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Caramel Apple Sangria

Caramel apple sangria made with chilled pinot grigio, apple cider, and caramel vodka for a spiced, fruit-filled sip. Thinly sliced apple and pear soak in cinnamon sticks, then the pitcher is topped with ginger ale right before serving for a lightly fizzy finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Chill 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories: 230
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pinot grigio
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) pinot grigio Chilled
Apple cider
  • 2 cup apple cider
Caramel vodka or caramel sauce
  • 0.5 cup caramel vodka or caramel sauce
Fruit
  • 2 apples Thinly sliced
Fruit
  • 1 pear Thinly sliced
Cinnamon
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
Ginger ale or club soda
  • 1 cup ginger ale or club soda Chilled
Caramel and coarse sugar
  • 1 caramel sauce and coarse sugar for rimming glasses Rim glass

Method
 

Make the sangria base
  1. Combine the chilled pinot grigio, apple cider, and caramel vodka (or caramel sauce) in a large pitcher, whisking well if using caramel sauce.
  2. Add the thinly sliced apples, sliced pear, and cinnamon sticks to the pitcher.
Chill
  1. Chill the pitcher at least 2 hours so the fruit soaks up the flavor.
Rim glasses and finish
  1. Dip the glass rims in caramel, then in coarse sugar.
  2. Top the pitcher with ginger ale just before serving, then pour over ice with some fruit in each glass.

Notes

For the cleanest fruit soak and best flavor, slice the apples and pear fairly thin and keep the wine and ginger ale well chilled before mixing. Store the sangria base (without topping with ginger ale) covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; add ginger ale and serve the same day for the best fizz. Freezing isn’t recommended because the fruit texture softens further. For a lighter option, swap to a lower-sugar apple cider or use vanilla caramel syrup in place of some caramel vodka.