Fall Sangria

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Cocktail History

The Fall Sangria is a Novel Nightcaps original cocktail that was created in 2023 as an autumn-inspired version of the popular wine and fruit-based batch drink. Most variations call for either fruits, citrus, or baking spices, but this one blends them all together to create an autumnal, fruity wine concoction that’s a delicious, tart, and a perfect fit for fall gatherings.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Red Wine: This is a type of wine made with red grapes and yeast, which are fermented with the grape skins to produce alcohol with a rich color and deep flavor.

Apple Cider: This is a beverage made with fresh-pressed apple juice that’s typically unfiltered to produce a sweet, slightly tangy fruit flavor.

Apple Brandy: This is a type of brandy made with fermented apple juice and yeast, which is distilled and aged to develop a smooth, fruity flavor.

Apple: This is a type of fruit grown on apple trees that has smooth red, green, or yellow skin and a mild, sweet to tart flavor.

Bartlett Pear: This is a type of fruit grown on pear trees that has thin, yellow-green skin and a sweet, tangy flavor.

Orange: This is a citrus with orange skin and juicy, sweet flesh.

Cranberries: This is a type of berry grown on low shrubs that has bright pink skin and tart, slightly bitter flavor.

White Sugar: This is a sweetener made with refined sugar that has a soft, fine texture and clean, sweet flavor.

Ground Cinnamon: This is a spice made from finely ground cinnamon bark that has a warm, sweet-spicy flavor.

Whole Cloves: This is a spice made from the flower buds from the clove tree, which are dried for their strong, slightly sweet-spicy flavor.

Cinnamon Stick: This is a spice made from dried and rolled bark of the cinnamon tree that has a warm, sweet-spicy flavor.

Rosemary: This is an aromatic evergreen herb with needle-like leaves and a robust, piney, and slightly peppery flavor.

Brands I Used

• 🔗 La Riojana Co-op Malbec
• 🔗 The Glass Orchard Apple Cider
• 🔗 Laird’s Straight Apple Brandy Bottled In Bond
• 🔗 C&H Premium Pure Cane Granulated Sugar
• 🔗 Simply Organic Ground Cinnamon
• 🔗 Simply Organic Whole Cloves
• 🔗 Simply Organic Cinnamon Sticks

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Bar Mat: This is a rubber or silicone mat that’s placed on the bar surface and used for catching spills, providing grip for glasses and tools, and keeping the workspace clean and organized.

Jigger: This is a small double-sided tool with different volume measurements on each side that’s used for accurately portioning ingredients.

Cutting Board: This is a flat, durable kitchen surface made from materials like wood or plastic that’s used for slicing ingredients and preparing garnishes.

Chef’s Knife: This is a large kitchen knife with a broad, sharp blade that’s used for chopping and slicing ingredients.

Paring Knife: This is a small kitchen knife with a narrow, sharp blade that’s used for peeling fruit and trimming garnishes.

Apple Corer: This is a handheld kitchen tool with circular blades and a center coring ring that’s used for coring and slicing apples into uniform wedges.

Pitcher: This is a large container with a handle and spout that’s used for mixing, holding, and pouring batch cocktails and punches.

Muddler: This is a handheld bar tool with a thick handle and flat or textured end that’s used for crushing ingredients to release their flavors.

Spoon: This is a kitchen utensil with a rounded bowl and long handle that’s used for mixing ingredients.

Bar Spoon: This is a long-handled spoon with a twisted shaft that’s used for stirring cocktails, layering ingredients, and reaching the bottom of tall glasses and mixing vessels.

Stemless Wine Glass: This is a stemless glass with a rounded bowl and flat base that’s used for serving wine and cocktails in a casual, easy-to-hold style.

Tools I Used

• 🔗 A Bar Above 18×12 Premium Bar Mat
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Japanese Jigger
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Cutting Board Set
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips Apple Corer, Slicer, & Divider
• 🔗 Libbey 60 oz Glass Pitcher
• 🔗 OXO Steel Cocktail Muddler
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips Silicone Spoon
• 🔗 Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Deep red and purple color

• Aroma: Fruit and baking spices

• Taste: Harmonious blend of red wine’s deep berry flavors, the sweetness of apple cider, and the warmth of fall spices complemented by the brightness of fresh pears and oranges

• Finish: More tangy red wine with lingering spices

Kendall’s Take
“It had been years since I last made sangria before I whipped up this batch, so revisiting it through a fall lens felt both nostalgic and experimental. Red wine and apple cider aren’t usually seen paired, but the apple brandy does a lot of heavy lifting, adding warmth and cohesion to the mix. I went with a pretty dry red wine and suspect a slightly sweeter red would round things out even more for a crowd. I’d say the Fall Sangria is easygoing, fruit-forward like you’d expect, and built for refills.”

Recipe