This red sangria recipe is an easy make-ahead pitcher drink with dry red wine, orange juice, raspberries, pomegranate juice, brandy, and grenadine. Mix everything with mint leaves and orange slices, then chill for 6 hours or overnight. I serve the sparkling water separately so each glass stays bubbly instead of watered down.
This red sangria recipe with raspberries is the pitcher drink I make when I want something more lively than wine but less complicated than mixing individual cocktails. Instead of relying on a store-bought sangria mix, I combine dry red wine with orange juice, pomegranate juice, brandy, grenadine, citrus, raspberries, and mint, then refrigerate it for at least 6 hours. The fruit has time to infuse the wine while the sparkling water stays on the side until serving, so guests can make each glass as bubbly or as sweet as they like.
Dry Spanish red wine is classic, but Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon all work here. This is also a practical make-ahead sangria for a party: build the pitcher the night before, then set out ice, extra fruit, mint, and sparkling water when it is time to serve. If alcohol-free guests are joining you, the same raspberry-orange flavor becomes an easy red sangria mocktail with non-alcoholic red wine.
My Red Sangria Test: 30 Minutes vs. Overnight
I made two pitchers of this red sangria using the same ingredients. The first rested for 30 minutes, while the second one I chilled for 6 hours. At 30 minutes, the wine tasted just the way I wanted it - sharp and distinct, and the raspberries were still firm. After 6 hours, the orange, raspberry, and wine flavors tasted more blended, while the fruit became still firm enough to serve.
The biggest change was added sweetness. As the fruit sat in the pitcher, the sangria tasted slightly sweeter and fruitier without adding more grenadine. I added sliced oranges right before chilling and my red sangria tasted like mulled wine; for my next batch, I would use more brandy.
My takeaway: Give this sangria at least 6 hours in the refrigerator if possible. A longer chill brings the fruit and wine together, but I would not leave the fruit in the pitcher longer than 3 hours because it will soften raspberries too much. Fruit can lose its texture after extended soaking, so a several-hour-to-one-day window is a practical balance.
Red Sangria Ingredients
Here's what goes into the pitcher and why I use each one-plus what you can swap if you don't have something on hand.
Dry red wine - This is the base of the whole drink, so use something you'd actually enjoy drinking on its own. I like a Tempranillo or Pinot Noir here because they're fruity without being too heavy or tannic. Cabernet Sauvignon works too, but it can taste a little bitter once everything else is mixed in, so I'd skip anything super oaky.
Orange and lime, sliced thin - These do double duty: they flavor the wine as it chills and they look great floating in the pitcher. I slice them thin on purpose so they release flavor faster and are easy to scoop into a glass. No limes? Lemon works fine too.
Raspberries - These bring a little tartness and turn the color of the sangria a deeper red-pink. Fresh is great in summer, but honestly frozen raspberries work just as well here-and they double as ice cubes that won't water down your drink as fast.
Orange juice - This sweetens things up and reinforces the citrus flavor from the orange slices. Use the real stuff, not the ultra-sugary kind, if you can help it-it makes a difference.
Pomegranate juice - It adds a deeper, slightly tart berry flavor and gives the sangria that beautiful jewel-toned color. If you want something similar, cranberry juice is a good stand-in, though it'll taste a bit more tart. I used raspberry juice in this recipe in the past and it works really well, but it's hard to find.
Brandy - This is what gives sangria its little kick and warmth. A basic brandy is all you need-no need to buy anything fancy for this. If you don't have brandy, orange liqueur like Grand Marnier or Cointreau works too and leans the drink even more citrusy.
Grenadine - Just a little for sweetness and color. Go easy on it since it's more concentrated than it looks-you can always add a splash more once it's poured into glasses if you want it sweeter.
Fresh mint leaves - These add a little brightness and a nice smell every time you pour a glass. If you're not into mint, you can leave it out entirely-it won't throw off the recipe.
Ice - For serving, not for the pitcher. I like to add ice straight to each glass so it doesn't melt and dilute the whole batch while it's chilling in the fridge.
Sparkling water - This is what gives each glass its fizz. I always add it right before serving, glass by glass, so it stays bubbly. If you want something a little sweeter, ginger ale or Sprite works great instead.
How to Make Red Sangria
1. Assemble the fruit and liquids
Start with a large pitcher that holds at least 10 cups. Add thin orange and lime slices, raspberries, and fresh mint leaves. Pour in the dry red wine, orange juice, pomegranate juice, brandy, and grenadine.
