This post has been sponsored by Wines of Provence but all thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own. Thanks for reading!
Inspired by the colors of the changing leaves, this festive and refreshing Autumn Rosé Sangria with Apples and Pomegranates takes just minutes to prepare and is guaranteed to be a huge hit and your next holiday party!
Ok, guys, let’s have a little chat really quick about this (totally amazing) adult beverage. It’s the first Sangria I have ever blogged about and it surely won’t be the last.
There is so much I want to tell you! But, I’m getting ahead of myself…
Let’s start from the beginning, shall we?
So, we all know I love wine. If you didn’t, you know now! I love wine and I love coffee. These two beverages are my (almost) daily essentials- one for survival and one to stay awake…JUST KIDDING. As an adult with adult friends, blowing off steam with a glass of wine (or sangria!) while our kiddos play is just about the best thing ever.
Our neighbors and good friends, who also have two kiddos for my kiddo to play with, were set to come over for drinks and dinner. Usually we pop open a bottle (or two) of wine with dinner and call it a day. Since they were bringing over dinner, however, I decided to fancy up our drinks with some sangria.
I don’t know about where you live, but it’s still sunny and warm over here in California. I’m not quite ready to move on to the dark, heavy wintery drinks quite yet. Plus, Rosé is my friends favorite wine (and probably one of mine, too), so Rosé Sangria it would be.
Since I was planning on making a Rosé Sangria, I wanted to use delicious tasting wine. After all, that’s important. I couldn’t think of a better place to get my wine than from vines of Provence, France. After all, 89% of all wine produced in Provence is Rosé as it is known for its unique pale color and vivacious aromas. Traditionally, Americans drink rosé made from Pinot Noir (earthier and much less floral) or from White Zinfandel (much sweeter); Provence rosé, however, are mostly made from Syrah and Grenache.
Of course, depending on your own personal preference, you may or may not appreciate this difference.
I love it.
Why? I much prefer less sugary drinks and this includes wine. In fact, you may notice this with many of the beverages I share here- most contain limited amounts of added sugar (I prefer my sugar in cookie form). But, I digress (again.)
Contrary to popular opinion, rosé is perfectly enjoyed year round as it is offers great adaptability in cuisine. A highly versatile wine, it compromises between the extremes of red and white — less intense than a big, tannic, mouth-busting red, but with more depth than a super-light white. It also pairs perfectly with spicy foods thanks to its fresh and fruity aromas which allow the spices to unfold while nuancing their intensity and bringing perfect balance to the palate.
Aside from the type of wine I would use, I knew I wanted to make a seasonally inspired drink. That said, I still wanted it to be achievable year round; a drink I could make any season of the year. Sadly, that meant no figs or fresh cranberries (don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about those!)
So, I looked to the leaves for color inspiration.
Reds, oranges, yellows, greens, browns…
Traditionally, you would probably find some kind of citrus in Sangria, along with chopped apples and brandy. Some people sweeten theirs with sugar, some don’t. And traditional sangria was almost always made with red wine.
For today we’re breaking from tradition to make this totally delicious and refreshing year-round Autumn Rosé Sangria.
For the fruit I chose oranges, apples, lime, lemon and POMEGRANATES. Don’t skip the pomegranates! I mean, what better way to celebrate fall than with pomegranates and apples? For the drink, I did stick with tradition and added a little over a cup of brandy. Totally worth it. Brandy and Rosé pair perfectly; but the tie that holds that whole autumn drink together is the apple cider. You can use sparkling apple cider or non-sparkling, it’s totally up to you!
Drop in a few cinnamon sticks and you are good to go!
What do you think? Are you a big fan of rosé?
I already know I’m a big fan, but what I’ve learned is that it’s time for me to take a little wine vacation to France and see these vineyards (and drink all the wine) in person #dreaming
Autumn Rosé Sangria with Apples and Pomegranates
Ingredients
- 1 Golden Delicious apple - cut into matchsticks
- 1 Honeycrisps or Cripps Pink apple - cut into matchsticks
- 2 oranges - sliced (I used one Naval and one Blood orange)
- 1 lemon - sliced
- 1 lime - sliced
- 1 cup pomegranates
- 3-4 cinnamon sticks
- 2 cups chilled apple cider
- 1 1/2 cups Brandy
- 1 bottle chilled Provence Rosé
Instructions
- Add chopped fruit and citrus to a large pitcher and top with cinnamon sticks. Carefully add the apple cider, brandy and chilled Rosé to the pitcher. Use a long wooden spoon to stir and muddle the different fruits with the liquid.
- If you have a large enough pitcher, you may add ice directly and stir. Otherwise, add a handful of ice to each serving glass just before serving.
- Garnish with additional fruit, if desired, and store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Nutrition
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
What Brandy would you recommend? I do not usually drink brandy, so no idea where to start 🙂
Hi Tessa,
Good question. Honestly, its more about the other tasty ingredients in this Autumn Rose Sangria, than the brandy. So whatever brandy fits your budget and tickles your fancy 🙂 .
Enjoy!
I stumbled upon this post on Pinterest and made this for Thanksgiving today and my family absolutely RAVED about it! I added two cans of Fresca, a brut sparkling Rosé and used all McIntosh apples and it was PERFECTION. Thanks for sharing!