This year, try a holiday cocktail that with a bottle of wine. For a festive touch, our wine cocktails bring in seasonal flavors like wintry citrus, tart cranberry, and cozy baking spices.
Winter Rosé Sangria
Ingredients
- 1 500ml bottle Blue Apron Rosé wine
- ½ cup pomegranate juice
- 1 orange, sliced and deseeded
- 1 grapefruit, sliced and deseeded
- Seltzer
- Optional: ½ cup liqueur, such as sweet or dry Vermouth, Campari, Aperol, Kirsch, Lillet, Maraschino Liqueur, or Triple Sec
Method
Pour the rose into a bowl or pitcher.
Stir in the pomegranate juice, half of the sliced orange and grapefruit, and optional liqueur, if using.
Chill for 4-6 hours in the fridge to let the flavors marinate. Strain the mixture, removing the sliced citrus – leaving it in may cause the sangria to become bitter.
Serve these wine cocktails over ice. Top with seltzer and garnish with the remaining sliced fruit.
White Wine Cranberry Spritz
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- ¾ cup sugar, divided
- 1 500ml bottle Blue Apron White Wine (the pairing key of Light & Fresh works best)
- Zest of 1 orange
Method
Bring 3/4 cup water, cranberries, and ½ cup of the sugar to simmer in a small saucepan.
After about 2 minutes, when the cranberries have just begun to soften, remove about ⅓ of them with a slotted spoon onto a wire rack to dry. Let them dry for about 20 minutes, or until they’re no longer sticky.
Meanwhile, on the stovetop, continue simmering the remaining cranberries and sugar syrup for 5 minutes, or until the cranberries are soft. Crush the cranberries against the side of the saucepan with a spoon and stir. Cook until the cranberries have broken down but the mixture is still liquidy, about another 5-10 minutes.
Remove the cranberry mixture from heat and strain into a measuring cup, pushing the crushed fruit against the strainer with a spoon to release any liquid. You should have about one cup of cranberry syrup. Let the syrup cool.
To finish the candied cranberries, combine the remaining ¼ cup sugar and orange zest in a bowl. Toss the dried cranberries from the wire rack into the bowl to coat them with the citrus sugar.
Combine 1 cup of the cranberry syrup with the bottle of white wine in a pitcher or bowl. Serve with ice, and garnish with the candied cranberries on a cocktail skewer.
Looking for more seasonal drinks? Try our easy hot toddy recipe.
