3 Easy Sangria Recipes for Late Summer Sipping

Nothing feels more like a late-summer treat than sangria. Typically made with red wine and fresh fruit, this refreshing beverage is perfect for cheers-ing to a summer well-spent and welcoming a new season. We’re sharing three ways to make sangria—the traditional way, in a French press, and frozen into ice pops.

The History of Sangria

Before diving into our three recipes, let’s take a walk down memory lane. The creation of sangria began in the Middle Ages. Greeks, Romans, and Spaniards mixed their wine with sugar and spices to make “hippocras,” often heated to make mulled wine. Sangria, translated to “blood” in Spanish, became popular all across Europe in the subsequent centuries. It emerged in America for the very first time in New York at the Spanish World Area of the 1964 World’s Fair.

How to Choose the Right Red Wine for Sangria

Sangria is typically made with Spanish Tempranillo and Rioja. Don’t have either on hand? Substitutions are easy, but keep in mind these tips when selecting your red wine.

Sangria Wine Dos

Look for red wines that have:

• Fruit-driven flavors and aromas
• On the “dry” side

We suggest the Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards Grenache Syrah or Las Cepas Rioja.

Sangria Wine Don’ts

Avoid red wines that are:

• Older or aged because they may be too delicate for mixing
• Tannic reds, which means reds that are described as herbaceous or astringent
• Overly complex wines, such as wines that are usually better consumed on their own

3 Easy, Unconventional, and Fun Sangria Recipes

Now that you know where Sangria comes from and how to choose the best red wine—let’s get into the recipes!

Traditional Sangria Recipe

Yield: 4 servings
Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
½ medium apple, chopped into small pieces
½ medium orange, rind on and sliced into small pieces
3-4 tablespoon Thrive Market Organic Coconut Sugar
¾ cup orange juice
⅓ cup brandy
750 ml bottle Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards Grenache Syrah or Las Cepas Rioja red wine
1 cup ice

Instructions
Add apples, oranges, and sugar to a large pitcher. Muddle with a wooden spoon for approximately 45 seconds, until combined. Add orange juice and brandy, and muddle again to combine.

Pour in the red wine and stir. Taste and adjust flavor as needed. To chill, add the ice and stir once more. You can serve as is or garnish with additional orange segments.

French Press Sangria

Yield: 7 servings
Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
750 ml bottle Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards Grenache Syrah or Las Cepas Rioja red wine
1/4 cup rum
1/4 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup raspberry purée
1 orange, rind on and sliced into small pieces
1 lime, rind on and sliced into small pieces
1 lemon, rind on and sliced into small pieces

Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the wine, rum, agave syrup, and raspberry purée. In your french press, layer the orange, lime, and lemon slices along the base. Slowly pour the red wine mixture into the french press and press. Serve in a wine glass over ice.

Ice Pop Sangria

Yield: 12 ice pops
Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours

Ingredients
1 ⅔ cups Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards Grenache Syrah or Las Cepas Rioja red wine
⅓ cup brandy
16 ounces frozen strawberries
2 tablespoon lime juice
1-2 tablespoon Thrive Market Organic Honey
1 orange, peeled and cut into small pieces

Instructions
Add all ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth. Pour into ice pop tray and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours, until completely frozen.