Sparkling Strawberry Sangria (2024)

About this strawberry sangria

Bubbly, effervescent, and beautifully refreshing, this homemade sangria recipe is the perfect balance of dry, sweet, and fruity flavors! Featuring dry brut champagne or sparkling wine paired with sweet white wine, orange liqueur, pomegranate juice and plenty of fresh fruit. The wines are bright and crisp, the sweet berries shine and the orange liqueur adds just enough flavor. Serve it over fruit-infused ice cubes or stretch your budget by adding a splash of club soda. Either way, this sparkling sangria is downright delicious and the perfect pour for any and every occasion! Make it as a flirty Valentine’s drink, a refreshing summer poolside drink, or any time you need a fizzy, celebratory beverage!

When it comes to serving, the wine-soaked fruit is (arguably) the best part of sangria! If serving guests, I recommend offering disposable spoons or forks to make easy work out of fruit fishing. Alternatively, you can add fresh fruit onto skewers and serve those on the side!

Plus, this sparkling strawberry sangria recipe only requires 5 minutes of hands-on preparation before it is ready to chill! It’s easy enough to enjoy with your Sunday brunch, yet elegant enough to serve to family and friends at your next holiday gathering or outdoor picnic!

If you love refreshing strawberry co*cktails, be sure to try these reader favorites next: Strawberry Milkshake with Vodka, Wine Float, Basil Strawberry co*cktail, Alcoholic Drink with Strawberries and Lime.

What is Sangria?

Sangria is a chilled alcoholic beverage consisting of wine and freshly chopped fruits paired with flavored liqueurs or fizzy spirits. Traditional Sangria from Spain and Portugal use red wine, but there are endless variations. Sangria Blanca is a more recent version that uses white wine instead, just like this recipe!

Ingredients for sparkling wing sangria

This strawberry sangria recipe features sparkling wine or champagne, sweet white wine and fresh berries, for a creative and delicious spin on the classic Spanish Sangria. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Wines:This sangria recipe uses a combination of two wines: Brut champagne or sparkling wine (such as Cava or Prosecco) and sweet white wine or dessert wine, such as Riesling. The blend of wines creates a co*cktail that is refreshing, effervescent and the perfect balance of dryand sweet!
• Liqueur:Orange liqueur (Grand Marnier, Cointreau and Triple Sec) is a traditional addition to sangria; however, you can also use blood orange or strawberry liqueur in this recipe! Plus, brandy works in a pinch, as it’s commonly used in sangria as well.
• Fruit Juice:Pomegranate juice provides a rich, tart, winey flavor that makes this sangria recipe extra special. Make sure you use 100% pure pomegranate juice, and not diluted juice for the best flavor. Alternatively, you can use strawberry puree for a stronger berry flavor.
• Fresh Fruit: The wine-soaked fruit is one of the best parts of this fruity wine punch!
  • Strawberries:Fresh strawberries lend a beautiful sweet, fruity flavor to sangria.When looking for ripe strawberries, check for a bright red color. If there’s any whiteness around the stem of the berries, they weren’t picked at peakripeness. Perfectly ripe berries will have a vibrant red hue and minimal discoloration.
  • Raspberries:Fresh raspberries add a delicious layer of tart and sweet flavor. When picking raspberries at the store, look for berries that are full and firm with consistent coloring.
  • Oranges:You’ll need 3 oranges for this sangria recipe – two for juicing and one for slicing. While you can use any variety you love, the best oranges for juicing include Navel oranges, Valencia oranges, blood oranges, tangerines, clementines and satsumas.
  • Lemons: Fresh lemon slices provide a zing of tangy flavor and lend a lightness to summer sangria.

Optional ingredients

• Mint:Fresh mint leaves lend a sweet, cooling flavor. But mint has a strong flavor, so I recommend using just a few leaves so you don’t overpower the sangria.
• Sweetener:If you prefer a sweet sangria, soak the fruit in white sugar, honey or agave for 20 minutes at room temperature (before adding the mint, wine, liqueur, etc.). Soaking berries in sugar is a process known as maceration – you have probably done this when preparing strawberry shortcake or making an easy strawberry sauce for sundaes! Alternatively, you can sweeten the sangria after preparing it by dropping in a cube of sugar or stirring in a bit of honey or agave.
• To stretch your sangria: If you want to stretch your budget or make your sangria serve more people, top each glass of white sangria with a splash or two of sparkling water, club soda, soda water, or lemon-lime soda.

