Our Best Sangria Recipes

By Elizabeth Laseter
September 15, 2015
Photo: Randy Mayor
Capture every season’s bounty with fruity, party-perfect sangria.
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Sangria for Every Season

Photo: Robbie Caponetto
View Recipe: Summer Melon Rose Sangria

Whether it’s sipped poolside on a hot summer day or savored at a festive holiday soirée, sangria highlights seasonal fruit—from sweet, juicy peaches in summer to delightfully bitter blood oranges in winter. While the ingredients can vary, this Spanish drink typically contains a dry red, white, or sparkling wine, a sweetener, fresh fruit, and a small amount of brandy. Read on for our top sangria recipes, and our budget-friendly wine picks under $15.

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Winter Sangria

Photo: Ellen Silverman
View Recipe: Winter Sangria

Tangy, sweet satsumas shine during cold winter months. Make the most of them in this festive, spiced sangria. Opt for a fruit-forward, higher acidity variety of red wine, such as grenache or tempranillo.

Wine Pick: Las Rocas Garnacha (Spain)

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Sparkling Sangria

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

With fresh blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and nectarines, this crisp sangria epitomizes summer in a glass. Garnish each drink with a small mint sprig for a pop of color and refreshing fragrance.

Wine Pick: Castellroig Brut Cava (Spain)

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Cherry-Peach Sangria

Photo: José Picayo
View Recipe: Cherry-Peach Sangria

Tart cherries, sweet peaches, and aromatic thyme work wonders in this sparkling white sangria recipe. The flavor intensifies as the drink chills, and the marinated fruit is delicious to snack on when your glass is empty.

Wine Pick: Pazo Torrado Albarino (Spain)

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Sparkling Peach Sangria

Photo: John Autry

White wine makes sangria bright and refreshing, and in this recipe, we like Albarino for its notes of apple, pear, and citrus. We also recommend a dry cava for its low acidity and crisp bubbles.

Wine Pick: Salneval Valle Del Salnes Albarino (Spain)

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Apple Sangria

Photo: Gentyl and Hyers

Fall is prime apple season, so show them off in this spiced red wine sangria recipe, made with fresh ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and orange. If you can’t find Honeycrisp apples, substitute a variety that is slow to oxidize, such as Pink Lady or Ambrosia.

Wine Pick: Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages (France)

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White Sangria

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Meet the lesser-known, but high-flavored white Rioja—a zingy, light-bodied wine that’s a perfect match for the lemon, orange, apple, and peach in this recipe. Make the sangria ahead of time, but add the sparkling water just before serving for perfect crispness.

Wine Pick: Marqués de Cáceres White Rioja (Spain)

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Cider Sangria

Photo: Peter Frank Edwards
View Recipe: Cider Sangria

White wine may eventually lose its flavor after uncorking, but why waste it? Here, we perk up leftover wine with sparkling apple-cranberry cider and add fresh apples, pears, and grapes for an autumn-themed spin on the popular drink. 

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Sangria Ice

Photo: Johnny Autry

Whether you call it a granita or grown-up snow cone, our riff on traditional sangria is a crowd-pleasing, sweet summer treat. Keep in mind that the recipe requires a bit of hands-on work while it’s freezing, so plan ahead before you make it.

Wine Pick: Bota Box Redvolution Blend (California)

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Blood Orange Sangria

Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Blood Orange Sangria

Blood oranges are not only gorgeous when sliced, but they also contain a powerful antioxidant, plenty of vitamin C, and other essential nutrients. We love how they lend a citrusy kick to this wintery red wine sangria.

Wine Pick: Vina Borgia Grenacha (Spain)

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Bonus: Sparkling White-Sangria Salad

Photo: Randy Mayor

Here, we’ve reimagined the popular beverage into a retro gelatin salad. Whether you love or hate gelatin salad, this one is low in calories, fat, and sodium, making it a guilt-free indulgence!

Wine Pick: Hogue Riesling (Washington)

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By Elizabeth Laseter