While a nice glass of wine is always enjoyable, sometimes you want to spice it up with some of the hard stuff. What better way to keep your spirits up during a fall meal than adding a little bit of wine to your cocktail? Whether you’re searching for a picture-perfect cocktail to booze you through Thanksgiving, or you’re looking for a fall sangria that will serve a crowd at your next holiday party, our best fall wine cocktails will help you add a fresh twist on your traditional seasonal drinks.
Violent Fairytales
“Making approachable aperitif cocktails is important in a restaurant setting, and this is possibly my most successful attempt yet.” – J Rosser Lomax of CraftBar Get the recipe for Cachaca Violent Fairy Tales Cocktail »
Large-Batch Negroni Sbagliato
Jeffrey Morgenthaler, bar manager of Clyde Common in Portland, is known for barrel-aging cocktails and other fancy bartender tricks. But when he throws a party, he makes this lightly bitter, pop-and-pour punch that’s as easy as 1-2-3. Get the recipe for Large-Batch Negroni Sbagliato »
Second Circle
Port, bourbon, and maple syrup come together in a cocktail with intense color, depth of flavor, and a bit of a bite. Astrologer/bartender Patricia Clark Hippolyte developed the drink especially for Scorpios as part of our Mixstrology series. Get the recipe for Second Circle »
Rosewater Fizz
Simple, fruity, and slightly floral, this champagne-based cocktail comes to us by way of astrologer/bartender Patricia Clark Hippolyte, who developed the drink for our Mixstrology series. Get the recipe for Rosewater Fizz »
Crush and Swizzle
Its sweetness belies this rum-laced prosecco drink’s potency. The recipe comes from bartender Kyle Ridington of New York City’s Piora restaurant; it first appeared in the iPad edition of our December 2013 issue with the article Bubblicious. Get the recipe for Crush and Swizzle »
The Saint
This white wine–based cocktail from Brooklyn, New York’s Café Moto starts off summery, with the aromas of fresh basil and mint and an effervescent topper of club soda. A second sip plants you squarely into fall: homemade ginger syrup adds warming, deep spice and vermouth a complex, honey-tinged backbone. Get the recipe for The Saint White Wine Cocktail »
Bittersweet Hot Chocolate with Red Wine
We love nibbling dark chocolate alongside a glass of red wine; the two flavors combined in a mug of hot chocolate is an unexpected treat. Get the recipe for Bittersweet Hot Chocolate with Red Wine »
Coupe DeVille
To make this cocktail from bartender Keith Nelson of Manhattan’s Arlington Club, purchase pear-infused vodka or make your own by letting sliced ripe pears sit in vodka for at least two weeks. This recipe first appeared in the iPad edition of our December 2013 issue with the article Bubblicious. Get the recipe for Coupe de ville »
Wassail
Wassail gets its name from the Old Norse ves heill and Old English was hál, meaning “be fortunate,” which is how we feel when we drink it. This British punch comes from a pagan rite in which revelers toasted to apple trees to ensure the harvest. Get the recipe for Wassail »
Spiced Pear Collins
Pear puree, gin, and rosemary give this autumnal cocktail a crisp, woody sweetness, robust density, and sour, crackling effervescence. Get the recipe for Spiced Pear Collins »
Glögg (Spiced Wine)
This recipe was developed by Marcus Jernmark, chef at Aquavit in New York City, as part of the restaurant’s traditional julbord spread for Christmas. “Glogg is one of those things where every family has their own recipe,” says Jernmark. “And there are trends: one year it’s white, one year it’s red, one year there’s dark rum, one year there’s vodka.” The version he serves at the restaurant is, to his mind, close to the Platonic ideal of spiced wine, with brown sugar, dried fruits, and aromatic spices — and Indonesian long pepper, not as unusual a Scandinavian ingredient as it might sound. “Long peppers were one of the first things that Sweden brought back” when the Dutch East India Company established trade in 1602. “It’s been used in Scandinavian cuisine for a long time.” Since glogg mixes wine with many, many other ingredients, Jernmark advises against using a particularly nice bottle. “You’re totally destroying the wine,” he says. “Obviously you shouldn’t use a defective wine, but a cheap red is fine.” He prefers a Cabernet. Get the recipe for Glögg (Spiced Wine) »
Kuhano Vino
In central Europe, winter parties are fueled by this mulled wine. A fruity red wine works best for this richly spiced punch, so try a bright-cherry merlot or a jammy syrah. Get the recipe for Kuhano Vino »
Adonis
Vermouth hasn’t always played second fiddle to boozier spirits. In this elegant, low-alcohol drink from the early 1900s, a simple but fragrant mix of fino sherry, sweet vermouth, and orange bitters spotlights the fortified wine. The name comes from a popular 1884 Broadway musical of the same name. Any high-quality sweet vermouth will do, although we love Interrobang for its notes of bitter orange and baking spices. This recipe first appeared in our November 2014 issue with the story Vermouth on the Rise. Get the recipe for Adonis Vermouth Cocktail »
Otto’s Sour
This gorgeously floral and spicy drink is built like a classic New York sour, with a float of red wine on top and aquavit in place of whiskey. The caraway flavor in many aquavits can be overpowering in cocktails, but Linie aquavit, aged in wood in the holds of ships, has a much rounder, mellower caraway flavor. “The Linie also has a nice woodsy quality,” Boelte said, “and that’s where the nutmeg comes in, of course.” Read the article on how Damon Boelte, bar director at Prime Meats, New York, uses nutmeg: Nutmeg Cocktails for the Holidays. Get the recipe for Otto’s Sour »
Spiced Wine
Cinnamon is an essential ingredient in this German mulled wine, whose name means glow wine. This recipe is from The German Cookbook by Mimi Sheraton (Random House, 1965). Get the recipe for Spiced Wine »
The Cheshire Regiment
This recipe was developed by Ehren Ashkenazi, beverage director at New York City restaurant The Modern. He explains: “This is a spin I formulated on the classic French 75. It is named after (not entirely coincidentally) a British infantry regiment that was part of the Prince of Wales’ division that was formed in 1968. There is much debate surrounding the true base spirit of the French 75; the two factions are split between gin and Cognac. This cocktail incorporates both bases, with gin and a Cognac based Pineau des Charentes infused with raspberries.” Get the recipe for The Cheshire Regiment »
Developed by Paddy O’Brien of the cocktail consultant team All in Good Spirits, this flavorful punch balances the bite of sherry and corn whiskey with nutty homemade orgeat syrup and fresh citrus juice. Orgeat syrup, more typically made with almonds, is a delicious addition to cocktails that was made famous with the mai tai. This walnut version can be made up to two weeks in advance. Get the recipe for Sherry Season Punch »
This sherry cocktail with a Manchego garnish comes from Las Vegas’s Downtown Cocktail Room. This recipe first appeared in our April 2012 issue along with Xania Woodman’s story Raising the Bar. Get the recipe for Andalucia »
Autumn Bellini
Prosecco marries with richly spiced mulled cider and a splash of fig vodka in this seasonal take on the classic Bellini served at New York’s Caffe Storico. Get the recipe for Autumn Bellini (Bellini Stagionale) »