White Sangria
Dry white wine, brandy, peaches, citrus and a little sugar, chilled and topped with soda. Sangria blanca — lighter and fresher than the red, and the pitcher to make in peach season.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Put the sliced peaches, orange, lemon and apple in a pitcher.
Add the brandy and syrup, stir, then pour in the wine and refrigerate for two to four hours.
Just before serving, add the soda water and stir gently.
Pour into ice-filled wine glasses with some fruit in each.
A thoughtful finish
- A dry, cheap, unoaked white; oak and sweetness both fight the fruit.
- Ripe stone fruit is the drink; use what is in season.
- Soda at the table, not in the pitcher.
Common mistakes
- Sweet wine plus syrup.
- Oaked Chardonnay.
- Serving it before the fruit has had time to flavour the wine.
A few good questions.
What does White Sangria taste like?
Cool, light white wine with peach, citrus and a little brandy — fresher and less heavy than red sangria.
Which wine?
A dry, unoaked Spanish or Portuguese white: Albariño, Verdejo, Vinho Verde. Pinot Grigio works.
How strong is it?
Around 9% to 10% in the glass once the fruit and soda are in — a little under the wine itself.
Can I use cava?
Yes; add it at the end in place of the soda for a sparkling version.
Variations
- Sangria — Red wine, brandy, fruit and sugar.
- Virgin Sangria — Grape and orange juice with fruit.
- White Wine Spritzer — White wine and soda.
- Kalimotxo — Red wine and cola.
Where it comes from
c. 1960s · Spain
Red sangria is the famous one, but Spain’s white version — sangría blanca, or in Catalonia and Valencia the cava-based clarea — is as old as the habit of putting fruit and spirit in wine, and it became a restaurant pitcher alongside the red in the 1960s and 1970s. The white wine’s lightness suits summer fruit: peaches, nectarines, green apple, lemon and orange, with a measure of brandy or orange liqueur for depth and a little sugar if the fruit is tart. It wants a dry, unoaked white — an Albariño, Verdejo or Vinho Verde — a long chill, and soda added at the table so it keeps its lift. Made with cava instead of still wine it becomes a Spanish sparkling punch.
Sources
- Penelope Casas, The Foods and Wines of Spain, 1982 (book)
- Difford's Guide, White Sangria, 2010 (reference)
- Liquor.com, White Sangria, 2019 (reference)
Strength. About 1.17 US standard drinks at an estimated 9.3% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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