Pitcher Sangria

Name: Pitcher Sangria
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 495 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 bottle dry red wine Rioja, Garnacha, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon recommended; Garnacha; Merlot; Cabernet Sauvignon; 0.5 cup brandy; 0.25 cup triple sec; Cointreau; 1 cup orange juice freshly squeezed preferred; 2 tbsp granulated sugar; adjust; simple syrup; 1 whole orange half thinly sliced into rounds, half juiced (use juice above); 1 whole lemon thinly sliced into rounds; 1 whole lime thinly sliced into rounds; 1 whole green apple cored and thinly sliced; 1 cup club soda chilled; added just before serving; 2 cup ice for serving

Drink8h 15m6 servingsEasy

About this recipe

A classic, crowd-pleasing red sangria that's been perfected for home entertaining. Made with a full bottle of bold red wine, fresh citrus, brandy, and a splash of orange juice, this pitcher sangria is fruity, refreshing, and beautifully balanced. The secret is letting it chill overnight so the flavors meld into something far greater than the sum of its parts. Make it the night before a party and serve it over ice for an effortlessly impressive drink.

Instructions

1
Prepare the fruit: Slice half the orange, the lemon, and the lime into thin rounds (about ¼-inch thick). Slice the remaining orange half and squeeze the juice into a measuring cups — you need about 1 cup of orange juice total, so top off with store-bought if needed. Core the green apple and slice it thinly.
2
Dissolve the sugar: Add the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar to the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Pour in the brandy and triple sec and stir vigorously for about 30 seconds until the granulated sugar is fully dissolved. This step ensures there's no gritty sugar settling at the bottom.
3
Add the liquids: Pour in the orange juice and the entire bottle of dry red wine. Stir gently to combine everything.
4
Add the fruit: Drop in all the sliced citrus rounds and green apple slices. Give everything one more gentle stir so the fruit is submerged.
5
Chill and steep: Cover the pitcher tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or ideally overnight (up to 24 hours). This is the most important step — the fruit infuses the dry red wine and the flavors meld dramatically.
6
Taste and adjust: Before serving, taste the sangria. If it needs more sweetness, stir in an extra tablespoon of granulated sugar or a splash of simple syrup. If it tastes too sweet, add a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
7
Serve: Fill glasses with ice and pour the sangria over, making sure each glass gets some fruit. If you like a lighter, slightly fizzy sangria, top each glass (or the whole pitcher) with chilled club soda just before serving. Garnish with a fresh citrus slice on the rim if desired.

Pitcher Sangria

Drink

Mii

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Times & temperatures

Total time: 8h 15m
Prep: 15 min

Total time: 8h 15m
Prep: 15 min

Serving size

Servings

Recipe written for 6 servings

Servings

Recipe written for 6 servings

Ingredients (11)

Equipment (12)

Mixing Bowl

Plastic Wrap

Pitcher (Large)

Glasse

Pitcher

Glass (Large)

Lid

Measuring Cups

Knife

Cutting Board

Mixing Bowl (4 Quarts)

Citrus Juicer

Mixing Bowl

Plastic Wrap

Pitcher (Large)

Glasse

Pitcher

Glass (Large)

Lid

Measuring Cups

Knife

Cutting Board

Mixing Bowl (4 Quarts)

Citrus Juicer

Kitchen tools

Recipe scaler Unit converter Meat temperatures

Step by step

Instructions

Tap a step number to check it off as you cook.

Prepare the fruit: Slice half the orange juice freshly squeezed preferred, the 1 whole lemon thinly sliced into rounds, and the 1 whole lime thinly sliced into rounds into thin rounds (about ¼-inch thick). Slice the remaining orange juice freshly squeezed preferred half and squeeze the juice into a measuring cups — you need about 1 cup of orange juice freshly squeezed preferred total, so top off with store-bought if needed. Core the 1 whole green apple cored and thinly sliced and slice it thinly.

Uses

Measuring Cups
Orange Juice
Lemon
Lime
Granny Smith Apple

1 min

Dissolve the sugar: Add the 2 tbsp of granulated sugar to the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Pour in the ½ cup brandy and ¼ cup triple sec and stir vigorously for about 30 seconds until the 2 tbsp granulated sugar is fully dissolved. This step ensures there's no gritty sugar settling at the bottom.

Uses

Mixing Bowl
White Sugar
Brandy
Triple Sec

Add the liquids: Pour in the 1 cup orange juice freshly squeezed preferred and the entire bottle of bottle dry red wine Rioja. Stir gently to combine everything.

Uses

Orange Juice
Red Wine

Add the fruit: Drop in all the sliced citrus rounds and 1 whole green apple cored and thinly sliced slices. Give everything one more gentle stir so the fruit is submerged.

Uses

Granny Smith Apple

480–1440 min

Chill and steep: Cover the pitcher tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or ideally overnight (up to 24 hours). This is the most important step — the fruit infuses the 1 bottle dry red wine Rioja and the flavors meld dramatically.

Uses

Plastic Wrap
Red Wine

Taste and adjust: Before serving, taste the sangria. If it needs more sweetness, stir in an extra tablespoon of granulated sugar or a splash of simple syrup. If it tastes too sweet, add a small squeeze of fresh whole lemon thinly sliced into rounds.

Uses

White Sugar
Lemon

Serve: Fill glasses with 2 cups ice for serving and pour the sangria over, making sure each glass gets some fruit. If you like a lighter, slightly fizzy sangria, top each glass (or the whole pitcher) with chilled 1 cup club soda just before serving. Garnish with a fresh citrus slice on the rim if desired.

Uses

Ice
Club Soda