Classic Red Sangria Recipe (2024)

When we moved awhile back, we left behind a favorite restaurant –a small, local, mostly Italian eatery. We’d split a dreamy brick-oven quattro formaggi pizza – the perfect size for the two of us – and, buoyedby the fact thatwe were saving so much money on our simple shared dinner, we’d often splurge on a drink or two as well. My favorite? Their classic red sangria.

Ruby red, earthy, fruity but not too sweet. Most memorably, itwas clearly spiced with something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Cloves? Allspice? Cinnamon? Maybe. I decided to start fishing for the recipe – or at least try to score a few hints– but man. They were seriously tight-lipped about their sangria.

Iplayeddumb with a new waiter, pointing at the menu and asking, “Hmm. This sangria looks good. What’s in it?” Igotsome sort of generic answer. “Red wine. And … stuff.” I asked a waitperson who knew us well, but she was loyal to the restaurant. She offered just about the same amount of info – that is, nada. When a friend’s son began working there as a dishwasher, I thought maybe I finally had an in. A few weeks later, he reported back with something along the lines of the fact that the owner was indeed very secretive about his sangria recipe. No info.

Whatever man!

I’ve spent much of the last couple of years on a white sangria tear, but recently, I’ve returned to red. Good old classic red sangria, to be exact. The stuff that sold me on sangria to begin with, many years ago.

Please note: I’m not a sangria expert or anything – I’m not Spanish and I’ve never even been to Spain – yet! But I am a serious sangria fangirl.An enthusiastic one. Based on what I do know,the elements of a classic red sangria are citrus (usually orange or lemon), maybe some apples, a fruity (but not too sweet) red wine, some sugar, and possibly some brandy or other liqueur. Simple, delicious.

For this recipe, I ventured a tiny bit from the classic formula by skipping the sugar (I like to make up for it by adding ginger beer – plenty sweet – right before drinking) and – my secret weapon and I now suspect also the restaurant owner’s – a spoonfulof allspice. The allspice adds a wonderful warm, spicy, and seasonal note along with theorange and apples, making for a glorious overall sangria indeed.

When I took my first sip, I practically did a fist pump. Or maybe I actually did – no “practically” about it. This stuff was very, very close to my restaurant fave. ButI’m not going to keep my recipe a secret!

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