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Bloody Eyeball Sangria

This dark, moody sangria steeps Cabernet Sauvignon with tart cherry juice, brandy, and a mix of blackberries, blueberries, and black grapes until deeply infused and richly flavored. Topped with creepy lychee eyeball garnishes drizzled in cherry syrup, it’s the perfect Halloween cocktail that looks terrifyingly good and tastes even better!
Prep Time10 minutes
Chill time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 10 minutes
Course: Cocktails, Drinks, halloween, holiday
Cuisine: Fusion, Spanish-inspired
Keyword: batch cocktails, berries, cabernet sauvignon, cocktails, halloween, lychee, party, red wine, sangria, spooky
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Sangria:

  • 1 bottle Cabernet Sauvignon or favorite dry red wine
  • 1 cup tart cherry juice
  • ¼ cup brandy or bourbon
  • 1 cup blackberries
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup black grapes
  • 2 large cinnamon sticks
  • 1 –3 tbsp agave to taste

For the Lychee Eyeball Garnish:

  • 4 canned lychees drained
  • 4 blueberries
  • 4 long toothpicks
  • Canned cherry syrup for drizzling
  • Fresh thyme sprigs

Instructions

  • Add the wine, cherry juice, brandy or bourbon, blackberries, blueberries, black grapes, cinnamon sticks, and agave to a large pitcher and stir to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness with more agave if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours — overnight gives the most deeply developed and completely flavorful sangria as the fruit and cinnamon have more time to infuse into the wine.
  • Just before serving make the lychee eyeballs. Press one blueberry into the center pocket of each lychee so it sits snugly and looks like a pupil inside an eyeball. Thread each stuffed lychee onto a long toothpick and drizzle a little cherry syrup over the top so it runs down the sides like blood.
  • Serve the sangria over ice and garnish each glass with a lychee eyeball balanced on the rim and a fresh thyme sprig. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Overnight chilling makes a huge difference, the fruit breaks down and releases its juices into the wine, which deepens the flavor far beyond a quick 4-hour soak.
  • Use a dry Cabernet Sauvignon rather than a sweet one. The cherry juice and agave add enough sweetness, and a dry red keeps the sangria balanced and not cloying.
  • Make the lychee eyeballs right before serving so the cherry syrup drizzle stays wet and looks freshly bloody rather than drying and crusting over.
  • Don’t skip the cinnamon sticks, they add a warm, spiced undertone that ties the dark fruit flavors together and makes this feel like a fall drink rather than a summer one.