Give everything a good stir with a long spoon. The color becomes a deep ruby red right away, but don't be tempted to serve it yet-the fruit needs time in the wine for the pitcher to taste rounded and fruity rather than like separate ingredients poured together.
2. Chill for at least 6 hours
Cover the pitcher and refrigerate it for at least 6 hours, though overnight is my preferred timing when I can plan ahead. The raspberries soften, the citrus perfumes the wine, and the pomegranate juice adds a deeper berry-like flavor and gorgeous color.
I leave the sparkling water out at this stage. Adding it now means it loses its fizz before anyone has a glass, and I prefer letting people decide how bubbly or sweet they want their sangria.
4. Serve over ice with sparkling water
When you are ready to serve, fill each glass halfway to three-quarters full with ice. Pour in the chilled red sangria, making sure each glass gets a few pieces of fruit, then top with sparkling water.
For a sweeter drink, set out ginger ale or Sprite alongside the sparkling water. Add extra orange slices, raspberries, and mint to the table so guests can garnish their own glass.
Red Sangria with Raspberries and Pomegranate Juice
Equipment
- Large 10-cup pitcher
- cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Measuring cups
- Long-handled spoon
- 6 serving glasses
Ingredients
Sangria Base
- 1 750 ml bottle dry red wine such as Tempranillo, Garnacha, Pinot Noir, or Merlot
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- ½ cup brandy
- ¼ cup grenadine
- 1 large orange thinly sliced
- 1 lime thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 8 fresh mint leaves
For Serving
- Ice
- 1 ½ cups chilled sparkling water
- Extra orange slices raspberries, and mint leaves, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Add the orange slices, lime slices, raspberries, and mint leaves to a large 10-cup pitcher.
- Pour in the red wine, orange juice, pomegranate juice, brandy, and grenadine.
- Stir well with a long-handled spoon until the grenadine is fully blended into the sangria.
- Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Fill serving glasses halfway to three-quarters full with ice.
- Pour the chilled sangria over the ice, including some fruit in each glass.
- Top each glass with sparkling water.
- Garnish with extra orange slices, raspberries, or mint if desired, then serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe Tips
Avoid heavily oaked wine: A very oaky or highly tannic wine can taste more bitter after it is mixed with fruit juice and grenadine. A dry, fruit-forward bottle is the better choice here.
Mocktail variation note: To make a non-alcoholic red sangria, replace the red wine with 1 bottle non-alcoholic red wine. Keep the orange juice, pomegranate juice, grenadine, citrus, raspberries, mint, ice, and sparkling water the same.
For a juice-based mocktail without non-alcoholic wine, use 2 cups pomegranate juice and 1 cup orange juice in place of the wine and brandy. Serve over ice with sparkling water; this version will be sweeter and more fruit-forward.
How I Serve Sangria for a Party
I use a 60 oz. pitcher for this recipe. My finished batch makes 10 small drinks when I pour about 6 ounces of sangria per glass over ice and top each serving with 2 ounces sparkling water.
I refrigerate the wine-and-fruit mixture in the covered pitcher, then set up the rest immediately before guests arrive:
- A bowl or bucket of ice.
- Extra orange slices, lime slices, raspberries, and mint.
- Sparkling water for a dry, bubbly finish.
- Ginger ale or Sprite for guests who want a sweeter glass.
- A small label beside each mixer, especially if serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions.
I keep soda out of the pitcher overnight. Adding it at serving time keeps the carbonation lively, and each person can decide how sweet or bubbly they want their drink.
Variations & Substitutions
- If you want to make Sangria different every time, there are plenty of ways to do so.
- To make it more citrusy - Add freshly squeezed orange juice (use actual oranges) and ½ cup of Grand Marinier.
- To make it more refreshing - Try lemon juice (use freshly squeezed lemon).
- To make it more fruity - Use Welch's sparkling non-alcoholic red juice or use a combo of apple and cranberry juice.
- To make it more boozy - Add an extra cup of brandy or flavored whiskey - I like pineapple whiskey here as well.
- If you like a sweeter flavor, once the sangria is poured in to individual glasses, try adding a splash more grenadine. But be careful because it's really sweet (dilute with more red wine if you added too much)! You could also use 7-UP or Sprite instead of soda water to have a sweeter flavor.
- If you are wanting more of a spritzer taste, fill half your glass of the sangria and fill the rest with sparkling water.
- If you want more raspberry color and flavor -And if you can find it, add a splash of raspberry liquor (Chambord)/
Storage instructions
Refrigerate leftover sangria in a covered container for up to 2 days. For the best texture, strain out the fruit once it becomes very soft.
Carol says
My favorite way to make sangrias
Olya says
I agree!