Christmas Sangria Recipe: Refreshing Sangria with White Wine (2024)

FAQs

What white wine is best for sangria? ›

When it comes to choosing the white wine for your sangria your best bets are dryer, more acidic, and crisp fresh whites like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, or Grenache Blanc. An Albariño, Moscato, or rosé would be nice too. But also, we live by the rule, pour what Paso Robles wine you like!

Don't skimp on the chilling time.

By chilling the sangria, you give the fresh fruits a chance to infuse the wine with sweet, fresh flavor. If you cut this time short, your sangria won't taste as fruity or as balanced. I let mine chill for at least 8 hours before serving, or overnight for the best flavor.

You can use red or white, but try to stick to something on the drier side. Nicole opted for a chilled Spanish grenache. You can definitely make this sangria ahead of time. In fact, it'll taste best if you let it chill in the fridge for about eight hours to allow the flavors to meld.

Sangria blanca (sangria with white wine) is a more recent innovation. For sangria blanca, American food writer Penelope Casas recommends dry white wines such as a Rueda, Jumilla, or Valdepeñas. Ponche de Sangria is a variation for children, often for birthday parties.

The first and probably easy way to flavor a wine spritzer is with fruit. During summer months I love using fresh strawberries or raspberries with a twist of lemon peel. I also love using frozen peaches on a hot day. This works great with Sauvignon Blanc.

The natural flavors of melon, citrus, and juicy pear in your Josh Cellars Pinot Grigio will pair deliciously with the fresh fruit, making for a flavorful and sweet white wine co*cktail perfect for Mother's Day brunch, or any other occasion.

Step 1In a large pitcher, mix wine, orange juice, brandy, and granulated sugar. Stir in oranges, apples, blueberries, strawberries, and cinnamon. Step 2Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.

The fruit should "steep" in the wine and liquor so the flavors meld (kind of like a good salsa), but don't let it all hang out for too long. "The fruit will get mealy and limp, and the sangria will taste bitter," says Martinez.

Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. The sangria gets softer, sweeter, and much more delicious overnight in the fridge. When ready to serve, top off the sangria with sparkling water.

Are you supposed to eat the fruit in sangria? ›

Some people consider it to be unacceptable to eat the fruit in Sangria. In contrast, others view it as an essential part of the drink. Whether you are one of those who choose to nibble on some fruit or not, there is no doubt that the sliced fruit served with the Sangria soaks up the flavors and is delicious to eat!

Even when prepared the right way, sangria can go bad if stored improperly. When purchased from a store and refrigerated unopened, sangria can last up to three months. When prepared yourself, if stored in an airtight container and refrigerated, it may last up to seven days.

Sangria, wine mixed with fruit, has always been legal and available. The issue comes about when Sangria is mixed with brandy or other spirits that raises the alcohol content of the drink. Alcohol-boosted Sangria was illegal because of a 1934 law formed post-prohibition to keep the percentage of alcohol low in drinks.

Since we are adding a lot of other sweet components to this drink we like to keep the white wine dry and high in acidity. Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo or a dry Riesling would all work great here.

White Sangria: Crisp, Refreshing Matches

Think of pairing it with dishes like grilled calamari, lemon-garlic shrimp, hummus, or a fresh peach and goat cheese salad. The crispness of the white wine enhances the freshness of these dishes, creating a harmonious balance between acidity and sweetness.

For the freshest-tasting drink, just avoid a wine with lots of oak. If you want a light and zingy sangria and are using garnishes like herbs, cucumbers, lemons or limes, choose a bright, high-acid white, like Vinho Verde from Portugal or dry Riesling from Germany.

If you're looking for something slightly sweeter, fruity, and well-rounded, try the Pinot Grigio. If you're looking for something with higher acidity levels and a little drier, but still on the lighter side, go with the Sauvignon Blanc.

Spanish Reds

When in doubt, stay mainly in Spain, where sangria traditionally hails from. A traditional Spanish red wine with plenty of backbone and a hint of spice (like Garnacha, Tempranillo, or a Rioja blend) will always lead you to a supremely balanced glass of red sangria.