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a glass of red wine sangria with cinnamon sugar rim, fresh fruit, and cinnamon sticks

Winter Sangria

5 from 4 votes
This red winter sangria is a festive addition to any meal. It's mixed with apple, oranges, cinnamon and brandy for a citrus-spiced flavor to help you celebrate the season.
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Prep Time15 minutes
Chill Time:2 hours
Total Time2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4 glasses
Author: Molly Thompson

INGREDIENTS

Red Winter Sangria

  • 1 bottle semi-dry red wine (I like Spanish Red Wine) (Note 1)
  • 1/2 cup apple brandy
  • 1/3 cup Grand Marnier or other orange liquor
  • 2 tablespoons agave, maple syrup or simple syrup
  • 1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (about 3 oranges)
  • 1 apples cored and sliced
  • 2 pears sliced
  • 1 orange, sliced with the peel
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
  • 6-7 cinnamon sticks
  • 1-2 whole star anise
  • 2 sprigs rosemary plus more to garnish
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
  • Ginger Ale, soda water or ginger beer to top

Cinnamon Sugar Rim

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Place all of the ingredients, except for the soda water or ginger ale, in a large pitcher and stir to combine.
  • Store in the fridge for 1-2 hours. The longer it sits, the more flavor it will have, but don’t let it sit longer than 24 hours.
  • If you’re making a sugar rim, add all of the ingredients to a shallow plate and mix well. Rim each glass with an orange to wet the sides then dip it in the spice mixture.
  • When you’re ready to serve, fill the rimmed glasses with ice and pour the sangria in 3/4 of the way full. Top with ginger ale or soda water and garnish with soaked fruit, extra cinnamon sticks or rosemary.

Recipe Equipment

Wine Glasses or Mason Jar
Large Pitcher or Punch Bowl

Notes

Note 1. Red Wine. There's no need to break the bank here. Your favorite red wine will do. I personally like Spanish red wine for sangria. The best option is a Garnacha or Tempranillo because it's somewhat fruity and is low in tannins (bitterness). You can find this type of wine at any grocery store and it's usually in the $10 range. Check out this great post for other red wine options. 
Note 2. Apple Brandy. You don't have to purchase an entire bottle if you don't have this on hand, but it is delicious. You can use regular brandy or apple cider as alternatives.
White Sangria: swap the red wine for your favorite dry white wine, like sauvignon blanc. 
Warm Winter Sangria: Add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on high for 1 hour. Do not go over or the fruit and orange rinds will start to taste bitter. When the hour is up, turn the heat to “warm” and serve with fresh fruit and cinnamon sticks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1glass | Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 22.3g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 23mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 20.1g
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