Pomegranate Thanksgiving Punch with Sparkling Wine

Pomegranate Thanksgiving Punch

Pomegranate and orange juice make the tart-sweet base for this cold, ruby-pink punch. Dry sparkling wine and ginger ale add bubbles just before serving, so the base can be prepared ahead without the finished punch going flat.

Pour it into clear glasses over fresh ice, with an orange slice and pomegranate arils in each. Keeping ice out of the pitcher prevents it from diluting the later servings.

Ingredients for Pomegranate Thanksgiving Punch

• 3 cups 100% unsweetened pomegranate juice
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons simple syrup, plus up to 2 tablespoons more to taste
• 1 chilled 750-ml bottle dry sparkling wine, such as Brut Prosecco (about 3 1/4 cups)
• 2 cups chilled regular ginger ale
• 1 medium orange, thinly sliced and seeds removed
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils (about 85g)
• Fresh ice for 12 glasses, about 4 to 6 cups

Yield: About 12 servings of 6 ounces each, before ice and fruit. Use a pitcher or punch bowl that holds at least 3 quarts.

How to Make Pomegranate Thanksgiving Punch

1. Prepare the fruit: Slice the orange thinly and remove any seeds. Reserve one slice and some arils for each glass.
2. Mix and taste the base: In the pitcher, stir together the pomegranate juice, orange juice, and 2 tablespoons simple syrup. Taste before adding the sparkling ingredients. The pomegranate should remain prominent, with a pleasantly tart-sweet balance. Add up to 2 more tablespoons syrup, a little at a time, if needed. Stir in the remaining orange slices and arils.
3. Chill if needed: If the juices were not already cold, cover and refrigerate the base for about 1 hour. Keep the sparkling wine and ginger ale chilled separately.
4. Add the bubbles: Just before serving, pour in the sparkling wine and ginger ale. Stir gently once or twice; vigorous stirring will flatten the punch.
5. Fill the glasses: Put fresh ice and a reserved orange slice in each clear glass. Pour in the punch, scatter arils over the top, and serve promptly. Leave ice out of the shared pitcher so later pours do not become watery.

How to Balance the Sweetness

Unsweetened pomegranate juice lets you adjust the punch without guessing how much sugar is already in the juice. Start with 2 tablespoons syrup and taste the base before adding the wine and ginger ale; their sweetness varies by product, too. If using sweetened pomegranate cocktail instead, omit the initial syrup and add any sweetener only after tasting.

Make the Base Ahead, Not the Bubbles

Cover and refrigerate the juice-and-fruit base for up to 24 hours. Chill the wine and ginger ale separately, then add both immediately before serving. Refrigerate any leftover assembled punch, but expect it to lose its fizz; the finished punch is not suited to overnight make-ahead preparation.

Alcohol-Free Option

Replace the sparkling wine with the same volume of clearly labeled alcohol-free sparkling wine. Check the label if complete avoidance of alcohol is essential, and taste the base before adding extra syrup because products vary in sweetness. Serve over ice with the same orange and aril garnishes.

For another holiday drink, try the cranberry rosemary spritzer.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per 6-ounce serving, based on 12 servings and 2 tablespoons simple syrup: 125 calories, less than 1g protein, 0g fat, and 22g carbohydrates. Per 100g of punch and fruit, before ice: approximately 60 calories, less than 1g protein, 0g fat, and 11g carbohydrates. Values vary with the wine, juice, ginger ale, and amount of syrup used.