February 19, 2019

Blood Orange Sangria

I know, I know, my fondness for sangria has almost reached joke level. But with so many seasonal flavors and blends to play with, can y’all blame me? They’re so easy to mix up that I can’t resist experimenting. Today I’m excited to share my Blood Orange Sangria recipe that was a quick favorite among my friends.

My sangria repertoire is becoming quite vast. As I’ve said before, sangrias are great beverages for seasonal fruits and flavors. They’re also easy to batch for large gatherings. I made several sangrias for soccer tailgates last summer, and they didn’t last long once I got there.

I got on a pretty big blood orange kick last year and was excited when I saw them at my grocery store for the first time last month. If you’ve never had a blood orange, they’re in season usually from late December through April. They get their names from their deep red-purple-pink flesh on the inside, and the deep red-pink color they turn as they ripen, thanks to a pigment called anthocyanin. Flavor-wise, they can be more tart or even floral, not as tangy as your classic navel orange. They also have fewer seeds and are easier to peel.

How to Make Blood Orange Sangria

I used a cabernet sauvignon as my base wine, which is what I use for most of my red wine sangrias. Any good drier red wine works well here: cabernet, merlot, pinot noir, or even a malbec. You don’t want to use a super sweet wine and then add a bunch of fruit juices and liquors and make it even sweeter.

Don’t splurge on an overly “good” wine for your base, either. Something under $10 will work just fine. The $3 Winking Owl variety at Aldi is all you need.

If you want to add more of your favorite citrus fruits, go for it. Grapefruit would be a nice tart addition, if that’s the flavor you like. A mix of different oranges would be nice, too. Or even Meyer lemons, another seasonal winter citrus. Cranberries are another nice seasonal touch.

I always suggest letting your sangria chill overnight. It gives all the flavors enough time to blend together, and will be at peak taste after 18-24 hours. If you can’t allow that much time, 2-4 hours works, too.

And lastly, traditional, “real” sangria has brandy in it. I’m not the biggest fan of brandy, but a small amount in your sangria tastes just fine. Just don’t overdo it. You can always leave it out completely, or substitute another liqueur or liquor in its place. In my recipe, I used a bit of brandy and a bit of spiced rum.

Here’s my Blood Orange Sangria recipe—made with seasonal citrus and red wine.

I love how this one turned out, so I’ll definitely be making it again before blood oranges go out of season.

To make it, you will need:

1 bottle dry red wine
2 blood oranges, sliced
1 navel orange, sliced
1 lime, sliced
Juice of 2 blood oranges
Juice of 1 lime
2 oz. rum
2 oz. brandy (optional)
1 oz. triple sec (optional)
Sparkling water or club soda to top
A large pitcher or carafe

First, slice all your fruit. Slice your oranges, limes, and whatever other fruits you’re using and add them to your pitcher or carafe.

Add the wine and liquors. Pour the entire bottle of wine into the pitcher. Then add the brandy, rum, or whatever other liqueurs you’re using.

Cover and chill. Cover the pitcher and refrigerate it until it’s ready to serve. It’s best to let it chill for a day before drinking so the flavors will be well combined.

Serve. When ready to serve, pour the sangria into a glass over ice. Top with a little soda water if you want a little fizz!

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