This drink is special enough for a party (scale it up for a crowd), or special enough to make 2 for a date night at home. I actually like this sangria hot or cold! If you’re making it warm, leave off the optional sparkling wine floater at the end. I first had sangria when I lived outside Napa in graduate school. I love fruity cocktails, and I love wine, so I wasn’t even shocked at how much I loved fresh pieces of fruit in my wine!
How to Make Fall Sangria
This Fall sangria utilizes a handful of fresh figs, and it’s preferred if they’re approaching the over-ripe stage. We’ll also be calling on a strip of orange zest, and a few spices from the cabinet to bring the autumn vibe.
The best type of red wine to use for sangria is a light, not full-bodied red wine. Pinot Noir is dry with notes of berries and warm spices. This is why it goes so well in this autumn sangria drink! A great way to finish the cocktail is with a splash of a dry sparkling wine, like Brut Rosé. This is what I do when I’m serving it for a crowd. But at home, just for my husband and myself, it’s great without it.
The Ingredients
Light Red Wine. A dry fruity red wine, like Pinot Noir is the best thing to use in a fruity Fall sangria. Orange Liquor. Anything from the fanciest Cointreau to regular orange liquor that you use to make margaritas. Orange. We just need the zest of a fresh orange. Use a vegetable peeler to make two 3-inch strips of zest from a washed and well-scrubbed orange. Ground Cinnamon. Ground Ginger. Dried ground ginger brings an earthiness and warm spice flavor to this drink. I love it so much. Fresh Figs. While my homemade fig newtons call for dried figs, this sangria is what I make when I have a surplus of fresh figs. It uses up 8 whole figs, which is about half a pint from the farmer’s market. I prefer Mission or Kadota figs, but if you have a fig tree, use whatever you have! Sparkling Wine. This is an optional floater. If you decided to use it, try a Brut Rosé.
The Directions
Other red wine cocktails you might like:
New York Sour Hibiscus Sangria Sangria Easy Recipe (made right in the glass!)
Wine: A dry (not sweet) fruity red wine, like Pinot Noir is the best thing to use here.Orange Liquor.: Either Cointreau to regular orange liquor.Fresh Figs: I prefer Mission or Kadota figs, but if you have a fig tree, use whatever you have!Sparkling Wine: This is an optional topping, if you’re serving it cold. If you decided to use it, try a Brut Rosé. If you’re serving this warm, omit.
60 Ounce Glass Pitcher with Lid
