[7] Sangria has its historical roots in the Kingdom of León during the Middle Ages, where the precursor beverage, Leonese lemonade, originated.

Wine lemonade has endured as a popular beverage in the region of Castile and León in Spain, gaining prominence in consumption, particularly during Holy Week.

Sangaree, a predecessor drink to sangria that was served either hot or cold, probably originated in the Caribbean (West Indies),[10][11] and from there was introduced to mainland America, where it was common beginning in the American colonial era but had "largely disappeared in the United States" by the early twentieth century.

[10] Hispanic Americans and Spanish restaurants had re-introduced sangria to the U.S. as an iced drink by the late 1940s,[10] and it gained greater popularity through the 1964 World's Fair in New York.

[18][19] For sangria blanca, American food writer Penelope Casas recommends dry white wines such as a Rueda, Jumilla, or Valdepeñas.

The European Parliament approved new labeling laws by a wide margin in January 2014, protecting indications for aromatized drinks, including sangria, Vermouth and Glühwein.