VIOLETTE NOIR BERRY SANGRIA

Just ahead of the holiday season, I’m thrilled to bring my sixth sangria recipe to JustineCelina today (if you’re new here, why yes, I adore sangria!). In years past, I’ve shared my tried and true recipes created with wine and spirits you would traditionally associate with sangria — but over the years as I honed my mixology skills I’ve also become just as passionate about craft cocktails. Now that I have a well-rounded baseline of sangria and cocktail recipes to work from, I find myself drawn to more creative and interesting ingredient combinations and flavour profiles — and that’s exactly how the idea for my Violette Noir Berry Sangria was born! Although I have a Classic Winter Citrus Red Sangria (my original sangria recipe that inspired all the others!), I’d always wanted to develop a berry-forward sangria using less conventional grapes and liqueurs. So this summer, I got to work using some of the more elusive ingredients in our bar — and today I’m finally sharing the recipe, after 6 months of extensive testing!

My Violette Noir Berry Sangria is a dramatic, berry-infused libation where bold, luscious flavours of raspberry-laden Chambord, floral Crème de Violette, juicy blackberry and a fresh kiss of citrus intertwine over an elegant Pinot Noir backdrop. This sophisticated, Parisian-inspired spin on traditional red sangria is as intricate as it is accessible — seducing both wine lovers and skeptics with each delicious, antioxidant-rich sip. It’s the ideal accompaniment to festive cocktail parties, formal occasions, holiday dinners or anytime you’re craving a refined, wine-based bracer to delight and surprise even the most discerning of palettes! As always, my Violette Noir Berry Sangria brimming with fresh, better-for-you ingredients and is free of added sugars — because I believe in balance in all areas of life. Cheers to a happy and healthy holiday season!

VIOLETTE NOIR BERRY SANGRIA

You know when you have an idea in your head and it actually ends up working out better than you anticipated? Well, that’s what happened with my Violette Noir Berry Sangria!

This unconventional sangria was created out of a desire to put the Crème de Violette (which I had originally purchased last summer, when I was developing my Japanese Lilac Gin Lemonade) to use. I originally intended that recipe to be a lavender-infused vodka lemonade, incorporating this delicate, floral liqueur — but it ended up not working out, at all. There were too many floral complexities at play and I decided to go in a completely different direction. The final recipe is actually quite simple and very delicious — but not at all what I had originally envisioned!

So, our bottle of Crème de Violette collected dust on our bar for over a year until inspiration struck for a this berry-infused, floral tinged sangria. Pinot Noir is my favourite red wine and what you’ll find in my glass most of the time — but I don’t often (if ever) see it used in sangria recipes. I had an inkling it would play well with Crème de Violette in a more sophisticated, berry-forward sangria — and it turns out I was right!

Since Crème de Violette can be quite overpowering, I used it in moderation and brought Chambord (an infusion of blackberries, raspberries, black currant and Madagascan vanilla and cognac) in to round things out. It was the perfect liqueur to emphasize the luscious, berry notes I was craving — and as I suspected, the contrasting berry and floral flavours complimented each other beautifully!

You’ll find many of the my signature sangria ingredients at play here to pull this recipe together — San Pellegrino (this time, the Pomegranate and Orange variety), soda water, fresh citrus juice and lots of fresh fruit. So, despite some of the more unconventional liqueurs used (you may need to visit a specialty liquor store to source Crème de Violette, but Chambord is widely available), it also offers the familiarity of my previous sangria recipes. If you’re looking for a refined and dramatic take on traditional red sangria this holiday season, you’ve come to the right place — I can’t wait for you to try my Violette Noir Berry Sangria!

Ingredients

Yield: One larger pitcher (makes enough for a good party — but if you’re hosting 8+, double this recipe!)

• 2 bottles of Pinot Noir (select one with berry notes — I used Mirassou)
• 3 cups Chambord
• 1 cup Crème de Violette (I used Giffard)
• 2 cans of Melograno e Arancia (Pomegranate & Orange) San Pellegrino
• 2 cans of Soda Water
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 pint raspberries
• 1 pint blackberries
• 1 orange (for slicing)
• 1 lime (for slicing)

Optional Garnish

• Fresh blackberries and raspberries
• Violets

Instructions

1. Add Pinot Noir, Chambord and Crème de Violette to a large beverage dispenser.

2. Add San Pellegrino, then soda water. We like our sangria on the dryer side, but if you prefer sweeter drinks you may want to add more San Pellegrino and less soda water. Make sure to taste (and stir) as you go!

