It’s summer, the sun is beating down, the aperitif is starting by the pool, and you’re about to prepare the assortment of kebabs for the barbecue. Naturally, you’ve opted for a good sangria – what could be better when you’re in the south under the pine trees?

First and foremost, Sangria is a light drink for summer, so pair it with a young, light, fruity wine! A low-tannin wine is therefore essential. It can be fruity or spiced up with a few spices, which go perfectly with seasonal fruit.

Sangria with red wine

Red wines for Sangria should therefore be light, young, fruity or spicy. In general, we recommend grape varieties such as Syrah, Grenache or Gamay for your cocktails.

A well-made Syrah wine offers a perfect balance of acidity, fruit and spice. For Gamay, it produces low-tannin, very fruity, gourmet wines, perfect for Sangria, even though they come from the cooler regions north of Lyon. Grenache, a traditional grape variety of southern France and Spain, produces fleshy, juicy wines with black fruit aromas. The wines they produce are low in tannin and easy to drink when well made (Côtes du Rhône, for example), making for very tasty Sangria.

Rosé Sangria

Closely related to red wine, rosé allows you to vary the pleasures of your cocktails, making them less heavy and less tannic. With their grapefruit and citrus aromas, they blend perfectly with lemon and orange juices.

You can choose a rosé from Provence, his favorite region, but many other regions offer fine rosé wines. Very good ones can be found in the Rhône, Beaujolais and Loire regions. Above all, be careful not to fall for wines with an acid grapefruit taste…

How about a white wine Sangria?

What’s a white Sangria? This cocktail, fresher and fruitier than the others, is perfect for sunny afternoons in the garden. The fruit you use will vary slightly to match the white wine. Choose white peaches, pineapple, strawberries, melon or even grapefruit.

On the wine side, fruity Alsace wines with exotic aromas are the perfect match for fruit. Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer, which should not be too sweet, but rather dry to balance the sweetness of the fruit, are ideal partners! Similarly, a dry Chardonnay with a very fruity aroma will do just as well if your local cellar doesn’t stock Alsatian wines.

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