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
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here’s what you need to grab at the store:
- 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.
- Winter fruits — we use a combination of pears, cara cara oranges, blood oranges, grapefruit and pomegranate arils to add color and citrusy notes to this sangria recipe.
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
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.
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!
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.
More recipes to try with winter citrus:
Love blood oranges? Check out Blood Orange Mocktail Mule and Fizzy Blood Orange Margarita.
Into grapefruit? You’ve got to try Sparkling Grapefruit Sangria and Grapefruit Vodka Coffee Cocktail.
Just want to try this sangria? Scroll on down to the recipe card…
Winter White Sangria
Ingredients
Mint Simple Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 bunch fresh mint
Sangria
- 740 ml. sauvignon blanc
- ½ cup mint simple syrup add more or less, depending on the sweetness of the grapefruits
- 2 D’Anjuo pears sliced
- 2 Cara Cara oranges sliced
- 1 pink grapefruit sliced
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
Make the Mint Simple Syrup
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat, pour in a cup of water and a cup of sugar.
- Heat until the sugar completely dissolves into the water.
- Add the bunch of mint, and let it infuse with the simple syrup for 30-45 minutes.
- Strain the mint out of the simple syrup, and pour into a mason jar. Chill until it’s time to use. This can be made up to two weeks in advance.
Make the Sangria
- Using a sharp knife, slice the oranges, pears and grapefruit.
- Transfer the fruit, as well as the pomegranate arils, to a large glass pitcher.
- Pour in the mint simple syrup and the sauvignon blanc.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir the liquid with the fruit, and refrigerate for at least 10 hours or overnight.
- Serve chilled with additional fruit slices!
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
This is one of the prettiest drinks I have ever seen! Bet it’s delicious too!
This is absolutely beautiful!!!
I could use this pretty little drink right about now!!! Looks delightful! Can’t wait to try it!!!
I could use this pretty little drink right about now!!! Looks delightful! Can’t wait to try it!!!
I made this sangria for a Christmas party, and it was a huge hit. I doubled the recipe, but I could have easily tripled it for 10 adults and had zero leftovers. Highly recommend! If you are entertaining, your guests will love it!