Recipe variations

When it comes to flavor combinations, the sky is the limit with homemade sangria! I love the sweet and tangy combination of strawberries with raspberries, pomegranates, oranges and lemons. However, there are so many other fruits you can use with strawberries in this sangria recipe.

Try using slices of fleshy peaches, apricots, nectarines, and other stone fruits. You can also give your fruit and wine co*cktail a tropical flair by adding kiwis, mangoes, and pineapples instead! Use different liqueur flavors to match the fruits you are using. Here are some of my favorite formulas:

• Strawberry Peach Sangria: Use a combination of strawberries with peaches, lemons and peach schnapps.
• Blood Orange Strawberry: Swap the fresh oranges out for blood oranges and use blood orange liqueur.
• Strawberry Kiwi co*cktail: A tropical combination of strawberries, kiwis, limes and strawberry vodka.
• Fall Sangria: Slice up strawberries along with a couple apples and throw in a cinnamon stick.

How to make Sangria with strawberries at home

This strawberry white wine sangria recipe is so easy and legitimately takes 10 minutes, tops! If you prefer a sweeter sangria, I recommend macerating (soaking) the berries and citrus slices in a tablespoon or two of granulated sugar, honey or agave before adding the wines.

1. Combine fruits: Add strawberries, raspberries, the rounds from 1 orange, all the lemon rounds, and mint to a large pitcher, serving or punch bowl.
   • For a sweet white sangria: Don’t add the mint. Instead, sprinkle sugar or sugar substitute over the berries and citrus slices. Stir to coat. Set aside for 15-20 minutes to macerate. Add the mint and proceed!
2. Add liquids: Add the Grand Marnier, pomegranate juice, orange juice and sweet white wine. Stir to combine.
3. Chill: Cover and place the strawberry wine sangria in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours.
4. Add Champagne:Pour the champagne into the sangria.
5. Serve: Pour the strawberry sangria into ice-filled wine glasses. Top with a splash or two of club soda if you are looking to stretch your budget. Enjoy!

Expert tips for success!

• Use cold ingredients. I recommend starting with cold ingredients (wines, liqueur, juices) as it just makes a better sangria. Also, you need to chill the champagne before adding it to the white sangria.
• Ice cubes on glasses. When serving, make sure you add ice cubes to glasses, and not to the pitcher of strawberry sangria. Adding ice in pitcher will water down the strawberry white wine sangria and dilute all the delicious flavors.
• Infused Ice Cubes:I recommend making your own infused ice cubes! Depending upon the size of your ice cube tray, chop up fruit or keep it whole and add it to the tray. Add a few mint leaves and a small pinch of white sugar. (I typically make mine with pomegranate arils + mint + honey). Or you can use frozen fruits instead! Frozen grapes or melon balls can be excellent substitutes for ice cubes!
• Keeping Sangria cold:Make sure all your ingredients are cold to start with. If you are not serving it right away, properly store it in the refrigerator.
• Let the flavors meld! Make this at least 1 hours in advance before serving to allow the flavors to fuse and the berries to soak!

Serving Champagne sangria

Sparkling wine sangria is always best when enjoyed properly chilled! For small gatherings, you can make and serve your Sangria in a pitcher. However, I urge you to bring out your punch bowl or glass serving bowl instead for larger crowds! I typically use my large trifle bowl and it works just great!

Sangria is traditionally enjoyed with Spanish tapas. I typically pair it with small bites and party appetizers, such as and Candied Walnuts, Smoked Salmon Appetizer Rolls, and Whipped Ricotta Cheese Dip if serving a large crowd. However, this sparkling strawberry sangria pairs perfect with everything from juicy cheeseburgers and pasta salad to grilled chicken with corn salad!

Storing leftovers

• Cover before storing. Make sure you cover the strawberry sangria punch bowl or pitcher with a lid or plastic wrap. This ensures that the flavors remain undiluted from the other food inside your refrigerator.
• Make ahead and storage time. Homemade sparkling sangria should last in the fridge for three to five days. Make sure to check that the fruits have not spoiled first before serving.
• Longer storage option. Separate the fruits using a sieve and store them separately if you want your Sangria to stay fresh longer!

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