You’ll love this fresh, bright white sangria recipe with apples, peaches, vanilla, Moscato, and Riesling. It’s light, fruity, and incredibly refreshing.
While you may be used to red sangria, this white wine version tastes incredible and is just as perfect for gatherings. Our version is easy to make and actually improves with time, so you can make it up to 2 days in advance.
For the perfect balance of sweetness, we call for two white wines: Moscato and an off-dry Riesling. The combination makes such a delicious sangria (trust me!), and both are usually very affordable! For more like this, see our peach sangria, which also calls for white wine.
Key Ingredients
- Moscato Wine: For this sangria, we recommend an Italian Moscato d’Asti. It is known for delightful fruity and floral notes with a delicate sweetness. You can find excellent bottles for under $15.
- Riesling Wine: To balance the sweetness of the Moscato, choose an off-dry Riesling. These wines offer a refreshing acidity that complements the fruit. Many Riesling bottles have a sweetness scale on the back label, so look for ‘medium-dry’ or ‘dry’ options. If there isn’t a scale, check the alcohol content. Wines with 11% to 12.5% ABV are usually off-dry, while anything below 11% will be sweet.
- Brandy: This adds a bit more oomph to the sangria, which I love. It does bump up the alcohol content, so if you are looking for a lighter drink, consider reducing or omitting this.
- Fruit: We love dicing an apple and a peach (fresh or thawed frozen slices work!) and tossing in a handful of raspberries for color. You can always play around with the fruit. Pears, apricots, nectarines, blueberries, strawberries, and orange slices are all great options. This is your sangria, so use what you love.
- Vanilla: Moscato and Riesling already have a hint of vanilla, so we bump that up with some vanilla extract. might sound odd, but it’s really delicious.
- Sparkling Water: This is optional, but if you like bubbly cocktails like me, divide the sangria between glasses and top with a splash of sparkling water. You can even use flavored water like peach, strawberry, or lime!
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make White Wine Sangria
Tip 1: Muddle the fruit. The base of this sangria is apples and peaches. We recommend gently muddling them with the brandy first. This helps release their juices and flavors, making the sangria even more delicious. Then, add the more delicate raspberries. (If you don’t have a cocktail muddler, the handle of a wooden spoon works perfectly!)
Tip 2: Pour in the wine and chill. Top the fruit with your white wine and a splash of vanilla extract (the vanilla works wonders with the floral notes of the Moscato). Pop the pitcher in the fridge to chill for at least an hour. (Remember: This recipe gets better with time, so feel free to make it up to 2 days in advance!)
Tip 3: Adjusting the wine (Optional). If you prefer to buy just one variety of wine, you can use two bottles of Moscato or two bottles of Riesling. Just note that a Riesling-only sangria might be a little dry, so taste it and consider adding a tablespoon of honey or agave if it needs a bit more sweetness.
More Wine Cocktails
White Sangria
- PREP
- TOTAL
We love this sangria made with white wine. For the best flavor, we love using two wine varieties: a fruity, floral, and slightly sweet Moscato and an off-dry Riesling. The Riesling’s acidity perfectly balances the Moscato’s sweetness and the fruit in the sangria. You can find excellent bottles of each for $15 to $20.
You Will Need
1 medium apple, cored and diced
2 peaches, peeled with pit removed and diced (or use 2 cups frozen)
½ cup brandy, optional (120ml)
10 fresh raspberries
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (750ml) bottle Moscato, look for Italian Moscato d’Asti
1 (750ml) bottle off-dry to dry Riesling
Directions
1Make sangria: In a large pitcher, combine the diced apples, peaches, and brandy (optional), then use a cocktail muddler or the end of a wooden spoon to gently muddle everything together. Add the raspberries, vanilla, and both bottles of wine.
2Chill: Stir well, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or cover the pitcher and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
3Serve: Divide between glasses and top with a splash of seltzer water, if desired.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Choosing Moscato: Look for Italian-made Moscatos that have the words “Moscato d’Asti” on them. These are generally inexpensive, effervescent, and quite delicious.
- Choosing Riesling: Look for off-dry to dry rieslings or those with a listed alcohol percentage of 11 to 12.5. We particularly enjoy Rieslings from Washington State.
- Substitutions: Moscato and Riesling aren’t the only wines that work here. Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and sparkling wines can work, too. You might find you need to add some sweetness; keep honey or agave on hand to sweeten the sangria if needed.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
Love this recipe! Love sangria: -)