Red wine sangria originated in Spain and was introduced to Americans at the 1964 World’s Fair. Sangria is a refreshing cocktail that can be purchased or made at home. The sweet wine concoction is made with various ingredients including dry red wine, lemon, orange, sugar, brandy and club soda. Exotic versions of sangria can be made using apples, blueberries, blackberries, limes, ginger ale and Sprite.

Sangria pairings

Red wine sangria is a versatile wine; one of the benefits of serving sangria is the wine recipe can be adjusted for the meal. Red wine sangria complements cheese such as Pepperjack, Manchego and Roncal. In addition, this wine accents the flavors of fried shrimp, meatballs and calamari. In Spain, red sangria is served with paella, a seafood, aromatic rice and vegetable dish.

Calories

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The wide array of ingredients directly affects the nutritional content of red wine sangria. Preparing traditional sangria with red wine, oranges, lemons and brandy or purchasing bottled sangria assists in calculating the nutritional values. The serving size for red wine sangria is 8 fluid ounces. A glass of berry sangria at Olive Garden contains 230 calories; this constitutes approximately 11 percent of the USDA recommended daily caloric intake of 2,000 calories per day.

Carbohydrates, Protein and Fat

An 8-ounce glass of berry sangria contains 35 grams of carbohydrate. There are 4 calories per gram of carbohydrate; therefore 140 out of the total 230 calories are derived from carbohydrates in the form of sugar. Sixty-one percent of the calories in one glass of red wine sangria come from simple carbohydrates. Red wine sangria does not contain any fat or protein. Typically wine, beer and liquor based cocktails are fat-free and are not a source of protein.

Alcohol Content

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There are 13 grams of alcohol in an 8-ounce glass of sangria. Alcohol provides 7 calories per gram; 91 calories -- approximately 40 percent of calories -- are derived from the alcohol in sangria. It is important to note, however, the alcohol content can increase or decrease depending on the amount of red wine and the type of liquor used in the recipe.