Wine Wednesday – White Sand-gria Time

Story by Sarah Murphy Robertson

The sun-filled summer months call for entertaining “al fresco” and one fun and popular way to enjoy white wine is in sangria. Sangria has often received a bad rap for hiding less-than-stellar wines among syrupy sodas and fruit. My recipe for a white sangria isn’t cloying or overly sweet, will highlight the wine’s characteristics, while still refreshing and delighting your guests.

Emerald Coast White Sand-gria
• 750 ML bottle of a dry, crisp, un-oaked white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc*
• 2 ounces Simple Syrup (Equal parts sugar and water brought to a boil for 2 minutes and cooled)
• 1 thinly sliced citrus (lemon or lime)
• 1 Granny Smith apple; thinly sliced
• Sparkling soda water
• Mint and berries for garnishing (optional)

Combine simple syrup, lemon or lime, and Granny Smith apples in a large pitcher. Pour white wine over fruit mixture and chill for at least one hour. When ready to serve, fill glasses with ice. Spoon some fruit into each glass, and top off with a splash of soda water. Garnish with mint or berries if desired.

*I recommend using a quality mid-range Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Ecco Domani’s Pinot Grigio or Coppola’s Diamond Series Yellow Label Sauvignon Blanc work well for this recipe.