Best Red Wine for Sangria

Although some folks opt for white wine sangria, others prefer to craft their fruit punch using a red wine. Differences in the taste between red and white sangria are more or less the difference between red and white wine. Red sangria, like the wine, is a heavier drink. So, your choice of sangria largely would depend on the type of wine you prefer. Red wine mixes best with apples, oranges, and pears. When making the drink at home, you can change the kind of red wine according to your preference. Which red wine should you choose? Some of the favorites include:

• Merlot
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Pinot Noir

As for sangria-making tips: If the wine you choose is too dry, sweeten your sangria by adding more fruit juice, simple syrup, agave nectar, or tonic water. You also want to make sangria a day in advance, so the flavors will have time to integrate. And be sure to use a quality wine that’s not too pricey and that you wouldn’t mind enjoying on your own.

Here’s a little about each red wine, along with some ONEHOPE selections that would work wonderfully:

Merlot—Our classic California Merlot exhibits huckleberry and loganberry flavors matched with notes of peat, dried fig, Assam tea leaves, and an ever so slight touch of vanilla—all the result of aging in a combination of American and French oak barrels.

Cabernet Sauvignon—OHEHOPE’s California Cabernet Sauvignon is a remarkably broody wine that displays aromas of baked blackberry and deep cassis. Loads of roasted coffee and cocoa notes fill the palate, along with hints of sage and paprika.

Pinot Noir—Pour our California Pinot Noir, filled with bright cherries, strawberries, and hints of violet pastille and cola. The fruit is layered with fresh soil notes of earth and spice.