3. Slice and squeeze orange and limes into separate measuring cups until you have 1 cup of each orange and lime juice. Add the freshly squeezed juice to the mixture. We like ours pretty citrus-y, but again, if you prefer sweeter drinks you may want to add more oranges and less lime. Feel free to adjust these rations to suit your palette!

4. Slice one orange and lime, adding to the beverage dispenser to float on top. Wash berries and add them to the dispenser. Stir and mash berries into the sangria with a wooden spoon.

5. Enjoy immediately or allow the Violette Noir Berry Sangria to sit overnight and serve the next day. Cheers!

5 from 2 votes

Print

VIOLETTE NOIR BERRY SANGRIA

Prep Time

15 mins

 

My Violette Noir Berry Sangria is a dramatic, berry-infused libation where bold, luscious flavours of raspberry-laden Chambord, floral Crème de Violette, juicy blackberry and a fresh kiss of citrus intertwine over an elegant Pinot Noir backdrop. This sophisticated, Parisian-inspired spin on traditional red sangria is as intricate as it is accessible -- seducing both wine lovers and skeptics with each delicious, antioxidant-rich sip. It's the ideal accompaniment to festive cocktail parties, formal occasions, holiday dinners or anytime you're craving a refined, wine-based bracer to delight and surprise even the most discerning of palettes! As always, my Violette Noir Berry Sangria brimming with fresh, better-for-you ingredients and is free of added sugars -- because I believe in balance in all areas of life. Cheers to a happy and healthy holiday season!

Course: Drinks

Servings: 12

Author: Justine

Ingredients

Violette Noir Berry Sangria

• 2 bottles of Pinot Noir (select one with berry notes -- I used Mirassou)
• 3 cups Chambord
• 1 cup Crème de Violette (I used Giffard)
• 2 cans of Melograno e Arancia (Pomegranate & Orange San Pellegrino)
• 2 cans of Soda Water
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 pint raspberries
• 1 pint blackberries
• 1 orange (for slicing)
• 1 lime (for slicing)

Optional Garnish

• Fresh blackberries and raspberries
• Violets

Instructions

1. Add Pinot Noir, Chambord and Crème de Violette to a large beverage dispenser.
2. Add San Pellegrino, then soda water. We like our sangria on the dryer side, but if you prefer sweeter drinks you may want to add more San Pellegrino and less soda water. Make sure to taste (and stir) as you go!
3. Slice and squeeze orange and limes into separate measuring cups until you have 1 cup of each orange and lime juice. Add the freshly squeezed juice to the mixture. We like ours pretty citrus-y, but again, if you prefer sweeter drinks you may want to add more oranges and less lime. Feel free to adjust these rations to suit your palette!

4. Slice one orange and lime, adding to the beverage dispenser to float on top. Wash berries and add them to the dispenser. Stir and mash berries into the sangria with a wooden spoon.

5. Enjoy immediately or allow the Violette Noir Berry Sangria to sit overnight and serve the next day. Cheers!

Recipe Notes

Yield: One larger pitcher (makes enough for a good party -- but if you’re hosting 8+, double this recipe!)

MORE AUTUMN / WINTER SANGRIAS & COCKTAILS

Late Harvest Spiced Apple Sangria

Rose Infused Cherry Gin Fizz

Classic Winter Citrus Red Sangria

Vanilla Pomegranate Mulled Wine

Homemade Dairy Free Coconut Rum Eggnog

Thanks for stopping by for my lastest sangria recipe today, friends! I had a lot of fun getting creative with this one while incorporating some more offbeat ingredients — if you’re looking for a upscale spin on traditional sangria this season, I hope you enjoy it. I can’t wait to serve this delicious, berry-infused sangria this year — and I also have a sparkling NYE cocktail planned for the holiday season as well!

As always, if you try my Violette Noir Berry Sangria leave me a comment below, or tag me on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook! You can also use the hashtag #justinecelinarecipes in your recreations on social media so I can find them — I love it when you guys tag me so I can see what you make! I also have a Pinterest board dedicated to better-for-you cocktail options with clean ingredients, as well as one dedicated to all things holiday. Cheers!

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and contains my genuine thoughts, ideas and recommendations. JustineCelina uses affiliate and referral links, which allow me to receive a small commission when you make a purchase through one of my links. Thank you for supporting the brands and businesses that support JustineCelina.com!