The Best White Wine Cocktails

As much as we love the perfect glass of wine, sometimes the party calls for cocktails.  And, for those moments, we’re thankful to see bartenders pushing the limits and creating excellent wine cocktails. Many of these are perfect for adapting into batch recipes and serving at parties, too.  Here are some of our favorite white wine cocktail recipes. Whether you’re looking for a classic white wine spritzer, a creative white wine sangria, or the perfect white wine aperitif, we’ve got you covered.

White Wine Spritzer

This is the classic white wine cocktail and by far the simplest on this list. It’s easy to throw together and even easier to drink. For white wine spritzers, use a fruity, aromatic white wine, such as a Grenache, Pinot Noir, Riesling, or Sauvignon Blanc.  These are also best made by the glass, rather than ahead of time.

You’ll need:

• 60 ml (2 oz) of white wine
• Soda water
• Slice of lemon

To make a White Wine Spritzer:

• Fill a white wine glass with ice cubes and add the white wine.  
• Top up the glass with soda water and garnish with the lemon slice.

Kir

Did you find this article because you were looking for this classic crossword puzzle clue? (That’s great!  Welcome to the blog.) Kir is another simple, flavorful white wine aperitif that is easily prepared by the glass.

You’ll need:

• 120 ml of white wine
• 20 ml black currant liqueur

To make Kir:

• Simply add both ingredients to a wine glass.
• Swirl and enjoy.

Bellini

The Bellini is another classic cocktail with sparkling white wine.  We especially love this recipe from Jamie Oliver, which involves fresh white peach puree.  Get your blender ready. It’s worth it!

You’ll need:

• 4 white peaches (or peach juice if you’re feeling lazy)
• Sugar syrup
• Prosecco

To make Bellinis:

• Peel the peaches and puree them in a blender or food processor. Strain the puree and refrigerate it until it is cold.
• Pour 20 ml peach puree into a champagne flute.  
• Add one part (30 ml) sugar syrup and 4 parts (120 ml) Prosecco.
• Stir gently before serving.

Note, if you want your Bellini to have the iconic pink color, add a splash of raspberry or cherry juice.  

New Zealander Sangria

For a sangria off the beaten path, try this New Zealand-inspired recipe that uses white wine.  They recommend using a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand if you can find one. This cocktail is best if you make a full batch and chill it overnight before serving.

You’ll need:

• A bottle of white wine (preferably a Sauvignon Blanc)
• 1 tangerine, peeled and sliced
• 3-4 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
• 1 lemon, peeled and sliced
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 cups ginger ale or club soda

To make New Zealander Sangria:

• Pour the entire bottle of wine into a pitcher.
• Peel the fruit and squeeze the juice from the rinds into the wine. Then add the fruit slices to the pitcher.  
• Add the sugar and chill the mixture overnight.
• Add ginger ale or soda to the chilled mixture right before serving the next day.  

Note, this is also excellent with sliced peaches, strawberries, or mangoes.

Silver Sangria (White Wine and Gin)

For a white wine sangria that packs a little more punch, try this Silver Sangria, which features a floral gin.  You can try it with a juniper-forward gin, though it’s tastier with more floral or gins like Nolet or Hendrick’s.  

You’ll need:

• 8 oz gin (such as Nolet’s Silver Dry Gin)
• A bottle of dry white wine
• 4 oz white grape juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 oz of seedless, sliced grapes
• 1 apple, green or red, sliced
• 16 oz ginger ale or club soda

To make Silver Sangria:

• Combine the gin, white wine, and grape juice in a pitcher.  Dissolve the sugar in this mixture.
• Add the sliced fruit, stir, and chill the pitcher overnight.
• The next day, add the ginger ale (or club soda) and serve over ice.

Also read: Can you Mix Red and White Wine? And What Does it Taste Like?

Pineapple Sangria (White wine and Coconut Rum)

For a sangria with a tropical twist, try this Pineapple Sangria that has a few shots of coconut rum. Whether you’re having a tiki party or just daydreaming of the beach, this is one of the best summer white wine cocktails.

You’ll need:

• One bottle of white wine (try Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, or Viognier)
• 1 medium orange, cut into wedges
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• A fresh pineapple, chopped or sliced
• ¼ cup sugar
• 3 shots of coconut rum

To make Pineapple Sangria:

• Pour the bottle of wine into a pitcher.
• Squeeze the citrus wedges into the wine through a strainer to catch the seeds. Then put the wedges and pineapple pieces in the wine.  
• Add sugar to the wine and fruit mixture and chill it overnight in the fridge.
• Just before serving, add the ginger ale and rum. Serve over ice.

Note, you can use canned pineapple instead of fresh. Just be aware that sweetened canned pineapple will give the cocktail a sweeter edge, so you may want to use less sugar.

Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

Looking for a white wine cocktail for fall?  Look no further than this gorgeous, sparkling apple cider sangria.  It’s served chilled, which makes it perfect for those last warm afternoons of the year.  Definitely use fresh apple cider, too, if you’re lucky enough to have an apple orchard nearby.  

You’ll need:

• 2-3 diced apples (your favorite kind)
• ¾ cup of vodka (caramel-flavored, if available)
• ¼ cup of ginger liqueur
• One bottle of chilled, sparkling white wine
• 6 cups of chilled apple cider (preferably fresh)

To make Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria:

• Dice the apples and place into a punch bowl.  Then add the ginger liqueur and caramel vodka.  Allow this mixture to sit for at least 20 minutes.  (The longer, the better.)
• Add the bottle of sparkling wine and the apple cider. Stir and serve.

Glamour Girl Martini (White Wine and Peach Schnapps)

If you’ve been hoping to give those martini glasses a workout, the Glamour Girl Martini is your answer.  We’ll give you the glass by glass recipe, but you may want to go ahead and scale this one into a batch and chill it if you have a big party.  

You’ll need:

• 3 oz of a pink Pinot Grigio (such as Folonari)
• 1 oz peach schnapps
• ½ oz cranberry juice
• 1 maraschino cherry to garnish

To make a Glamour Girl Martini:

• Pour the Pinot Grigio, peach schnapps, and cranberry juice into a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass.
• Garnish with a cherry and enjoy!

Sherry Cobbler

The Sherry Cobbler was apparently quite popular a hundred years ago, but it’s mostly faded from memory.  Instead of thinking of it as old-fashioned, we prefer to think of it as old school. It’s a lovely cocktail for those who prefer a drink rather than a dessert as their final course, too.

You’ll need:

• 4 ounces Sherry, either Fino or Oloroso
• ½ oz of simple syrup
• 3 slices of fresh orange
• Fresh berries to garnish (whatever is in season)

To make a Sherry Cobbler:

• Combine the Sherry, simple syrup, and orange slices in a cocktail shaker with crushed ice.  Shake well and pour (unstrained!) into a large glass.
• Garnish with fresh berries and serve immediately.

Prefer Red Wine Cocktails?

We’ve got plenty of recipes for those, too!  Check out our round-up of the best red wine cocktails.