Need an easy to make cocktail that is full of delicious flavor and bursting with color? This drink is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

White Sangria is a beautiful, delicious drink that uses seasonal fruit, inexpensive white wines, and white rum to produce a flavor and color that embody a summer vacation.

This bright, flavorful drink is a staple at our summer gatherings- and I hope it will soon become one of yours too!

What Makes A White Sangria?

White Sangria- like it’s red sangria cousin- is of Spanish origin. Both sangrias utilize seasonal fruits, berries, and inexpensive wines. As one of my friends said, “it’s like fruit salad with alcohol”, lol!

The big difference in the sangrias is the wine choice. As you may have guessed white sangria uses dry white wines, while traditional sangria is made with red wine varietals.

White Wines to Use

The two best white wines to use for a white sangria are Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc as they are acidic, crisp, dry, and- especially important- easy to find.

If you notice on the back of their bottles they are each often noted to have hints of apple and peach flavor in their bouquet- these will complement the sangria seasonal fruit selection nicely.

Just a quick note– when I say inexpensive I don’t mean cheap or inferior quality. Those types of wines often rely on extra sugar to try to make up for tartness of the inferior grapes they use.

Exception- Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw (aka 2 Buck Chuck) Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc is a steal and you won’t sacrifice quality.
Trader Joe’s buys their wines from some of the top wineries in the country and repackages them under their label.

Brandy or No Brandy

To use brandy or to not use a brandy-Honestly, I think this comes down to preference. Personally, for white sangria, I like white rum. It is smooth and does not detract from the natural fruit and wine flavors of the drink.

In my opinion, I have found brandy’s to be just a little too strong in their flavor and I feel it distracts from the rest of the white sangria mix.

When it comes to rum- I often use Bacardi Superior White Rum- it goes nicely in a variety of cocktails and it is easy to find.

What Fruit Works Best for the Sangria

Sangria’s beauty is that is embraces the season you choose to make it in. For white sangria- it craves the summer seasonal bounty of berries, melons, and fruits.

For me, and this recipe, I enjoy the beauty and flavor of strawberries, peaches, blueberries, raspberries, fresh pineapple, and oranges- marinating for 24 hours in a pitcher mixture of Sauvignon blanc and Pinot Grigio.

Once you try this recipe- next time, let your heart and seasonal bounty be your guide. Some dry white wines have hints of melon- so try adding watermelon, honey dew, or cantaloupe to your sangria.

One of the beauties of sangria is there are no hard rules- and it is always delicious!

Simple Syrup in White Sangria?

Simple syrup is a easy way to further balance out the flavors of the wine, rum, fruit, and orange juice.

Creating a simple syrup- instead of using whole granulated sugar- will allow for the sugar mixture to blend with the drink immediately. This allows you to worry about whether or not the sugar has dissolved before you serve it.

Using a simple syrup- as opposed to straight granulated sugar- allows you to control the flavor of the drink better. You will add your simple syrup 1/8th at a time- then give it a taste. Still not where you would like it- add a little more simple syrup.

Creating a simple syrup is super easy and you can find the recipe here.

White Sangria

White Sangria is the perfect beverage to share with friends during a summer brunch, summer evening bonfire, or anywhere friends gather.

Deliciously Simple White Sangria

Recipe by DarbieCourse: DrinksDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

White Sangria can be made as little as an hour ahead of time, but 24 hours before is preferred.

Ingredients

1 Bottle Pinot Grigio
1/4 Cup Rum- make sure it is the clear or white rum.
1/8-1/4 Cup Simple Syrup
2 Peaches
2 Cups Strawberries Cut into 4th’s
1 Cup Raspberries
1 Pint Blueberries
1 Cup Fresh Pineapple
1 Orange Sliced into half moons for sangria and glass garnish.
1 Bottle Sauvignon Blanc
1/2 Cup Orange Juice- tones down the rum flavor and adds color

Directions

Grab a 2 Liter Pitcher.
In a pitcher pour 1 bottle of Pinot, Rum, 1/8 Cup cooled simple syrup and gently stir.
Add peaches, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, half of the oranges, and pineapple.
Add 1 bottle of Sauvignon blanc, slowly. You will need to leave room at the top of the pitcher for adding the orange juice.
Stir gently.
Taste the mixture with a spoon. This will give you a base to compare the mix before the OJ is added. This usually helps me decide how much of the OJ I will use and if I may need more simple syrup.
Slowly add the orange juice. It adds a nice color background for the fruit and flavor balance. Taste it with your spoon again. Do you need more simple syrup? Do you need to add the rest of the OJ?
After all of that, give it a gentle stir. Make sure the fruit is all jumbled and beautiful.
Refrigerate until it is time to serve.

Notes

Recipe Notes:
For fun, use the leftover orange half moons to garnish the rims of the drinking glasses. Make a small slit in the middle of the half moon and gently place on the edge of the glass.
** As a side note, I am a huge fan of color, so I like to use fruit that not only gives a pop of color to the sangria but complements the flavor of the wines too. The great thing about this Sangria is you can easily play around with it and make it your own- it’s a forgiving cocktail.

Shop the Post:

Find it Here

Deliciously Simple White Sangria Recipe