I love a good cranberry orange moment, so I set out to create a Thanksgiving style harvest sangria that feels like spoonful of cranberry orange chutney. Imagine a cranberry forward with a jammy body, orange top notes, and a warm finish. And after a bit of experimentation, I landed on a blend that hits all the right notes.
If you’re craving something with mellow cranberry and orange vibes, a deep nuanced fruit body, layered sweetness, and a grounded, warming finish, I got you. This sangria will compliment your Thanksgiving table without duplicating or overwhelming anything you have set to serve. This red wine sangria is giving adult vibes and perfect for starting off or wrapping up a day of good food and good vibes.
Now, this is an easy sangria to make, but it is nuanced. The devil, and flavor profile, is in the details.
Cranberry Orange Harvest Sangria
Ingredients
Flavor Components
- ¾ cup frozen cranberries
- ¾ cup frozen blueberries
- 1 large large orange (or 2 small )
- 2 oz Ginger grated
- Allspice, 4-6 whole berries (crack 3-4 berries, leave the rest whole)
- 1 Cinnamon stick (1-2 inches )
- Brown Sugar to taste (*optional)
Liquids
- 1 bottle Red Wine (Pinot Noir is what I used)
- ½ cup Bourbon
- ¾ cup Cranberry Infusion
- 1.5 oz Thyme simple syrup (regular or brown sugar simple syrup also works)
- 2 oz Lilet Blanc
Instructions
Prework
- Make the cranberry infusion ahead of time. Combine a cup of frozen cranberries with a cup of hot water. Let infuse anywhere from 1 to 4 overs, up to overnight. The longer you let it infuse, the stronger and it becomes. I prefer the overnight batch.
Instructions
- Combine all liquids in a container.
- Add the spices. A a tea or spice bag can be used for ginger and allspice so they can easily removed.
- Slice the orange and add in no more than 3 medium think slices. Hand squeeze the remaining orange to the mix. If you're using 2 small oranges, use the juice of one, and the 2nd orange for the slices.
- Lightly muddle ¼ cup of the frozen cranberries and add it to the mix with the remaining whole cranberries.
- Muddle frozen blueberries and add them in.
- Give a good stir to combine everything. Let infuse for at least 4 hrs. an overnight infusion of 8+ hr gives it the best depth.
Fine Tuning the Sangria
- After infusion time is done, give the sangria a good stir and taste. Adjust the sweetness level to your taste. Brown sugar or a classic simple syrup works well here. Too much thyme simple syrup can throw the balance off.
- Your final sangria should feel bright with cranberry orange top notes and a warm, rounded finish.
- Garnish with orange berries, fresh or dried, and cranberries. Enjoy.
Notes
- The orange slices add a fresh citrus depth to the sangria. However, using too many slices will add bitterness to your final product. If this happens, add more cranberry infusion or a little sweetness to balance it out.
- As is, the spices meld harmoniously in the background for a warm finished. Increase the ginger or cinnamon if you want bolder top notes.
- For added sweetness, honey or brown sugar pairs well with the Lilet Blanc.
- This harvest sangria is nuanced, but highly customizable. Feel free to adjust based on your taste and table.
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