Autumn Sangria

I am pretty sure we all think of Sangria as a summertime cocktail. Definitely something to be consumed, along with tisana, while wandering the Costa Brava during the summer months. But my food philosophy states that sangria can be consumed any time of the year. In fact, it can even be a bit Christmassy. All you need is to spice it up with a little seasonal flavor.

🍂🎄❄️

Traditional sangria is made by letting fruit marinate in light red wine and fortifying it with brandy. Those who have had this kind of sangria are left disappointed by the boxed red wine + lemon wedges + Sprite situation we so often find here in the United States.

I’ll be honest, when concocting my autumn sangria I may have riffed a little on the Blackberry Farm recipe. It was their idea to take sangria up a notch with… are you ready for it? Beetroot. *gasps* I promise it isn’t as root-vegetably as it sounds, but it does give the sangria a distinctively earthy quality. For that reason, I believe it pairs exceptionally well with my winter root vegetable soup and simple croutons.

Happy Fall , happy Christmas, happy Saturday!

what you need

Recipe makes 1 pitcher.

For the sangria:

1 bottle pinot noir or red wine of choice

1/2 cup citrus juice (blood orange, orange, lemon, blend, all fair game)

1/2 cup brandy or cognac (I used Courvoisier)

1/4 cup citrus liquor such a Grand Marnier or Cointreau (I used Solerno)

1/2 apple sliced thinly

1/2 orange sliced thinly

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup beetroot simple syrup

For the simple syrup:

2 1/2-3 cups water

2-3 small-medium beets, peeled and halved

1 cup sugar

2 sprigs of thyme

two dashes of cardamom

how to make it

For the simple syrup: Place the water over medium to high heat stovetop and add the beets, sugar, thyme, and cardamom. (Should you need some actual beats for this process, check here 🎶). Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the mixture begins to bubble light brown and take on a thicker texture.

Remove the fresh thyme sprigs and discard. Remove the syrup from the heat and let stand in the pot for a few minutes while you deal with the beets. Place the beets in a high speed blender with a little bit of water and blend until very, very smooth. You may need to add more water to play with the consistency until the pureed beets are more or less pourable. Then add the pureed beets tablespoon by tablespoon back to the simple syrup, stirring well until you have a very thick, sticky liquid.

Pro tip: aside from the massive sugar content, I am pretty sure the pureed beets would make great baby food. I do not own a baby, so I would not know. Store the simple syrup in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

The sangria itself is far from difficult but it is best if it sits for at least a couple hours before you serve it. In a serving pitcher or large vessel (candidly, I used a flower vase), place the sliced apples and oranges. Pour the citrus liquor, citrus juice, cognac, and beetroot simple syrup over the fruit. Stir well. Add the wine and the water, and let sit refrigerated for several hours. Garnish with fresh fruit and serve.