recommended for this pitcher: the fruit becomes mushy on thawing and the drink loses its fresh, fizzy character.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should sangria chill before serving?
Chill it for at least 2 hours so the fruit has time to flavour the wine. You can prepare the base up to about 8 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Add the lemonade or soda water just before serving to preserve its sparkle.

Can I make sangria the night before?
You can mix the wine, brandy, juice and fruit the night before and refrigerate it, but overnight soaking can make citrus peel taste bitter and fruit rather soft. For the freshest result, prepare it 2–8 hours ahead. If making it earlier, remove the fruit after the first day and keep the base chilled.

Which red wine is best for sangria?
Choose a dry, fruit-forward red that is pleasant to drink, such as Tempranillo or Garnacha. A medium-bodied wine is a good middle ground: very light wine can disappear beneath the fruit, while a heavily oaked or strongly tannic wine may taste astringent when served cold. An affordable bottle is fine.

Is lemonade or soda water better?
Either works, depending on how sweet you like your sangria. Lemonade gives the pitcher a sweeter, familiar UK-style fizz; soda water keeps it drier and lets the wine and fruit stand out. Start with less sugar if using lemonade, then taste the chilled mixture before adding more.

Can I make sangria without brandy?
Yes. Leave it out for a lighter drink, or replace it with the same amount of extra orange juice for more citrus flavour. The pitcher will have less depth and a lower alcohol content than the version made with brandy, but the wine, fruit and fizz still make a balanced drink.

How do I stop sangria from getting watery?
Chill the wine, juice and mixer before combining them, and put ice in individual glasses rather than in the pitcher. You can also use large ice cubes, which melt more slowly. Add the fizzy mixer at the last moment, and avoid leaving filled glasses sitting for a long time.

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

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