Sorbete de Vino Tinto (Red Wine Sorbet)

A recipe for Sorbete de Vino Tinto (Red Wine Sorbet)! Red wine is paired with a cinnamon and orange-infused syrup for quite the elegant frozen dessert.

Disclaimer: This recipe uses raw egg whites. Use only pasteurized or an egg source you trust. Consuming raw eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness.

This recipe also contains alcohol. It is intended only for those over the age of 21 (in the United States). Please drink responsibly.

I originally shared a recipe for Sorbete de la Rioja (Rioja Wine Sorbet) back in January 2016 while featuring the book, Culinaria Spain: A Celebration of Food and Tradition.

Unfortunately, the book is no longer in print. Today, I am updating the post with a couple of slight adjustments and new photos.

This no-churn Sorbete de Vino Tinto (Red Wine Sorbet) is an elegant and aromatic option perfect for both hot summer days and as a winter dessert during holiday celebrations. The addition of the cinnamon and orange in the syrup creates a warming, almost mulled wine-like flavor.

It takes some time to develop, but the sorbet requires no special tools and most of the time is hands off. Start by simmering together sugar, water, and a cinnamon stick to make the cinnamon simple syrup.

Once cooled, add the red wine and orange zest, then fold in beaten egg whites. Transfer the mixture to a freezer safe container (do not use non-stick or anything that may be damaged when scraping with a fork) and place in the freezer. Whisk/scrape every hour to form a fluffy, slush-like texture.

Store the Sorbete de Vino Tinto in the freezer for up to two weeks, though one week is ideal before excess crystals start forming.

A Few Sorbete de Vino Tinto (Red Wine Sorbet) Tips

Use a smooth red wine for the Sorbete de Vino Tinto. For these photos, I went with a cup (240 milliliters) of Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva 2019 from La Rioja in Northern Spain. This dry red blend has notes of dark fruit, vanilla, and clove that pair wonderfully with the cinnamon orange syrup.

The exact color of the sorbet may vary based on the wine.

Egg whites are folded in to help stabilize the mixture and promote a light and fluffy texture. If using pasteurized egg whites, you may need to add a splash of lemon juice (slowly add after they are foamy) to get them to whip into soft peaks.

I served the red wine sorbet on its own in chilled glasses garnished with fresh mint leaves and orange peel. Culinaria Spain also recommends pairing the sorbet with chilled Cava (Spanish sparkling wine) in a tall glass.

Chill the serving bowls/glasses in the freezer for a few minutes before using to keep the sorbet from melting too quickly.

Looking for more red wine-based recipes?

Try my:

• Spaghetti All’Ubriaco (Tuscan Drunken Spaghetti)
• Short Rib Ragu
• Red Wine Chocolate Cake

This recipe was originally posted in January 2016 and updated in September 2026.

Sorbete de Vino Tinto (Red Wine Sorbet) Recipe

Adapted from Culinaria Spain: A Celebration of Food and Tradition

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Sorbete de Vino Tinto (Red Wine Sorbet)

A recipe for Sorbete de Vino Tinto (Red Wine Sorbet)! Red wine is paired with a cinnamon and orange-infused syrup for quite the elegant frozen dessert.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Spanish

Keyword cinnamon, dessert, frozen, orange, red wine, Rioja, sorbet, wine

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 5 hours hours

Total Time 5 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 -6 Servings

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (180 milliliters) water
• 1 medium cinnamon stick
• 1 cup (240 milliliters) red wine such as Rioja
• zest of 1 orange plus orange peel strips for garnish
• 2 large egg whites
• fresh mint leaves for garnish

Instructions

• In a small saucepan, bring the sugar, water, and cinnamon stick to a boil.
• Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Remove the saucepan from heat, discard the cinnamon stick, and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature.
• Place the red wine and orange zest in a large, freezer-safe bowl (not nonstick). Whisk in the cooled syrup.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or another large bowl, beat the egg whites just until soft peaks form.
• Fold the beaten egg whites into the red wine until evenly blended.
• Cover the bowl with freezer-safe plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer.
• Every hour for four hours (four times), remove the bowl from the freezer and whisk to break up and blend back together the mixture, especially along the bottom and sides of the bowl. Return the bowl to the freezer.
• Allow the mixture to continue to freeze for another hour to overnight.
• Before serving, use a fork to stir and blend the mixture again to create a light and fluffy texture.
• Serve immediately from the freezer in chilled dessert bowls, with an orange peel strip and fresh mint leaves to garnish.