Sangria Recipe

Prepare fruit

Wash all fruit. Thinly slice the orange and lemon into rounds; remove seeds. Core the apple and dice into bite-size pieces (about 1/2-inch). If using strawberries, hull and halve them; if using raspberries, leave whole.

Combine wine and fruit

In a large pitcher (at least 2 L capacity), pour 1.5 liters of chilled or room-temperature dry red wine. Add the sliced orange, lemon, diced apple, and berries. Stir gently to combine so the fruit is evenly distributed.

Sweeten

Add 3 tablespoons granulated sugar to the wine-and-fruit mixture. If using simple syrup instead, add an equivalent sweetness (about 3 tablespoons). Stir until the sugar mostly dissolves. Let sit 5 minutes and stir again to help dissolution.

Add liqueur and brandy

Stir in 3 tablespoons orange liqueur and 60 ml brandy (if using). The liqueur brightens citrus notes while brandy adds body. Taste and adjust: add up to 1 additional tablespoon sugar or liqueur if you prefer sweeter or boozier sangria.

Macerate

Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably 4–8 hours or overnight. This allows the fruit to macerate, releasing juices and melding flavors. Stir once or twice during chilling.

Add sparkle and serve

When ready to serve, add about 500 ml chilled club soda or sparkling water to the pitcher and gently stir to combine. Fill each glass with a few ice cubes (about 6 cubes total for 4 glasses), pour sangria so each glass receives fruit, and garnish each with an orange slice or a sprig of mint.

Portioning (serves)

This recipe yields about 6–8 glasses (depending on glass size). Serve immediately after adding the soda to preserve effervescence. Leftover sangria (without soda) keeps in the refrigerator up to 48 hours; add fresh soda before serving again.