The Best Red Wines for Sangria 2024

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Have you ever noticed the summer sun sets in shades of Sangria? Ruby reds, pastel purples, zingy oranges.

While the aesthetic draw might be the warm array of colors, when crafting your Sangria, it’s important to always use a quality wine. Select a wine you enjoy on its own. Large format bottles and boxes are perfect for a party, and large-batch Sangria will give you more time to spend with friends and family, rather than playing bartender all night.

Sangria is endlessly customizable, but each starts out the same. A simple concoction of red or white wine combined with fresh fruit creates a beautiful marriage of flavors that stand alone perfectly without any other ingredients. The simplicity of this recipe makes creating a pitcher to store for the work week a breeze.

Even when creating a Sangria in bulk, remember not every glass of Sangria has to be the same—and that is where the beauty of this cocktail lies. Little nuances, like the addition of fruit juice or liqueurs, different fruits with different ripeness levels and even a splash of a little bubbly water or soda can bring new life and a unique experience to each glass and each sip.

Maple syrup can be a fun addition if you are looking for a sweeter end to your day. Those craving acidity can slice citrus fruits as both flavor and garnish, adding stunning visuals to your beverage. Strawberries, blackberries and blueberries create a sweet, tangy element. Spices, herbs, and other sweeteners such as simple syrups or brown sugar cultivate a complexity of flavors that can please even the toughest crowd.

Below are 10 red wines ready to serve as agents of alchemy.

Lopez de Haro 2020 Crianza Red (Rioja)

This garnet-colored wine has a bouquet of blackberry, caramel and sage leaf. It’s a little spicy up front, with clove, anisette and eucalyptus flavors dominating over cassis and black cherry. Dark-chocolate notes and midweight tannins sail into a smooth finish. 89 points. — M.D.

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