Cranberry-Pomegranate Sangria – Cocktail of the Week

One of my favorite things to make for holiday get-togethers is a big pitcher of sangria. It's easy to make, can be done ahead of time, and can totally be adjusted to suit your tastes.

This version is perfect for Thanksgiving, and brings together yummy fall flavors without being overly sweet.

When it comes to sangria, don't go crazy with picking out the wine. Obviously it's the base of the drink, so it should be something you like, but it doesn't need to be expensive.

The longer sangria sits, the better it gets as the flavors meld together, so feel free to make this a day or two before your holiday feast and keep it in the fridge!

Full disclosure: I don't really measure things when I make sangria, so you might have to make lots of adjustments to this, but I'll do my best to guide you in the right direction.

Ingredients:

• 1 750 mL bottle wine (I'd suggest a fruity red like Pinot Noir, or even a rosé, but use what you like!)
• 1 cup cranberry juice cocktail
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 1/2 cup apple brandy
• 1/4 triple sec
• rosemary simple syrup** (to taste)(optional)
• club soda (optional)
• 4 apples, cored, halved, and thinly sliced
• 2 oranges, halved and sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate arils
• 2 cups frozen cranberries

For the rosemary simple syrup, combine a sprig of fresh rosemary with 1/2 cup water and 3/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil until the sugar dissolves, remove from heat, and let cool. Use as much or as little as you'd like in the sangria...save the rest for use in something else!

Combine all ingredients (except the club soda) in a large pitcher. Stir well. To serve, scoop some of the fruit into a glass, pour in the sangria, and top with some club soda if you want a little fizz!

If you make this in advance, it will be cold enough when you serve it that you won't need ice, but what I prefer is to use frozen grapes (or in this case, cranberries) in place of ice cubes. They keep the drink cold without diluting it!

Note: If you'd prefer to control the sweetness more, you can use regular unsweetened cranberry juice instead of cranberry juice cocktail, and balance it with regular or rosemary simple syrup.

Happy Thanksgiving!

*Please drink responsibly.*