The Best 5 Dry Red Wines for Sangria

Dry red wines are the essential base for a classic sangria. They provide bold flavor without overwhelming sweetness when mixed with fruit, brandy, and a touch of sugar. Below are five top picks of dry red wines for sangria, each with a unique origin, flavor profile, and reason it’s great for this cocktail.

1. Porta 6 Tinto – Easy-Drinking Dry Red Wine from Portugal

Porta 6 Tinto is a popular Portuguese dry red wines from the Lisbon region. It’s a blend of native grapes (such as Castelão and Touriga Nacional). This blend yields a smooth, medium-bodied red bursting with ripe berry flavors. The wine has soft tannins and a mellow finish, so it won’t overpower the fruit in your sangria. Why it’s good for sangria: Porta 6’s juicy berry notes and low tannins make it ideal for sangria. It blends harmoniously with citrus and other fruits. Plus, it’s budget-friendly, letting you serve a crowd without breaking the bank.

2. Esporão Monte Velho Tinto – Smooth Portuguese Dry Red Wine (Alentejo)

Monte Velho Tinto comes from Alentejo, a region famous for Portuguese red wine that’s both rich and easy-drinking. Monte Velho is produced by the renowned Esporão winery – one of Portugal’s best red wine brands. It offers vibrant red fruit aromas with a hint of spice, and a smooth, balanced palate with gentle tannins. Why it’s good for sangria: Monte Velho’s fruit-forward profile and subtle spice notes add depth to sangria. Its balanced acidity and smooth tannins give your sangria structure without bitterness. This versatile red complements the sweetness of sangria’s fruit and makes a reliable sangria base.

3. Periquita Tinto – Historic Dry Red Wine from Portugal’s Setúbal

Periquita Tinto is a dry red wine from Portugal’s Setúbal Peninsula. It’s produced by José Maria da Fonseca, a historic Portuguese winery. It’s a blend of Castelão, Trincadeira and Aragonez grapes. Periquita is medium-bodied with soft tannins, low acidity, and abundant red fruit flavors like raspberry and plum. You might catch subtle notes of vanilla from a bit of oak aging. Why it’s good for sangria: Thanks to its fruity palate and smooth tannins, Periquita mixes beautifully with sangria ingredients. This wine’s easy-going nature lets the fresh fruit and a splash of brandy or cinnamon in your sangria shine. Periquita is often recommended as one of the best red wine brands for sangria, thanks to its consistent flavor.

4. Antaño La Rioja Red – Classic Spanish Dry Red Wine (Rioja)

Antaño La Rioja Red is an approachable Spanish red wine made from Tempranillo grapes in the famed Rioja region. As a joven style Rioja, it sees little to no oak, focusing on fresh fruit character. It pours a deep ruby color with purple highlights. You’ll notice clean aromas of wild red berries and delicate floral notes. On the palate it’s medium-bodied, fruity, and well-structured with mild tannins. Why it’s good for sangria: This wine’s vibrant berry flavors and moderate 13.5% ABV make it a perfect red wine for sangria. The mild tannins and hint of spice in Antaño Rioja won’t overwhelm your drink; instead, they complement sangria’s traditional citrus and cinnamon. For an authentic touch, you can’t go wrong with a Rioja – the classic Spanish red wine base for sangria.

5. Pata Negra Organic Red – Fruity Organic Dry Red Wine (Jumilla, Spain)

Pata Negra Organic Red (also called “Apasionado Ecológico”) is a Spanish dry red wine from Jumilla. It’s made from organic Monastrell grapes. It shows an intense dark-cherry hue and ripe aromas of cherry and plum. This wine is medium-bodied and very fruit-forward. It delivers an “explosion of fruit” on the palate, with silky, soft tannins. Why it’s good for sangria: Monastrell-based wines like Pata Negra add deep berry flavor without excessive heaviness. Its low alcohol and smooth tannins mean your sangria will be refreshing, not overly boozy. The pure fruit expression of this wine blends seamlessly with the fruits in your sangria.

Each of these dry red wines brings something special to a sangria. From Portuguese red wines to classic Spanish red wines, they’re all flavorful yet budget-friendly picks. Feel free to experiment with these bottles in your next batch of sangria. You’ll taste the difference that a good dry red wine makes!