Sangria Recipe

Combine base liquids

In a large pitcher (at least 2.5–3 liters), pour the 1.5 liters of dry red wine. Add 0.25 cups orange liqueur and 0.25 cups brandy. Stir gently to combine.

Add 0.25 cups simple syrup to the wine mixture. Taste and, if you prefer it sweeter, add up to an additional 2 tablespoons of simple syrup and stir. Chill this mixture for at least 1 hour to let flavors meld (best 4 hours or overnight).

Prepare citrus

Thinly slice the whole orange into rounds, then cut rounds in half if large. Slice the half lemon and half lime into thin rounds. Remove any seeds.

Prepare apple and berries

Core the apple and cut into 1/4-inch dice or thin wedges (leave the skin on). If using strawberries, hull and quarter them; leave smaller berries whole. Add all prepared fruit (1 orange, 1/2 lemon, 1/2 lime, 1 apple, 1 cup mixed berries) to the pitcher with the chilled wine mixture.

Stir gently to incorporate fruit. For best flavor extraction, refrigerate the pitcher with fruit and wine for at least 2–4 hours, ideally overnight. Stir once more before serving to redistribute juices.

Add carbonation and ice just before serving

When ready to serve, add 1 cup chilled club soda or sparkling water to the pitcher and stir gently to combine. Add 4 cups of ice to the pitcher or to individual glasses to keep the sangria cold without watering it down prematurely.

Garnish and serve

Ladle sangria into glasses, making sure each glass receives a portion of fruit. Garnish each glass with a sprig of mint if using. Serve immediately.

Storage note: Keep any leftover sangria refrigerated (without additional ice) for up to 48 hours. Add extra club soda or ice when serving remaining sangria to refresh.