Winter White Sangria

Winter citrus season is upon us… and what better way to enjoy the fruits of the season than by mixing up a pitcher of Winter Sangria? Full of pink grapefruit, cara cara or blood oranges, pears and pomegranates, this white sangria recipe bursts with flavor. Makes 6 servings.

Love pitcher drinks? You don’t want to miss Citrus Cranberry Sangria, Moscow Mule Pitcher and Sparkling Bourbon Pumpkin Apple Cider Punch!

This was first posted on Julie’s Eats and Treats, where I was a contributor.

It’s mid-January, which means we’re well into winter citrus season! And unsurprisingly, this season is my absolute favorite.

While I wasn’t always a citrus fan, I’ve changed my tune in my 30s.

What better way to celebrate citrus season than by taking some of my favorite fruits and turning them into a delightful winter sangria?

Why I love this recipe:

I’ve made a few different winter sangrias before, but this white winter sangria recipe celebrates citrus the best.

I mean… how could it not with all those gorgeous grapefruit slices and the stunning cara cara oranges? The colors alone just make me giddy.

The flavors? Well, y’all, they’re everything you could hope for in a Winter Sangria because they involve the tartness of grapefruit, the mellow sweetness of cara cara orange, the bite of pear and the pop of pomegranate. All mixed together with a little mint simple syrup and a dry, crisp white wine.

This Winter Sangria is both clean and bright and the kind of drink that would not last long at a party.

Other drinks that are perfect for sharing during the winter months: Cranberry Moscow Mule (Yule Mule) | Blizzard Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail | Rum Cranberry Mule | Bourbon Milk Punch | Sparkling Ginger Cranberry Mocktail

Need some cocktail inspo? Head on over to my Drinks Recipe Index for some ideas.

What you need to make this Winter White Sangria recipe:

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• Saucepan
• Fine mesh strainer
• 8 oz. mason jar
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Pitcher

In addition to these tools, you’ll need a few ingredients to make your Winter White Sangria, too.

• Granulated sugar and water
• Fresh mint
• Sauvignon blanc—New Zealand sauv blancs are my personal favorite because they’re crisp, aren’t too sweet and have citrus undertones, but use whatever type you enjoy drinking so long as it’s unoaked.
• Pears
• Oranges (Cara Cara or blood oranges are perfect because their color is stunning!)
• Grapefruit
• Pomegranate arils

How to make Winter Fruit Sangria

Make the Mint Simple Syrup

This mint simple syrup is simply a regular simple syrup (which is equal parts water and sugar) infused with fresh mint. We’re going to use a cup of water and a cup of sugar, but we only need about half that amount for the sangria. We are making extra because you might like yours sweeter than I like mine!

Combine them in a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until the sugar has dissolved in the water. Turn off the heat, throw in the mint and let it infuse for 30-45 minutes.

Transfer the simple syrup into a mason jar, and chill in the fridge until it’s time to use it.

Make the Winter Sangria recipe

Before we mix the sangria, you need to slice up the oranges, pears and grapefruit. Do that first.

When the slicing is done, transfer the fruit and pomegranate arils into a large glass pitcher. They take up a lot of space, so don’t use a pitcher that’s a smaller.

Pour in the mint simple syrup, then the cold sauvignon blanc.

Use a wooden spoon to stir the liquid with the fruit. This might be challenging, depending on the size of your pitcher, so take your time and do it slowly, so as not to spill this eveywhere.

When the ingredients are combined, regrigerate for at least 10 hours or overnight.

Serve chilled with additional fruit slices, and enjoy!

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

Winter Sangria, obviously, is my choice drink to serve to a crowd for a party. I’m all about pitcher drinks, especially those I can make in advance. And since this sangria really needs the overnight chilling, you basically do yourself a favor by making it a day before. Less work the day of a gathering AND a more flavorful drink to serve to your guests!

But it’s not just for parties. You could easily make it for a football-centric gathering or a girls’ night in. Heck, it would be delicious served along a homemade Valentine’s Day dinner for you and your sweet.

Here are a few tips and tricks to use this white sangria recipe during entertaining:

• Decide you’re going to make this winter sangria recipe 1-2 days beforehand, and make it the night before. The key to sangria is giving the fruit and wine time to meld together. While it tastes just fine mixed fresh, there’s something special about when the sangria is given time to steep and the flavors really combine and meld into something special.
• Swap out the fruits if you can’t find certain ones! Use any type of orange or grapefruit you can get your hands on. Same with the pear! 
• Double or triple the recipe if you’re hosting a crowd—just make sure you’ve got a big enough pitcher or more than one to hold all the goodness!

Frequently Asked Questions

Which white wine is best for sangria?

For this winter white wine sangria, I like a sauvignon blanc. If you’re not a fan, a dry pinot grigio would do the trick, too.

I suggest steering away from a chardonnay or any other white wine that has an oaky taste because it will take away from the sangria.

Is sangria and wine the same thing?

Sangria is a wine-based drink, so they’re almost he same! However, sangria has a lot of additional things, like fruit and a simple syrup!

Do I have to make the mint simple syrup? Is there something I can substitute for that?

If you can’t find fresh mint in the wintertime like we can here in Texas, you can use a regular simple syrup. You can even purchase bottled simple syrup* (affiliate link) from the store.