Red Wine Autumn Sangria

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Soon we will be entering a new season, and I bet you’re looking for a crowd pleasing beverage that incorporates all the hints of Autumn. Crisp apples, tangy oranges, sweet berries and a pinch of cinnamon spice, this Autumn sangria recipe is made to delight your taste buds while enjoyed during cozy fall gatherings.

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An easy harvest sangria recipe with red wine and Autumn fruits is one of my favorite adult beverages to enjoy! Perfectly festive, this fruity red sangria is THE DRINK to enjoy while welcoming Autumn. With layers of sweet and tangy flavors, sangria can be enjoyed with many dishes, as it pairs wonderfully with so many meals. Basically, it’s wine taken to the next level. Even your friends that are not so found of wine will enjoy it, since sangria tends to take on a taste of its own. For a few years now, I’ve made this sangria recipe for Thanksgiving and it has always been a hit!

How To Make Sangria with Red Wine and Sprite:

Most sangria recipes can be prepared the day before or day of when needed for serving, making it a great cocktail of choice to be able to prep ahead of time. Several pitchers of sangria can be made-up and stored in the refrigerator, allowing you to easily replenish empty pitchers with filled ones as needed to keep the fun and sangria flowing!

Sangria Ingredients:

The best fruits to use in an Autumn sangria:

• Berries: Fresh or frozen berries can be used in sangria. A mixed bag of frozen berries can be readily found in your local grocery store frozen food aisle, or you can choose a combination of fresh berries to your liking. From blueberries, strawberries to even cherries or pomegranate, add in your favorite flavors.
• Apples: Go-to apples for sangria include Granny Smith and Honey Crisp, but feel-free to use what you have on hand or any type that is available to you.
• Orange: A fresh orange is best to ensure enough juices are released to infuse and meld with the other ingredients.

The most common wine for Autumn sangria:

• Dry Wine: Use a dry wine to make a more traditional Spanish style sangria, such as Merlot, Cabernet Flanc or Malbec. Avoid sweeter wines since the wine will be mixed with sweet fruits and soda, you will want to prevent the sangria from becoming overly sweet.

Other ingredients:

• Sprite: The Sprite will balance the dry wine and bring a bit of sweetness to the sangria.
• Ground Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon will be included in the sangria to give it the Autumn spice that we are after. It can also be used in a sugar and cinnamon mixture to apply to the rim of the wine glasses.

How to Make Red Wine Autumn Sangria:

• Add the apple slices, orange slices, berries and ground cinnamon to a pitcher.
• Fill the pitcher halfway with red wine, then finish filling the pitcher with Sprite. Lightly stir to combine all the ingredients together.
• Place the pitcher in the refrigerator and allow to chill for 4 to 24 hours prior to serving.

How To Serve Sangria:

The great thing about sangria is that you can make a large batch of it for a party or gathering. Below are some tips on how to serve and garnish the sangria:

• Pour and Serve: If you are a hostess that enjoys making up drinks, place ice in wine glasses. Pour Sangria over the ice and garnish the drink with a few apple slices, an orange slice and berries.
• Sangria Station: For a self-serving sangria station, set out a full pitcher or beverage dispenser, an ice bucket and drinkware for guests to easily access. A separate bowl of sliced oranges, fresh berries and cinnamon sticks can be added to the station for guests to add garnishes if they wish. Keep an eye on the station to ensure everything is well stocked and tidy.

How To Add a Sugar & Cinnamon Rim:

Jazzing up the sangria glasses with a sugar-cinnamon rim is easy, and adds even more sweetness and flavor to the cocktail. Here’s how you do it:

• In a small bowl, mix together equal parts white granulated sugar, brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Then, use the inner part of an orange end to wet the rim of the wine glass.
• Press the top of the wine glass into the sugar and cinnamon mixture. After a few minutes, the sugar and cinnamon will dry and harden on the wine glass rim.

Once the sugar-cinnamon rim is set, you can easily pour yourself a glass of sangria and garnish as desired. Enjoy!

Autumn Sangria Variations:

One thing I noticed about sangria, is that everyone makes it a bit differently. Sangria recipes can range from very fruity and sweet, almost tasting more like a fruit punch, to the less sweet authentic Spanish style sangria:

• Wine and Liquor: If you prefer a white wine or sweeter wine, the dry red wine can be switched out for something more to your tasting. The amount of wine in the sangria can also be reduced to include brandy or vodka.
• Juice and Sodas: Sprite can be easily replaced with club soda or ginger ale. To add extra sweetness, include apple juice or apple cider in the sangria.
• Fruits and Spices: The fruit and spice variations are endless when it comes to sangria. Each time you mix up a pitcher of sangria you can make it a bit different by incorporating various fruits such as blackberries, peaches and pears, as well as spices, such as clover and star anise.

Red Sangria Food Pairings:

Now that you know how to make a fall-forward beverage for your guest, you may be looking for some food pairings that go well with sangria. Luckily, red sangria pairs well with a variety of foods, especially those that complement its fruity and spiced flavors.

• Cheese Platters and Charcuterie: A selection of cheeses like aged cheddar, Gouda and brie combined with cured meats, such as prosciutto and salami are wonderful savory companions to the fruity flavors of sangria.
• Fall Inspired Appetizers: There are so many wonderful appetizers out there that capture the wonderful flavors of fall. A few that come to mind are fancy pigs in a blanket, a pear-pecan cheeseball or a bacon apple brie crostini.
• Harvest Salads: A big salad that includes apples, pears, dried cranberries, pecans, blue cheese and a tangy vinaigrette.
• Desserts and Sweets: Include some sweets that also incorporate Autumn fruits and spices, such as an apple crisp, pear tarts and cinnamon muffins.

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