Holiday Spiced Red Wine Sangria

This holiday season serve up Holiday Spiced Red Wine Sangria for an easy and delicious cocktail perfect for any party or get-together!

What could be more festive than a sangria recipe that captures all of the flavors and scents of the holidays? Gather your ingredients, grab a large pitcher, and get ready to prepare an aromatic holiday-spiced red wine sangria recipe!

This seasonal version of our favorite party beverage is made with gorgeous red wine, spiced with warm holiday flavors, and packed full of beautiful fresh fruit – it’s sure to be a hit at any gathering.

Whether you’re hosting an intimate family dinner or throwing an extravagant soireé this season, get ready to impress your guests (and yourself!) with this easy-to-make Holiday Spiced Red Wine Sangria.

What is Sangria?

Sangria is a popular Spanish beverage made with red wine, fruit, and other ingredients such as brandy, triple sec or orange liqueur. Its origins actually go back to about 200 BC in Roman times!

Water in ancient Rome was full of bacteria and required an alcohol to be added in order to make it safe to drink. The Romans called it “hippocras”, often adding sugar and spices to the mix to improve the flavour.

The word “sangria” comes from the Spanish word “sangre,” which means blood, referring to its deep red color.

Sangria has been popular for centuries since then, with different variations appearing throughout Europe and the Americas. It has become an international favourite thanks to its fruity flavor and light, refreshing taste.

Tips for Making the Best Sangria

• When making sangria, it’s important to keep the fruit-to-wine ratio in mind. You don’t want too much sugar from the fruits overpowering the wine. The best way to achieve this is to use less sugar in the recipe and opt for fresher, seasonal fruits.
• Also consider serving with sparkling water or club soda to the recipe. This will give the sangria a light and refreshing fizz that cuts through the sweetness of the fruit.
• Be sure to use good quality ingredients where possible – this will make a difference in the overall flavor of your sangria.
• This Sangria can be served warm. If you choose to serve it this way you should remove the rind from any citrus fruit as it will become bitter. Simply add the ingredients for a slow cooker and heat on low for one hour, then set to keep warm to serve.
• Prepare ice cubes with cranberries and herbs in them for a truly pretty presentation.
• Enjoy your Sangria and don’t forget to drink responsibly. Cheers!

What is the Best Red Wine for Sangria?

The traditional choice for sangria is a Spanish red wine like a Rioja, Garnacha or Tempranillo, but you can use any type of red that has fruity notes and isn’t too tannic.

Avoid oaky or aged red wines as they can overpower the other flavors in the sangria. Choose a young, fruity wine that will complement the other ingredients without dominating them.

Other Seasonal Fruits for Winter Sangria

• Pears
• Blood oranges
• Pomegranate Arils
• Blackberries
• Grapes
• Plums
• Grapefruit

How to Make Ahead and Store Sangria recipe

To ensure that the fruit infuses with wine it is important to allow the sangria to rest at least a few hours ahead of serving. This ensures a sweeter and fruitier drink.

This easy-to-make sangria recipe can be prepped ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours ahead of serving. It should be consumed within 3 days of preparation, and stored in the refrigerator. I do find it best if enjoyed within 2 days though.

It’s a great choice for parties, since it can be made in advance and left to chill until the big event.

Abut the Ingredients for Red Wine Sangria

Fruit – Leave the peel and skins on your fruit for more colour. Apples, oranges and cranberries work well in a red wine sangria for the holidays.

Sweetener – To sweeten sangria you want to use brown sugar or honey. I prefer honey personally. You may want to taste the sangria (after chilling) and add more as needed.

Juice – Cranberry juice for a festive flair. You will want 100% juice rather than cranberry cocktail.

Liqueur – Grand Marnier is a good choice here but you could opt for any orange flavoured liqueur or in a pinch some good brandy.

Wine – Look for a dry red wine that is fruity and flavourful. Garnacha and Tempranillo are your two best bets as they both originate in Spain.

Spices – Make sure you use only whole spices.

Looking for More Holiday Cocktails?

Check out more of my favourite Christmas cocktail recipes!

Looking for a festive drink to serve at your Christmas party? This pomegranate Moscow mule recipe is a perfect holiday cocktail!

This festive pomegranate ginger paloma recipe is perfect for Christmas parties or gatherings! It’s an easy to make ,holiday cocktail.

This festive Spiced Blood Orange Paloma Recipe is perfect for Christmas gatherings! This paloma recipe is citrusy, spiced and delicious.

How to Make Holiday Spiced Red Wine Sangria

Yields: 4-6 Servings | Prep time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 medium Granny smith apple, skin on, cored and diced
1 medium naval orange, rind on, diced
1 cup cranberries, whole or halved
4 Tbsp Honey or brown sugar
3/4 cup cranberry juice
1/3 cup Grand Marnier (or other orange liqueur or brandy)
750 mL (25 fl oz) dry Spanish red wine
2 Cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
2 whole cloves
Sparkling water

Directions:

Add apples, oranges, cranberries and honey to a large pitcher and muddle slightly.

Pour in the cranberry juice and Grand Marnier, and muddle again to combine.

Add the red wine, cinnamon, star anise, and cloves, then stir.

Cover and chill for 4 hours or overnight.

Pour into glasses filled with ice to serve, and top off with sparkling water.