Classic Red Sangria (Pitcher Recipe)

Before you start

Sangria is a wine punch, not a fruit cocktail with wine in it. A young, fruity, low-tannin red such as Spanish Garnacha or Tempranillo forms the base, a little brandy and orange liqueur add backbone, and sliced orange, lemon and apple steep in it for a few hours. Sugar is there to round off the wine's acidity rather than to make it sweet, so add it gradually.

Time is the main ingredient. Two to four hours in the refrigerator lets the citrus oils and fruit flavor soak into the wine. Much longer and the citrus pith turns the whole pitcher bitter. Add the soda water and ice only when you serve, so the sangria is cold and lively in the glass rather than diluted in the pitcher.

Ingredients

• 750 ml (1 bottle) dry, fruity red wine — young Garnacha, Tempranillo or similar, low in oak and tannin
• 60 ml (2 oz) brandy — Spanish brandy is traditional
• 30 ml (1 oz) orange liqueur
• 120 ml (4 oz) orange juice — fresh or pasteurized
• 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar — adjust to taste
• 1 orange — halved and thinly sliced
• 1 lemon — thinly sliced, seeds removed
• 1 crisp apple — cored and cut into small cubes
• 1 cinnamon stick — optional
• 250 ml (about 8½ oz) soda water — chilled, added at serving
• as needed ice cubes — for serving

Method

1. In the pitcher, stir the sugar into the orange juice, brandy and orange liqueur until most of the grains have dissolved. Dissolving the sugar in the smaller amount of liquid first keeps it from settling at the bottom.
2. Add the orange, lemon and apple, plus the cinnamon stick if using. Press the citrus slices lightly against the side with the spoon to release some oil.
3. Pour in the wine and stir well. Taste: it should be fruity and balanced, a little less sweet than you want the final drink, because chilling will soften the edges.
4. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. Stir once halfway through.
5. Just before serving, taste again and adjust with a spoonful of sugar or a squeeze of orange. Remove the citrus slices if the sangria will sit out longer, to avoid bitterness.
6. Stir in the cold soda water. Fill glasses with ice, pour the sangria over and spoon some of the fruit into each glass.

Tips for success

• Avoid heavily oaked or very tannic reds. Oak and tannin turn harsh and bitter when chilled with citrus.
• Use thin-skinned citrus and slice it thinly so it flavors the wine quickly without releasing too much pith.
• If you need to make it the day before, refrigerate the wine, spirits, juice and sugar together and add the sliced fruit only on the day.

Substitutions

Brandy

Leave it out for a lighter punch, or use dark rum for a richer, molasses note. The pitcher will be a little sweeter without it.

Granulated sugar

Use 60 ml simple syrup or honey syrup, which mix in instantly. Honey adds a floral note.

Soda water

Lemon-lime soda makes a sweeter, more casual sangria; reduce the sugar by half if you use it. Sparkling water with no added sugar keeps it dry.

Apple

Peaches, nectarines, or a handful of berries all work in summer. Soft berries break down quickly, so add them closer to serving.

Variations

White sangria

Use a dry Spanish white such as Albariño or Verdejo, peach liqueur instead of orange liqueur, and sliced peaches and green grapes.

Spiced winter sangria

Add two cloves, a strip of orange peel and a sliced pear, and use pomegranate juice instead of orange juice.

Troubleshooting

The sangria tastes bitter

The citrus sat too long or was sliced thick with lots of pith. Remove the slices, add a little sugar and orange juice, and next time chill for no more than 4 hours.

It tastes thin and watery

Ice was added to the pitcher. Keep ice in the glasses only, and add the soda right before serving.

Sugar is sitting at the bottom

Cold wine dissolves sugar slowly. Stir hard, or dissolve the sugar in the juice and spirits first next time, or use syrup.

Too harsh or boozy

Add 120 ml more orange juice and a splash of soda. A softer, fruitier wine helps more than extra sugar.

Storage

Refrigerate covered and drink within a day for the best flavor. Remove the citrus after about 6 hours to prevent bitterness. Do not leave a pitcher with fresh fruit and juice at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Safety notes

The pitcher contains about 7.5 U.S. standard drinks in total, roughly 1.25 per glass when served six ways. Sangria tastes lighter than it is, so pour with care. If you use unpasteurized fresh-squeezed juice, note that pasteurized juice is the safer choice for anyone vulnerable. Serve only to adults of legal drinking age and never drink and drive.