With temperatures dropping it's time to bring on the warm cocktails. I love sangria but decided I needed to change up my go-to recipe a little. This delicious warm Red Sangria is perfect for fall. It's fruity, with a touch of seasonal spices, and it's just the thing to warm you up when you're looking for a cozy night in.
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I was sent wine and this recipe to create this post which first appeared in November of 2012.
Spiced Plum and Vanilla Red Sangria
How yummy does a fall sangria sound? I am generally a white wine drinker and have always preferred my sangria to be chilled and fruity.
But a warm red wine sangria recipe just makes sense for the colder months. It's like a mulled cider but with a little kick.
Plum is one of my favorite stone fruits to infuse wine any time of year. It's a versatile flavor that goes well with rich berry notes usually found in red wine. And spices like vanilla and cloves add another great layer of flavor.
You're going to love serving this at all your fall parties.
How to Make Warm Red Sangria
How to Make Warm Red SangriaThe recipe is really easy and the ingredients are easily found in any supermarket. Plums definitely have a season so substitute them for whatever seasonal fruits you like. I could even see using pear.
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoon whole cloves
- ½ of a vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 64 ounces apple-cranberry juice
- 4 medium purple and/or green plums, pitted and sliced
- 1 bottle red wine
Any kind of red wine will work for this. I like a flavorful Cabernet Sauvignon but the bottle used here is a red blend and it was delicious.
I would choose a bottle you would drink on its own. In lots of cocktails, you can use a lower quality brand, if using mixers, since you won't be able to taste it as much. But in a tasty fall sangria, the wine flavor will shine through so it should be a yummy one.
The spice bundle is where it's at. This is how all those amazing fall flavors get into your drink. You can find cheesecloth at Target or your grocery store but I buy it on Amazon.
I always have some on hand for making quinoa or ghosts (just look at that tied bundle above and imagine it filled with potpourri and turned into a cute ghost decoration!)... it's very versatile.
Let's talk for a minute about how amazing a fresh vanilla bean smells. You will want to rub it all over your body like perfume.
And mix that with fresh cloves...I mean... Does it get any more fall up in your kitchen?
Like with most sangria, you will need to plan ahead to give the spices time to marry with the juice (from 4-24 hours).
Instead of finding a really large pitcher to transfer the juice in to, I poured a little juice out to make room for the spice pouch and the plums. That really is the only option for a lazy person like me.
And don't even get me started about pitcher sizes and how they go from small to OH MY GOSH HOW AM I GOING TO FIT THIS IN MY FRIDGE large with nothing in between...
I love using fruit juice to pack this fall sangria recipe with as much flavor as possible. It also keeps prep time to a minimum since you only have to make a quick spice bundle and slice up a few plums.
Directions:
- Place cloves and vanilla bean in center of a double-thick 6-inch square of 100% cotton cheesecloth.
- Bring corners of the cloth together; tie closed with clean kitchen string.
- Pour apple-cranberry juice into a large container or pitcher (or use my lazy method).
- Add plums and spice bag.
- Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours.
- Remove and discard the cheesecloth bag.
- In a 4-quart Dutch oven, heat the juice mixture and wine until hot.
- Serve in heatproof mugs.
- Makes 10-12 servings.
I left the plums and spices in overnight. I like maximum flavor output so I always leave things for the longest possible time.
This double-walled pitcher would be perfect for serving this warm sangria at a party. Or you can use a regular old glass pitcher like I did.
This Warm Fall Sangria is amazing. The vanilla and cloves really round out the sangria with their subtle notes and made it feel very comforting. I love the idea of serving this at a party but I will also sip this in my pajamas, cozied up on my couch.
I never get to use these cute glass mugs. Maybe this sangria is just the excuse I needed.
It was really easy to make and smells delightful while heating. Seriously, the perfect autumn sangria!
Printable Recipe for Fall Sangria
Warm Red Sangria for Fall
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon whole cloves
- ½ of a vanilla bean split lengthwise
- 64 ounces apple-cranberry juice
- 4 medium purple and/or green plums pitted and sliced
- 1 bottle red wine
Instructions
- Place cloves and vanilla bean in center of a double-thick 6-inch square of 100% cotton cheesecloth.
- Bring corners of cloth together; tie closed with clean string.
- Pour apple-cranberry juice into a large container or pitcher.
- Add plums and spice bag.
- Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours.
- Remove and discard cheesecloth bag.
- In a 4-quart Dutch oven, heat the juice mixture and wine until hot.
- Serve in heatproof mugs.
- Makes 10-12 servings.
Nutrition
Warm or Cold Red Wine Sangria Recipe!
The best part is this red sangria recipe for fall can also be served over ice. And that was delicious too! Simply follow the recipe above and instead of heating the wine and juice together, just mix the wine and juice together before serving over ice.
Word on the street is that you can use the above recipe with white wine as well. I haven't tried that but I imagine it would also be quite delicious.
More fall drink ideas to try:
- Try my Apple Spice Sangria.
- I made this Blackberry Apple Sangria for Momtastic! Check it out!
- Spiced Pear Bellinis are great for any fall celebration!
- A Pumpkin Mule is great for Halloween or Thanksgiving!
Pin this Warm Fall Sangria for Later
Make a Warm Red Sangria this fall! You'll love the yummy flavor and it's the perfect thing to make for a holiday crowd!
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