Cocktail Corner: Spiced Autumn Sips

While the South Florida weather may not indicate a change in seasons, at least the cocktails on the menu can. Here we offer a few Autumnal cocktail recipes, courtesy of VOGA Italia Wine, that will help put some spice into those fall festivities. Enjoy!

Orange Spiced Pumpkin Martini - VOGA ProseccoThis has South Florida fall written all over it. The Orange Spiced Pumpkin Martini makes for a citrusy take on the classic pumpkin-spiced sip.

Orange Spiced Pumpkin Martini

  • 2 oz. VOGA Prosecco
  • 2 oz. pumpkin flavored vodka*
  • 1/2 oz. triple sec
  • 1 dash orange zest
  • 1 dash of cinnamon
  • 1 orange twist

Method:

  1. Pour VOGA Prosecco, vodka, triple sec and orange zest into a cocktail shaker half-filled with cracked ice.
  2. Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
  3. Garnish with an orange twist, a dash of cinnamon and serve.

*If pumpkin vodka has not found its way to your liquor cabinet, try making a small infused jar for this cocktail. Simply take your favorite non-flavored vodka, and fill a clean mason jar. Add a few hearty dashes of pumpkin spice, seal the jar, shake, and set in a dark, cool space for two days or more. Before serving, strain vodka through fine cheesecloth (or a piece folded over a few times) to remove as much spice as possible—the goal is to get the vodka as grit-free as possible.
   If pumpkin spice is not in the cards, try this: one cinnamon stick; roughly one quarter of a nutmeg seed, broken; a few thin slices of ginger; quarter teaspoon crushed allspice; and two cloves. Add to the mason jar filled with vodka. Allow more time to infuse—at least one week.

 

With the sun setting just a bit earlier and the weather losing much of its bite, backyard get-togethers are on the agenda. Spruce up that communal cocktail offering, aka punch, with this fall-centric sangria recipe.

Seasonal Spiced Sangria - Autumn Inspired Cocktails - party inspirationSeasonal Spiced Sangria

  • 2 bottles VOGA Red Fusion
  • 3 cups sparkling apple cider
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup brandy
  • 1/2 cup dark spiced rum
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 3-4 fresh figs, sliced (or 1 cup dried figs)
  • 1-2 fresh gala apples, sliced
  • 2-3 clementines, sliced (not peeled)
  • 1 lemon, sliced

Method:

  1. Slice apples and insert whole cloves directly into the fruit.
  2. Combine all fruit slices in a glass pitcher and slowly pour in brandy and VOGA Red Fusion.
  3. Cover and chill for 2-24 hours—the longer, the better.
  4. Before serving, add sparkling cider and orange juice.
  5. Stir gently and serve over ice.

Nothing says fall quite like a mug of mulled wine. This recipe for the warm cocktail imbues the flavors of the cooler season with a dose of allspice, aniseed, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Autumn Kiss - Mulled Wine Recipe - Cocktails for Fall PartiesAutumn Kiss

  • 1 bottle VOGA Dolce Rosso
  • 1 cup brandy
  • 1 medium orange, sliced
  • 1 medium lemon, sliced
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon aniseed
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
  •  3 whole cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 star anise

Method

  1. In a large saucepan, combine VOGA Dolce Rosso, brandy, orange, lemon, sugar and nutmeg.
  2. Place remaining spices on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with string to form a bag.
  3. Add spice bag to wine mixture.
  4. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
  5. Reduce heat; cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
  6. Cool; cover and refrigerate overnight.
  7. Strain; discard fruit and spice bag.
  8. Reheat wine; serve warm in mugs.
  9. Garnish as desired with cinnamon stick and star anise.

 

Recipes and images courtesy of VOGA Italia Wine

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