This blog post was originally posted on May 13, 2015 and was updated on September 8, 2020.

Using cava rather than the traditional red wine for sangria is a twist on this classic recipe that you didn’t know you needed.

Sangria is one of the most sought-after drinks among visitors to Spain. But what many people don’t know is that we locals don’t usually drink it out at bars—instead, it’s best when served at a party at home. And what better way to up the festive ante than with this cava sangria recipe?

Cava: Spain’s favorite sparkling wine

While it used to be brushed off as Spain’s less-expensive answer to Champagne, cava has held strong and made a name for itself in the wine world in recent years. Most of it is produced in Catalonia, making it genuinely local to Barcelona.

What’s especially nice about cava is its versatility. Here in Barcelona, locals are just as likely to sip on a crisp glass for breakfast (yes, morning sparkling wine is indeed a thing!) as they are to clink flutes of it in celebration.

The same can be said for this recipe. It’s festive enough to serve on a special occasion, but down-to-earth in a way that makes it perfect for upgrading an at-home pizza night or casual backyard barbecue.

For this sangria de cava recipe, you’ll want to go with a brut, or dry, cava. The great thing about this recipe is that you can adjust the sweetness to your taste, so if you’d like, you can always add sugar later on.

This cava sangria recipe replaces the red wine that gives sangria its name (it comes from the same root as the Spanish word for blood, sangre) with cava for an especially refreshing twist. With the addition of some fresh fruit juices and summery orange liqueur, it’s a perfect treat for those hot summer days and warm nights in Spain.

There are plenty of ways to make sangria de cava, so don’t feel like you need to follow the instructions closely. You’re welcome to adjust the sugar content as we mentioned above, or any of the other ingredients to your taste. Just make sure to drink it ice cold to enjoy it at its best!

Sangria de cava recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 bottle of brut cava
• 1 ²⁄3 cups (0.4 liters) freshly squeezed orange juice
• Scant ¹⁄2 cup (0.1 liters) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Orange liqueur to taste (Cointreau or Grand Mariner, for example)
• Fruit for garnish (oranges, apples, strawberries, peach, kiwi…)
• Ice
• 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. Let all the ingredients chill in the refrigerator until cold.
2. In a glass pitcher, mix the orange juice, lemon juice, and orange liqueur.
3. Add sugar if you prefer a sweeter drink.
4. Peel and chop the fruit and add it to the pitcher.
5. Slowly pour the cava over the mixture in the pitcher.
6. Serve over ice. Enjoy!