I absolutely love sangria.  And when I studied in Sevilla, Spain (a VERY long time ago) I learned how to make the perfect sangria.  It’s the perfect combination of red wine, brandy, fruit and since then, we, of course, have add bubbly to top it off!

Because it’s so refreshing and full of fruit, it’s a drink I love all summer long and most people think of it as a summer drink.  But, I have recently been playing with sangria recipes and have created several that are just perfect for the holidays. 

Sangria recipes to celebrate National Sangria day.

National Sangria Day

You know we have to celebrate National Sangria Day, right?  I mean it’s what we do here!

So, in honor of National Sangria Day on December 20, we wanted to share some fun facts with you.  

  • The word sangria comes from the sangre, the Spanish word for blood.
  • Sangria was introduced in the United States in 1964 at the world’s fair in New York City.
  • In the northern part of Spain, you won’t find nearly as much sangria.  And if you should ask about it, they tell you that “you only make sangria when you have a bad bottle of wine you’re trying to cover up.”

Bubbly Sangria Recipes

A typical sangria recipe calls for club soda.  So after you have chilled your pitcher, you would pour in about 12 oz of club soda or sparkling water just before serving.  Now, for some people that is bubbly enough, but here at Bubbly Side of Life, we decided to play around with topping it off with sparkling wine.  

And now we officially create all bubbly sangria recipes, but you, of course, can choose either option.

Now, I generally grab a Cava to top it off just because that is the sparkling wine out of Spain, but truly any sparkling wine you have on hand will do.  If you want to grab a cava, check out my favorites here

Sangria Recipes

When you’re looking for a good red wine base, a Rioja is always a solid option, but you basically want any bottle of dry red wine.  We have experimented with different bottles of red wine, so when we find something we love, we’ll include it in the ingredient list.

Traditional red wine sangria recipe.

Traditional Red Wine Sangria Recipe

As I learned in Spain, the key ingredient in this traditional sangria recipe is the pear.  So, don’t skimp on that piece of fruit.

  • 1/2 lemon
  • 1 orange
  • 1 lime
  • 1 apple
  • 1 pear
  • 1 1/2 oz Brandy
  • 2 T Sugar
  • 12 oz Cava/Sparkling wine or Club soda/sparkling water
  • Red wine:  Rioja or White Merlot
  1. Cut up the apple and pear into small bite size pieces and place into a 2-quart glass pitcher.
  2. Cut the lemon, lime and orange into thin slices and place into the pitcher.
  3. Add sugar and brandy and stir until the sugar dissolves.
  4. Add red wine, stir and chill for at least 4 hours or as long as 24 hours.
  5. Before serving, top it off with 12 oz club soda or sparkling water.  Or in our case, we top with Cava.
  6. ¡Salud!

Bubbly Fall Sangria

When I was prepping the cranberries for Thanksgiving, I was inspired to create this sangria recipe.  And when I say it tastes like fall in a glass, I mean it!  It’s a favorite by far!

Bubbly fall sangria recipe ingredients.
  • 2 Cuties
  • 1 cup Cranberries
  • 2 Cinnamon Sticks
  • 2 TBSP Sugar
  • 2 oz Brandy
  • 1 Bottle of Red Wine (red blend or a Rioja)
  • 12 oz Bubbly (we used Cava)
  1. Cut up cuties into 8 slices.  
  2. In a pitcher, combine cuties, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, sugar and brandy.  Stir well.
  3. Add red wine and stir to combine. 
  4. Refrigerate 4-24 hours.
  5. Add bubbly to pitcher before serving.
  6. ¡Salud!
Top your sangria with Cava to make the perfect bubbly sangria.

Bubbly Winter Sangria

After the deliciousness of the fall sangria, I decided we needed an equally good winter sangria recipe.  And here it is!

Bubbly Winter Sangria Recipe
  • 2 cuties or 1 orange
  • 1/4 cup Pomegranate Fresh Arils
  • 2 T Simple Syrup
  • 2 oz Brandy
  • 1 bottle of Masía de la Vinya Milenio
  • 12 oz  Bubbly (we used Masía de la Vinya Brut)
  1. Cut up your cuties or orange.  
  2. In a pitcher, combine all of the ingredients expect the bubbly.
  3. Stir well.
  4. Refrigerate 4-24 hours
  5. Add bubbly to pitcher before serving.
  6. ¡Salud!
Bubbly Winter Sangria Recipe

Sangria Tips:

  • When pouring, make sure every glass gets a variety of fruit by scooping it out first into the glass.
  • To make a single serving of sangria, check out the Bubbly Side of Life on Pinterest for those recipes.  
  • When choosing your bottle of wine and bottle of bubbly, it does not need to be a high end, expensive bottle since you are using it for a sangria recipe. 
  • For those who love sangria, but might not want to top it off with sparkling wine, first pour the sangria into the glasses, then allow each guest to top off their own glass with either a sparkling wine or club soda. 

Want more?

Check out our other delicious bubbly cocktail recipes here.

Follow along on Instagram where you will find a new bubbly cocktail or mocktail recipe every Thursday and, of course, all sorts of other bubbly tips and recommendations.  

I learned how to make the perfect sangria. It’s the perfect combination of red wine, brandy, fruit and since then, we, of course, have add bubbly to top it off! This Winter Sangria Recipe is to die for! Learn more about my simple but delicious sangria recipes here! Share your sangria drink creations in the comments!