Sparkling Blackberry Sangria
Posted on: May 1, 2024. Updated on: May 1, 2024.
by Carolina Gelen
Table of Contents
Take your sangria game to the next level!
Use a mix of citrus
Using a mix of citrus—such as blood oranges, cara cara oranges, navel oranges or tangerines—brings a wonderful complexity to our final sangria.
Use freshly squeezed orange juice
While this step might add 5 extra minutes to the prep time, you will be able to taste the difference in the final cocktail. With freshly squeezed orange juice, the sangria will taste fresher, fruitier and brighter. I enjoy incorporating freshly squeezed blood orange juice to my mix as it pairs so well with the red wine.
Mix in some blackberries
While blackberries in a sangria aren’t very traditional, freshly muddled blackberries are a must in this recipe as they soften the sharpness of dry red wine while enhancing the delightful sweetness that comes with it.
Incorporate some fizz
To make sangria more inviting, refreshing and crisp, incorporate some bubbles into the cocktail by either carbonating the final drink or mixing it with sparkling water.
Looking for some noshable, nibbly bits to serve alongside the sparkling blackberry sangria?
Try the following recipes for some unforgettable bites:
- tiramisu cups — a super easy dessert, perfect to make for a smaller party
- pizza flavored snack mix — if you’re looking to use up or revive leftover snacks, toss them in this homemade pizza seasoning, your guests won’t get enough of this snack mix
- crunchy seed crackers — another fun recipe you can set aside on the table and invite your guests to snack on throughout the night
- feta cheese balls with hot honey — if you find yourself with a little more time for prepping the party menu, these feta cheese balls freeze very well and can be made ahead, just pop them in the fryer as soon as your guests arrive, they’re ooey, a little sweet and crispy on the outside
- spicy tuna potato latkes — for a show-stopping appetizer, these crispy bite-sized latkes are topped with spicy tuna and avocados, delivering a truly a perfect bite for every party guest
- feta oil with no-knead bread — bread and butter can take a step back, serve this feta spiced oil with freshly baked bread at your next gathering
Sparkling Blackberry Sangria
Servings: 8 to 10
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
plus 45 minutes chill time
Ingredients
- 1 medium blood orange, thinly sliced
- 1 medium cara cara, navel or tangerine orange, thinly sliced, plus more for garnishing
- 1 small red apple, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup (70 g or 2.5 oz) blackberries
- 1/4 cup (50g) light brown sugar, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (use a mix of blood oranges and cara cara/navel/tangerine oranges)
- 750ml bottle Pinot Noir
- Sparkling water, optional
- Fresh mint leaves, for serving
Instructions
- To a large pitcher, add the sliced oranges, apple, blackberries, brown sugar and brandy. Muddle the fruits to release their flavor.
- Add the cinnamon stick, orange juice, red wine and stir everything until most of the sugar has dissolved. Taste and season with more sugar if needed.
- Place the pitcher in the fridge for at least 45 minutes (up to a few days) before serving.
- To make this blackberry sangria a sparkling blackberry sangria, strain the sangria and use a sparkling water maker/carbonator to fizz it all up.
- If you don’t have one of those machines, don’t worry, you can still make this: Simply pour the sangria in serving glasses and top each one off with sparkling water.
- Garnish the glasses with sliced oranges and mint leaves.
