Charcuterie

• Sangria pairs well with all sorts of cured meat, particularly those from Spain. Try serving it with think slices of serrano ham or chunks of Spanish-style dry chorizo on toothpicks. You can also serve it with Italian-style charcuterie such as prosciutto or dry salami.

Carne Asada

• Mexico is well acquainted with sangria, and Mexican food makes a good match with this fruity wine punch. Red wine and beef are a classic pairing, so sangria and carne asada -- marinated beef that has been grilled and thinly sliced -- are a natural match. Serve the carne asada on its own or as a stuffing for tacos. You could also serve beef fajitas with a pitcher of sangria.

Chicken

• The sweetness of sangria complements the smoky notes that a backyard grill imparts to just about any food, but especially chicken. Chicken also plays well with sweet and tangy sauces, from sticky teriyaki and fruit glazes to a classic barbecue sauce -- and sangria complements those flavor notes to a tee. So serve up those pitchers of sangria with chicken skewers, barbecued chicken parts or even beer can chicken cooked on the grill.

Meatballs

• In Spain, sangria is served alongside tapas, those "small plates" of bite-size appetizer-style foods. Small meatballs made of beef, lamb or pork -- or sometimes a combination -- and finished with a tomato sauce make for a classic tapas plate. The sweetness of the sangria plays surprisingly well with the tomato and the red wine complements the meaty notes. Plus, meatballs served as finger food maintain the fun, festive and casual atmosphere that sangria is best suited for.