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

FAQs

What type of wine is best for white 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.

Traditionally, Sangria is made with Spanish red wine, most often Rioja, which is produced from the Tempranillo grape with smaller amounts of Garnacha (Grenache) and Graciano. Tempranillo is still widely used in Spain, but any medium-bodied red wine is suitable, including Merlot and Zinfandel.

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.

Some of the most popular sweet white wine types include Riesling, Moscato, Gewürztraminer, ice wine, and late harvest wine. These aromatic white wines can range from light and delicate to bold and full-bodied. Sweet white wines can also be called dessert wines for their super sweet characters.

1) Bottle of Garnacha or Pinot Noir

Garnacha comes from Spain, so it's my top pick for authentic Spanish sangria! Choose an inexpensive wine (under $20) that you would enjoy on its own. Why Garnacha and Pinot Noir? They're fruity, low-tannin red wines.

"The astringency of tannin heavy wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Nebbiolo can clash with the fruity elements of the sangria." Instead, Mazur suggests choosing a light red wine with low tannin, like a Gamay, Zinfandel, or Garnacha.

Originally, sangria was aged wine mixed with fruit and spices, such as cinnamon, then evolved through time into regional variations. Our recipe combines red wine with orange juice, brandy, apples, blueberries, strawberries, and a cinnamon stick to create the classic fruity, spiced flavor.

The Overnight Resting Period Is Important!

This lets the fruit infuse the wine, letting its juices get in the mix and sweeten up the drink.

Any juicy fruits (such as citrus, berries, grapes, pineapple, mango, kiwi, etc.) would be delicious. Add fresh ginger: If you would like to give your sangria a bit of a kick, muddle in a few slices of fresh ginger.

Is white sangria sweeter than red sangria? ›

Drier wines will need to be sweetened more, a lighter, sweeter wine won't need too much added to it. Typically the white sangria has a sweeter flavor than the red, but again, it's all up to you!

The longer sangria sits in the refrigerator, the more the wine soaks into the fruit. I recommend refrigerating the sangria for at least 2 hours before serving, but preferably overnight.

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.

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.

A bottled sangria with 13.9% alcohol content is getting people so drunk that it's being called the 'new Four Loko'

As long as the wine is inexpensive, fruity and tastes good on its own, it'll work well in sangria.

"When choosing wine for sangria, it's best to go with something neutral, fresh, and fruity that compliments the fresh flavors of your sangria," said Lynne White, beverage director at New York City Spanish restaurant and tapas bar Boqueria.

Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio Alto Adige

This Italian jewel is beloved by Americans and this is the perfect wine to sip on while you whip up that white sangria made with… this wine!

White Sangria is the perfect co*cktail for brunches, patio parties, or just a hot summer afternoon! Sweet and delicious summer fruit is soaked in white wine, apricot brandy, and peach schnapps. Top it off with some club soda or prosecco for a deliciously refreshing adult beverage!