Sherry seems a bit dry to replace brandy. Do you have anything a bit sweeter to add?

Thanks, Rita! No, sherry is all I have in the house. It seems really sweet to me, but I am a dry wine drinker so I really notice sweetness. Most recipes call for adding sugar or simple syrup.

Maybe I've only had super dry sherry. If it's sweetish is see no reason not to use it. Sounds like a lovely get together at your friend's house.

I've added not dry sherry to my shopping list, thanks :-)

I make sangria a lot in the summer, by the glass and in larger amounts when we have people over, and I've found sangria is very forgiving, I've used bourbon, ginger brandy, cognac, rum and no added liquor in the past. I think using sweet sherry (sounds like yours is sweet, but dry would work as well) will be fine. IMO it's most important to muddle the fruit well, use simple syrup (instead of granulated sugar) and use good, fresh juices, I like a combo of lime and grapefruit with both red and white sangria, but orange, cranberry, cherry and pomegranate all work well too, but always with the lime juice. I usually make it up, put it in the fridge for the day, chill a bottle of seltzer and add that at the last minute. It's not sangria weather here in the frozen north, so I'm envious.

I always use vodka. If you have vodka, try searching "sangria vodka" there are lots of recipes for this combo.

There is sweet sherry, I use it in my strawberry preserves. It might be OK, I've not tried it with sangria. Something like Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry. As for the "sweet" part, I use natural 7-Up since the ingredients are sugar and lemon lime flavor and soda, which is what you get in the traditional sangria with cut up lemons and limes and soda water and simple syrup. 7-Up and done is my motto. I use cointreau or triple sec for the hard liquor part but you don't even really need that. I've also used peach brandy and maybe a few of the flavored vodkas might work but I am not usually a fan of those. And if you don't like too much sweet, you can use just plain flavored zero calorie soda water in lemon and lime instead of the sweeteners. I have done that too. Depends also on how sweet your wine is. There is balance and I prefer sangria slightly less sweet than most people but also more fruity.

Brilliant substitution for simple syrup, Pink. I am stealing that one for sure.

Thank you, all! I’m going to try it with the sherry I have on hand. I also have seltzer in several fruit flavors so may try that, too. If I don’t like it I’ll just take a bottle of red wine. :)

Donna

I just don’t add any hard alcohol at all. That way I can drink a lot more of it. Lol. (And I often use premise sparkling lemonade, much as the 7up described above)

Yes use the more expensive soda pop or flavored soda made with real sugar and natural flavorings. That's the key to using it as a substitute for sugar syrup and real fruit juice. I spend my time and money on real fruit to cut up and add. I have also served hard liqueurs on the side so folks can adjust to their taste and drinking level.

I've used triple sec.

Try using San Pelligrino fruit soda. I use their lemon soda to make my favorite Spanish summer wine drink - Tinto de Verano, which is just half red wine and half lemon soda over ice. You can add sliced fruit for garnish if you like. I like that it has less alcohol than sangria. To make it look a little more "fancy" you can pour I'm the soda before the wine for a layered effect. Serve with a stir straw so that it can be mixed.

Thanks for all the suggestions! We didn’t go for dinner after all - my friend was sick! :(.

I made my sangria with about 1-1/2 bottles of Cabernet, about 3/4 cup medium dry sherry (according to the label), a couple tablespoons of brown sugar, and a large navel orange and an apple. It is not very sweet at all, but I like it alright. And I’m the only one drinking it, so that’s okay. :)

Donna

If you want something quick, easy, and refreshing this summer here is a suggestion I once read on Eddie Ross' blog - Fresca and wine! Eddie used white wine; I use red.

Sorry your party was cancelled = (

I like to make my own version of sangria w/o any added sugar or added spirits. I just use about 1/2 wine and 1/2 fruit juices like pomegranate, cherry, grape, orange, along w/ cut up fresh fruits like oranges and berries. I have been known to spike it w/ a little vodka, though.

I guess that would more appropriately be called a wine punch, but I call it sangria.

Mmmm, more sangria for you!

I agree that Sangria is very forgiving. I've made it with brandy, cherry brandy, and /or Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur. I actually just had an interesting sangria Saturday evening in Montreal, made with Strawberry Fruli (Belgian wheat beer) and wine. I was a bit skeptical but it was actually really good! I don't think I've ever met a sangria I didn't like..... ;)