2-Step Winter Red Sangria
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Winter red sangria is the perfect cocktail to serve when you’re hosting friends and family during the holidays. Made with Cabernet Sauvignon, brandy, and triple sec, this festive red wine sangria is infused with fresh apples, pears, cranberries, pomegranate, cinnamon, and rosemary for a seasonal twist. With only two steps, it’s easy to mix up ahead of time, making it ideal for Thanksgiving, Christmas parties, or a cozy winter dinner. For more festive cocktails to serve your guests, try my seasonal two-step apple sangria or this fun rosemary kumquat gin fizz.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for entertaining – Mix a large batch in advance so guests can serve themselves throughout a holiday party or winter gathering.
- Full of seasonal flavor – Red wine, brandy, and orange liqueur pair with fresh winter fruit, cinnamon, and rosemary for a festive cocktail.
- Easy to make ahead – Prepare the wine mixture at least two hours before serving, then add the fresh fruit and garnishes just before pouring.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Wine – The base of this sangria is red wine, and I chose to use Cabernet Sauvignon. Since the wine will be blended with other ingredients, you don’t have to use an expensive, nice bottle, but it’s still important that you use a wine you would want to drink since it will provide the majority of the flavor.
- Triple sec – Triple sec is a sweet, clear orange liqueur made with a range between 15% to 40% alcohol from the peels of sweet and bitter oranges. Cointreau, a premium variety of triple sec, has a higher alcohol content and a more refined flavor compared to most other varieties of triple sec.
- Brandy – Brandy is a distilled spirit made from fermented wine or fruit juice, often aged in wooden casks, known for its smooth, rich, and fruity flavor.
- Seasoning – This cold weather sangria is served with cinnamon sticks, rosemary, apples, pears, and cranberries for a wintery take on the drink.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pro Tip
Mix the red wine, triple sec, brandy, lemon juice, and simple syrup at least two hours before serving so the flavors have time to meld. Wait to add the sliced apples, pears, cranberries, and pomegranate seeds until just before serving to keep the fruit fresh and prevent it from becoming soft. Chill the sangria thoroughly so you can serve it over ice without diluting it too quickly.
Swaps and Substitutions
- Red wine: Cabernet Sauvignon is the original choice, but another dry red wine you enjoy drinking can also work. There’s no need to buy an expensive bottle for sangria.
- Triple sec: Substitute Cointreau or another orange liqueur for a similar citrus flavor.
- Brandy: Use your favorite brandy to add depth and fruity notes to the sangria.
- Simple syrup: Adjust the amount to taste depending on the sweetness of the wine and your preference. To make simple syrup, simmer equal parts granulated sugar and water until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes syrupy.
- Apples and pears: Use crisp apples and firm pears that will hold their shape in the sangria. A small cookie cutter can be used to cut the fruit into festive shapes.
- Cranberries and pomegranate: These add tartness, color, and seasonal flavor. Keep them in the garnish or adjust the fruit selection to suit what is available.
- Ginger ale or club soda: Add a splash to individual glasses for a little fizz and to balance the sweetness.
- White wine: Swap the red wine for white wine for a lighter variation on winter sangria.
How to Make Red Wine Sangria (Step-by-Step)
- Make the sangria. In a large carafe or bottle add the wine, triple sec, brandy, lemon juice and simple syrup and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 2 hours.
- Serve with fruit. Pour the sangria into glasses and garnish with apples, pears, cranberries, pomegranate seeds, cinnamon sticks and rosemary sprigs.
How to Serve This Recipe
- For holiday parties: Transfer the chilled sangria to a large pitcher or beverage dispenser so guests can easily serve themselves.
- For individual glasses: Pour over ice and garnish each glass with apple slices, pear slices, cranberries, and pomegranate seeds.
- For a festive finish: Add a cinnamon stick and a sprig of fresh rosemary to each glass for seasonal aroma and presentation.
- For a less sweet drink: Add a splash of club soda, sparkling water, or ginger ale to each glass just before serving.
- For a holiday spread: Serve alongside a cheese board, savory appetizers, roasted nuts, or other party snacks.
How to Store This Recipe
- Refrigerate: Store the prepared wine mixture in a covered pitcher or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for the best flavor.
- Add fruit later: Keep the sliced apples, pears, cranberries, and pomegranate seeds separate until serving so the fruit stays fresher and retains its texture.
- Make ahead: Combine the wine, triple sec, brandy, lemon juice, and simple syrup at least 2 hours before serving. Keep refrigerated until ready to pour.
- Refresh leftovers: If the sangria has been sitting with the fruit for a while, remove any fruit that has softened and add fresh garnishes before serving again.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Cabernet Sauvignon is used in this winter red sangria recipe because its full-bodied flavor pairs well with brandy, triple sec, and seasonal fruit. You don’t need an expensive bottle, but choose a red wine you enjoy drinking on its own because it provides most of the cocktail’s flavor. Another dry red wine can be substituted if preferred.
Winter red sangria should be refrigerated for at least 2 hours before serving. This gives the Cabernet Sauvignon, triple sec, brandy, lemon juice, and simple syrup time to blend together. For the freshest fruit texture, add the apples, pears, cranberries, and pomegranate seeds just before serving, as directed in this recipe.
Yes, you can adjust the sweetness of winter red sangria by reducing the simple syrup to taste. You can also add a splash of club soda, sparkling water, or ginger ale to individual glasses just before serving. The original recipe uses ½ cup of simple syrup for two 750 ml bottles of red wine, so adjust gradually to preserve the balance of the cocktail.
This winter red sangria uses a Granny Smith apple, two pears, fresh cranberries, and pomegranate seeds. The apple and pear add crisp texture, while the cranberries and pomegranate provide tartness and bright color. Cinnamon sticks and rosemary sprigs complete the seasonal garnish and give the drink a festive presentation.
Other Recipes to Try
If you love serving drinks that are easy to make and seasonal, try one of the following recipes for your next cocktail hour:
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Winter Red Sangria
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Ingredients:
- 2 (750ml) bottles red wine
- 4 ounces triple sec
- 3 ounces brandy
- 2 ounces fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup simple syrup*
- 1 large Granny smith apple, cored and sliced
- 2 medium pears, cored and sliced
- 1½ cups fresh cranberries
- 1 pomegranate, seeds removed
- Cinnamon sticks, for garnish
- Rosemary sprigs, for garnish
Instructions:
- In a large carafe or bottle add the wine, triple sec, brandy, lemon juice and simple syrup and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 2 hours.
- Pour the sangria into glasses and garnish with apples, pears, cranberries, pomegranate seeds, cinnamon sticks and rosemary sprigs.
Notes:
Nutrition:
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