This Fall Sangria with apple cider, bourbon, pinot grigio, and seasonal fruits is a gorgeous fall drink idea! We love serving this apple cider punch at Thanksgiving or any fall gathering.
Before I tried sangria, I thought I didn’t like wine. In fact, I thought the only alcoholic beverage I liked was the fruitiest of fruity cocktails.
Then along came this fall sangria with its boozy cinnamon apples and warm bite of bourbon, and lo and behold, I was smitten.
This Autumn Sangria is packed with the season’s best fruits–a colorful mix of apples, pears, and plums–in a blend of pinot grigio, apple cider, and bourbon. It’s fruity and refreshing, but still cozy enough for a chilly fall day.
This is my preferred drink for football Saturdays. Y’all can keep your beer. I’ll take a big ol’ glass of apple sangria with a side of bacon wrapped smokies, please and thank you.
I first made this drink almost seven years ago for a girl’s night. It was a raving success, and since then it’s become my standard punch recipe for tailgating, bridal showers, Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, PTA meetings…Basically, if it’s Autumn and people are getting together, I’m making fall sangria.
Every time I make this, I spot guests trying to inconspicuously fish out fruit from the pitcher with a wooden spoon. This, to me, is the sign of success–people willing to sacrifice their dignity and manners for a few hunks of boozy apple cider soaked fruit.
Fall Sangria is super easy to make and adapt to your tastes, but I do have some tips for making it the very best! I’m sure you and your family/guests/neighbors/strangers who saw you were serving sangria will love this as much as we do!
How to Make Apple Sangria
- Fill a large pitcher with your choice of fresh apples and other fall fruits. Toss in a few cinnamon sticks.
- Add an entire bottle of pinot grigio, a few cups of apple cider, some club soda, and a little bit of bourbon for all the warm fuzzies.
- Stir, stir, stir! Taste. If you’d like, stir in a little maple syrup for added sweetness. Otherwise, pop the mixture in the fridge and allow it to sit for at least an hour overnight.
- After all the flavors have had a chance to mix and mingle, pull the pitcher out of the fridge, give it another good swirl, and serve it up!
Tips for Making Fall Sangria
- Start with fresh, in season produce that’s ripe but not too soft. The fruit will soften considerably in the apple cider punch, so you want it to be fairly firm to begin with.
- Choose a variety of fruits for lots of flavor and color! I love using a few different kinds of apples, pears, and plums, but feel free to substitute your favorites.
- Use a high quality dry or semi-dry white wine. We prefer riesling or pinot grigio. If you’re like me, you’ll pick one that is A) On sale for $10 or less and B) Says something about “subtle hints of apple” or “refreshing blend of pear and citrus” on the back.
- Bourbon is the quintessential fall spirit in my opinion, and I love the warmth it brings to this apple sangria. However, feel free to substitute brandy or rum if you prefer.
- You can use sparkling wine, club soda, or ginger ale to make a bubbly holiday sangria. My husband prefers the ginger ale, but I prefer to use club soda plus a teensy pour of maple syrup for sweetness and flavor. Feel free to experiment with your desired sweetness!
- Refrigerate Autumn Sangria for at least an hour before serving or overnight. I prefer to add the club soda right before serving so it stays bubbly. The flavors will get better and better as it sits!
Want More Fall Drink Ideas?
These Caramel Apple Cider Floats are so easy to make and the perfect bridge between summer and fall.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you’ll also love our Apple Cider Cocktail–it’s like the flannel shirt of cocktails. Or, try these Apple Cider Margaritas!
In the mood for something hot? Try this Mulled Spiced Apple Cider or this Apple Cider Hot Toddy with Brown Butter Bourbon.
Join Our Community
Sign up for the NeighborFood email community to get recipes in your inbox ad free and access exclusive content from us! You can also follow us on Instagram and Pinterest. Made our recipe? Leave us a star rating or comment below!
Fall Sangria
Ingredients
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 2 apples (chopped)
- 2 pears (chopped)
- 2 plums (chopped)
- 1 bottle pinot grigio
- 3 cups apple cider
- 1/2 cup bourbon
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (optional)
- 1 cup club soda
Instructions
- Place the chopped fruits in the bottom of a large pitcher. Pour in the wine, apple cider, and bourbon. Give everything a really good stir. Taste. If desired, add 1/4 cup maple syrup.
- Refrigerate the sangria for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Add the club soda and give it a good stir right before serving.
Notes
- Feel free to substitute your favorite fruits in this sangria recipe.
- Pomegranates and oranges both work well here.
- Ginger ale can be substituted for club soda if preferred.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review, Mention @NeighborFoodie, or tag #neighborfoodies!
Leave a Reply