Rosé Sangria with Berries & Lemon

This rosé sangria with berries and lemon is a refreshing, delicious, and super simple cocktail for summer! It comes together in minutes and is the perfect combo of tart, sweet, and fruity. Plus, it’s made in a pitcher for the best batch cocktail situation!

I officially declare this year ‘sangria girl summer’. It’s like hot girl summer, but in this case, we’re hot temperature-wise and all we really want to be doing in this life is sitting near some water and sipping sangria. You game?

Besides the fact that sangria is delicious, it’s also the best cocktail for warm weather. You can make it in a pitcher and pass it around the table. No need to get out of the comfort of your lawn chair to grab another beer from the cooler or mix up a vodka soda. Save the fancy cocktail-making for winter dinner parties when you’re stuck inside and want to show off that you are now adult enough to own a bar cart or whiskey that costs more than $12.

This year, we’re keeping it pretty. We’re keeping it pink. Let’s talk rosé sangria!

What is sangria?

Sangria is a traditional Spanish punch typically made with red wine (like Rioja!), brandy, orange juice, fresh fruit, and sometimes club soda. When I was in Spain a few years ago, I drank way too much of it. Honestly, they make it too easy to order little glasses at the tapas bars. What’s a girl to do?

Anyways, while red wine is the classic sangria to-go, white wine has started to gain popularity as well! So, might as well make a rosé version, right? This one replaces a few traditional ingredients, like brandy, to further compliment the flavors in the wine but the concept stays true to form!

The best rosé sangria

Should you find yourself sitting on a patio, sweating in the sun, and in desperate need of refreshments this summer, might I suggest this rosé sangria? It’s honestly the best. The berries add a lovely, fruity note but don’t worry, the cocktail isn’t too sweet thanks to the fresh lemon juice. This cocktail is made in a pitcher in honestly just a few minutes so it’s really easy to throw together. And since it makes about 6-8 servings, it’s great for a crowd. I love serving this sangria at:

• Bridal showers or bachelorette parties
• BBQs, camping trips, and picnics
• Pool parties or beach days
• Spring and summer holidays
• Dinner parties
• Graduation parties
• Just because!

The ingredient list

The ingredient list for this sangria could not be simpler. Here’s what you’ll need!

• Rosé – I prefer a dry rosé but you can get whatever you prefer. We’ll chat on this later!
• Orange liqueur – Triple sec or Grand Marnier would both work.
• Berries – strawberries and raspberries are my go-to but you can use whatever is in season.
• Lemons – both sliced and juiced.
• Peaches – for a little added sweetness and flavor.
• Sugar – to sweeten the sangria a bit.
• Club soda – I typically don’t serve sangria with club soda but you can if you like a little fizz!

Watch how to make this batch cocktail

Now that we’ve figured out what ingredients we’ll need, let’s make the sangria!

1. To a pitcher, add the strawberries, raspberries, sugar, and orange liqueur. Then, let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, until the sugar dissolves.
2. Next, add the lemon slices, peaches, and lemon juice. Stir very gently to combine.
3. Then, pour in the rosé. Stir the mixture to combine.
4. Lastly, refrigerate the sangria for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve over ice with a splash of club soda, if desired.

Helpful tools

To make this recipe, I recommend that you have these tools on hand to make mixing up this recipe a little easier:

• Pitcher or punch bowl
• Citrus juicer
• A fine mesh strainer
• Skewers for serving the fruit

The secret to good sangria (make-ahead!)

My favorite tip for making the best sangria is to make it in advance. I like to make this recipe at least two hours before serving because the ingredients need time to meld so that the sangria is extra flavorful. While I always recommend giving the sangria at least 2 hours, I usually like to let it refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight. This will make the sangria super flavorful.

P.S. I would not make this recipe more than 24 hours in advance. The fruit tends to break down and get a bit mushy after 1 day!

Choosing the right wine

Another trick to making the best sangria is to choose the right wine! You want something drinkable but nothing too expensive since we’re mixing it with more booze and fruit. Also, since we’re adding sugar and orange liqueur to this recipe, you’ll want to choose something a little more dry and crisp. Lastly, try to choose a wine that has flavors that compliment the fruit in the recipe. I went with a dry rosé with lots of strawberry and peach flavors!

If you do like a very sweet cocktail, you can always choose a sweet wine. However, it’s always easy to add sugar to a recipe, so when in doubt, go with a drier wine and add more sugar or simple syrup to taste.

Grand Marnier vs. Triple Sec

Traditional sangrias are made with brandy or Grand Marnier which is a mix of brandy and orange liqueur. While I’m sure Grand Marnier would be delicious in this recipe, I decided to make the recipe with Triple Sec so that it doesn’t overpower the delicate flavors in the rosé. Triple Sec is a French orange liqueur made without brandy. It has a nice, subtle orange flavor that adds a nice citrus punch to the sangria.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Dry rosé – you can always use a sweeter rosé if you prefer a sweeter cocktail. Or try a sparkling wine if you like bubbles. Keep in mind you may need to adjust the amount of sugar so the cocktail isn’t too sweet!
• Orange liqueur – I haven’t tried either, but I think Limoncello or vodka would also work in this recipe! Just keep in mind that vodka doesn’t have the sweetness of orange liqueur so you may need to add additional sugar.
• Fruit – replace the berries and peaches with any seasonal fruit. Grapes, pineapple, apples, cherries, and oranges would all work!

Make it bubbly

Some traditional sangria recipes call for a bit of club soda. If you want to make the cocktail a little lighter, you can always add a splash to individual glasses while serving! If you add it beforehand, the soda might go flat. I would definitely not go with lemon-lime soda, tonic water, or sparkling lemonade. While they are used in some recipes, the sweetness completely overpowers the rest of the flavors.

Recipe tips & tricks

• For a smoother sangria, strain the lemon juice through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any pulp and seeds.
• Pair the wine with the fruit so the flavors compliment each other. I chose a rosé that had berry + peach flavors! This just helps ensure that flavors don’t clash.
• Use seasonal fruit for the best flavor. If you want to make rosé sangria in the fall or winter, you can always switch out the fruit options!
• Serve the sangria with skewers so your guests can snack on the boozy fruit after the sangria is gone.
• If you’re serving a crowd, this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. Just make sure your pitcher or punch bowl is big enough to hold everything!

More summer cocktails

Frozen Aperol Spritz with Strawberries
French 77 Cocktail with Gin
Spiked Strawberry Lemonade
Strawberry Gin Smash with Basil & Elderflower
Watermelon Gin Fizz with Mint
Prickly Pear Vodka Sour
Cocktails in a Can!
Blueberry Lemon Vodka Spritz

If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

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xo Sara Lynn

*Song of the day: Sunshine Girl by Jakob