Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Sangria - Holiday co*cktail Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to make sangria the night before? ›

Don't skimp on the chilling time.

By chilling the sangria, you give the fresh fruits a chance to infuse the wine with sweet, fresh flavor. If you cut this time short, your sangria won't taste as fruity or as balanced. I let mine chill for at least 8 hours before serving, or overnight for the best flavor.

The best wine for sangria is Garnacha (also called Grenache) or Pinot Noir. Garnacha comes from Spain, so it's my top pick for authentic Spanish sangria! Choose an inexpensive wine (under $20) that you would enjoy on its own. Why Garnacha and Pinot Noir?

"When choosing a brandy, it is best to go toward a Spanish one made with Spanish grapes," said Trujillo. "I find Carlos I Solera Gran Reserva Brandy to be perfect for sangria." This brandy was aged in American oak casks and has notes of vanilla and caramel.

Think: pumpkin drinks, apple cider co*cktails, and cranberry recipes. Even the classic co*cktails have a Thanksgiving twist, like the cranberry thyme gin and tonic and the apple cider sangria.

For red wine enthusiasts, pinot noir is an all-time favorite. Its low tannin content allows it to meld well with both turkey meat and seasonal sides. Zinfandel and syrah (or shiraz) are excellent picks as well. White wine lovers can't go wrong with either a riesling or gewürztraminer.

For red wine enthusiasts, Pinot Noir is the quintessential Thanksgiving wine. You can also serve a Zinfandel or Syrah. Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Grigio will complement the turkey and side dishes for white wine drinkers.

Most sangria recipes call for letting the wine rest overnight, or at least for a few hours in the refrigerator. This lets the fruit infuse the wine, getting its juices in the mix and sweetening the drink. The sweetness in sangria should come from the fruit itself, and perhaps the wine, not from a soda like 7-Up.

You can make this sangria recipe up to 48 hours before serving it. Once again, the longer the fruit sits in the booze, the more it enhances the flavor of the sangria! This is one drink that you can make ahead of time and it will only keep getting better and better!

Does sangria keep overnight? ›

Sangria will last for about three to five days in the refrigerator if stored in an airtight container. It will only last for a day or two if stored in the pitcher covered with storage wrap, so we recommend moving it to an airtight container if you don't plan on drinking it all within two days.

Refrigerate in a Small Airtight Container: The secret to making sangria last longer is to prevent air exposure. First, scoop out fruit pieces that go limp and mushy like apple, melon cubes and citrus fruits.