The word sangria means summer. Memories of evenings with your friends drinking an entire pitcher (in one sitting). But sangria doesn't have to only be enjoyed during summer months. This winter holiday sangria made with cranberries, apples, fresh rosemary and anise pods puts a holiday twist on a summer classic. This is another delicious drink to add to your holiday cocktail lineup!
Picking the ingredients for this sangria was challenging. I wanted a drink that would bring new memories of Christmas parties and winter. But also seasonal flavors like pears, pomegranates, cinnamon and cloves don't pair well together. So I stared with the base.
Ingredients in Winter Holiday Sangria
- Pinot Grigio
- Chardonnay
- Gingerale
- White cranberry juice (I chose white for the pretty pink color)
- Cranberries
- Pomegranate
- Granny Smith Apple
- Sprigs of rosemary
- Star anise pods
I prefer white wine over red, so I chose to make this sangria using Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay. Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay both have dry bodies with notes of citrus and pear. So, for the fruits I decided to use cranberries, pomegranate seeds and sweet apples which would blend in nicely with the citrus flavor in the wines. The rosemary and star anise pods are used to bring out the holiday seasonings making this sangria a winter cocktail.
Making Sangria
To make the sangria, simply combine all the ingredients into a pitcher and stir. Allow your sangria to sit anywhere from 3 hours to 12 hours. Serve your sangria with sugar frosted cranberries. Tthey totally suit this drink.
How to make sugar frosted cranberries
To make sugar frosted cranberries, combine white sugar and water in a sauce pan and allow to simmer. Add in cranberries and stir to coat them in the syrup. Only allow them to be on the heat for about 2 minutes. Any longer and the cranberries will melt. Remove the cranberries from the syrup and allow them to dry. Once dry, coat them in white sugar. Stick a few cranberries on a tooth pick to garnish your drink.
Winter Holiday Sangria
Ingredients
Sangria Ingredients
- ½ bottle Pinot Grigio
- ½ bottle Chardonnay
- ¾ cup Gingerale
- ¾ cup white cranberry juice
- 1 cup cranberries
- 1 pomegranate seeds only
- 1 Granny Smith Apple
- 3 sprigs of rosemary
- 5 star anise pods
Sugar Frosted Cranberries
- 1 cup cranberries
- 1 cup white sugar ¼ divided out
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
Make the sangria
- Combine all the ingredients above into a pitcher and stir.
- Let sangria sit from 3 hours to 12 hours.
Making the sugar frosted cranberries
- Combine ¼ cup of white sugar and ¼ cup of water in a sauce pan and allow to simmer.
- Add in 1 cup of cranberries and stir them continuously to coat them in the sugary syrup.
- Remove the cranberries from the syrup and allow them to dry.
- Once dry, coat them in a bowl of white sugar.
- Stick a few cranberries on a tooth pick to garnish your drink.