A fruity Winter Sangria is a match made in heaven for red wine lovers. Between the cranberries and apple cider, you have an awesome way to celebrate the holidays with guests or just family at home. It's simple yet incredibly delicious and balanced, so much so that you'll have to remind yourself that it contains alcohol!
I love to serve this at Thanksgiving or Christmas, or to accompany a lovely home-cooked meal, such as a cowboy stew, with my partner. The combination of the red wine and dark rum creates a deep, complex flavor that pairs well with the fruit. The club soda is optional, which I sometimes include if I want it to be bubbly (try it - it's great!).
These cocktails are delicious, too...try a cranberry margarita with your holiday meal. Perhaps a cranberry shrub cocktail to follow. A Grinch cocktail will keep you festive. A tequila berry cocktail is just the way to top things off. But, please remember moderation.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's perfect for gatherings: This winter sangria is a drink you'll want to share! Prepare it in a pitcher so it's ready to pour for your guests!
- It's customizable: I love that you can use any fruit that you like, and you can even switch the alcohol used as well to make it your own.
- It's make-ahead friendly: It's easy to make in advance, too! It sits well in the refrigerator, so you can let it sit and let the flavors marry and the beverage chill until it's time to serve.
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients I use for this winter red sangria recipe. You can find most of them at the grocery store, but you will need to stop at a liquor store to get the rum.
- Berries: I use frozen berries because they make a great replacement for ice cubes, without watering down the drink. I like strawberries and blueberries, but you may use any combination of berries that you enjoy.
- Red wine: A semi-sweet red wine is perfect for sangria! It has lovely fruity, sweet notes without being too dry. Merlot, Zinfandel, and red blends work great for this.
- Cider/juice: Apple cider and cranberry juice cocktail are the stars. Any brand of apple cider that you find at the grocery store in the fall is great, and I like cranberry cocktail because it's not as bitter as 100% cranberry juice.
- Rum: Dark rum is richer than white rum, and the notes of caramel and spice are a lovely match for a winter sangria.
- Club soda: This is an optional addition if you want your sangria to be bubbly. Ginger ale works great, too.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Orange: Add orange juice to the pitcher for citrus notes to brighten the flavor and complement the other ingredients. Save some orange slices for a pretty garnish, too. A winter citrus sangria is my favorite variation.
- Use bourbon: Swap dark rum for bourbon if you want a less sweet version that has a deeper, spicier flavor.
- Pomegranate: Try a pomegranate juice cocktail in place of the cranberry for a fun twist.
- Try white wine: Make this winter sangria with a white wine like Riesling or Moscato. The flavor is brighter but not as sweet as Pinot Grigio.
How to Make a Winter Sangria
It only takes a few steps to make a pitcher of this winter sangria. All you have to do first is measure the ingredients!
Step 1: Add the berries. Pour the frozen berries of your choice into the bottom of the pitcher.
Step 2: Pour in the remaining ingredients. Then, add the wine, rum, cranberry juice, and cider. Stir the mixture well.
Step 3: Serve. Pour into glasses and enjoy, or stick it in the fridge.
Step 4: Add club soda. An optional serving step is club soda for a carbonated version.
Recipe Tips
- Refrigeration directions: Store your pitcher of winter red sangria in the fridge for up to 2 days. Any longer, and the frozen fruit will thaw and become mushy.
- Making your sangria in advance: Prepare your beverage a few hours ahead and keep it in the refrigerator until you're ready to drink it.
- Enjoy it chilled: I like to enjoy my sangria when it's perfectly cold. Allow it some time to chill in the refrigerator or serve it over ice if you can't wait (and enjoy it extra cold).
If you enjoy a good sangria, you should also make this melon moscato sangria!
One of our latest and greatest cocktails to grace these pages is our gingerbread martini. That classic holiday spice with a bit of a kick is enough to rock your Christmas party. One sip and you'll be ready to say ho ho ho!
Serving Suggestions
- Keep with the holiday cranberry theme and enjoy some treats like cranberry eggnog cookies or cranberry pretzel salad.
- Make an impressive dinner to serve alongside this winter sangria, like salmon oscar and maple dijon ham.
- Pour in a little blueberry syrup if you want your sangria extra sweet and a more fruity flavor.
Do you enjoy showing off your bartending skills with drinks like this? If you do, you may want to try making a raspberry martini or a pineapple rum cocktail. A watermelon vodka cocktail is great to make too. They're all delicious, refreshing and a hit with those who taste them.
Recipe FAQs
You can adjust the ratios if it's too bitter. I like to add a little more apple cider and a little less wine.
The presentation is everything! Cinnamon sticks and sprigs of rosemary are awesome garnishes that can give your glass more of a holiday feel.
Add some fresh fruit or more cranberry/apple cider and less alcohol to your holiday sangria. It will make the fruit flavor more prominent.
More Delicious Drink Recipes
Do you like drink recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Winter Sangria
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen berries
- 750 mL red wine semi-sweet
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 cup cranberry cocktail
- ½ cup dark spiced rum
- Club soda optional
Instructions
- In a large pitcher add frozen berries, red wine, apple cider, cranberry cocktail, dark rum and stir well.
- Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge until ready to serve.
- When serving, add ice to a glass, pour about ¾ full of sangria then top with club soda, if desired.
Notes
- If the flavor is too bitter, cut back on the wine and add a little more apple cider to sweeten it up.
- Choose a semi-sweet red wine like Merlot or a red blend so it's not too sweet and not too dry.
- Prepare the sangria a few hours before serving it and enjoy it chilled, if you prefer.
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