Basil Citrus Sangria
post updated June 2025
What’s better than a large pitcher of refreshing sangria and a room full of friends discussing books? Nothing, that’s what! This easy white wine sangria is exploding with citrus flavors and fresh basil. If you are on the hunt for the perfect summer cocktail, look no further.
Why I love this sangria so much
I do not like sweet cocktails, so this sangria is the perfect drink for me. It has some sweetness from the wine, the orange, the fresh fruit garnishes, and even the fresh herbs. While searching for a sangria recipe to serve at our book club. I was looking for a white sangria recipe that was light and refreshing, with a little fizz to top it off. On a hot summer day, there is nothing better, in my opinion, than a cold bottle of white wine or a pitcher of sangria! A traditional sangria includes wine, fresh fruit, brandy, and a simple syrup. I’ve simplified this one by leaving out the simple syrup, but if you prefer a sweeter sangria, go to the Tips & Variations for how to make your own simple syrup. Now, let’s talk books for a bit!
Heft covers many topics and the lives of primarily three people, one being an extremely obese shut-in. What was I supposed to feed my book club babes? I thought about serving everything in take-out containers, running through one of Arthur Opp’s binges, and making everything he ate—burgers, pizza, peanut butter crackers, egg rolls, a cake, a jug of milk. I decided to make what sounded good to me and not try to stick with a theme for the food from the book. I served various dips and chips, including spinach dip with Bugles, one of my favorites (I think Arthur would have liked some spinach dip with Bugles too), and the signature drink of the night was Basil Citrus Sangria! More book reviews can be found after the recipe card.
Book review of Heft: The main characters in this book are Arthur, Kel, Charlene, and then Yolanda, the not-to-be-forgotten housekeeper Arthur hires to tidy up his place after a decade of not leaving the house or having anyone over. Arthur has become so grotesquely obese that he hasn’t attempted to go upstairs in his home for years. I will tell you, this book is sad for the most part; I was just downright sick to my stomach for all of the characters in this book most of the time. The author has a way of making you genuinely connect with the characters in this book; I wanted them to make the right decisions, I wanted them to change and grow, and know real love, unconditional love, and what safe love feels like. The characters felt real to me, I wanted to know more about them. I like that in a book when I want to know more when I don’t want it to end. And not because I just want it to turn out differently but because I want the story to go on. I would say this book is about deep sadness, depression of the darkest kind, loneliness beyond what most of us could imagine, but it’s also about stepping out of our comfort zones and, letting others in, and learning to change, love, and to forgive.
Gather these ingredients
How to make Basil Citrus Sangria
First, add several basil leaves and a few mint leaves, if you have them, to a pitcher. Squeeze half of an orange, lemon, and lime over the herbs, add liquor, and using a wooden spoon, muddle the herbs with the liquids until the leaves are broken down.
Next, add lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit slices and pour in a chilled bottle of white wine. You can use your favorite sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or white blend. If you can find a Spanish white wine, even better! Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, smash the fruit and herbs around with the wine to get as much flavor out of them as possible.
Add your choice of fresh fruit to the bottom of the glass with a few basil springs for garnish.
Pour chilled sangria over fresh fruit and herbs, top it off with an additional leaf of mint or basil, and that’s it! Oh, I forgot the fizz. Add a splash of sparkling water. I share my favorites below.
When I serve sangria, I like to give my guests plenty of options. So, I often have a bowl of fresh fruit, slices of citrus, and fresh herbs out. I also try adding a few different fizzy options, such as club soda, sparkling water, or even Prosecco.
Tips & Variations
- The best types of wine for white sangria are lighter wines such as pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, or a white blend. You do not need to buy the best wine for sangria; actually, a less expensive wine is best because you are going to be adding ingredients to the wine, and if you purchase a really nice, expensive bottle of wine, you want to enjoy it for what it is.
- Sweeteners: If you prefer your sangria sweeter add simple syrup. You can make your own simple syrup by adding 1 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of water to a small saucepan place it on the the stove over medium-low heat stir continuously until sugar has dissolved and liquid starts to bubble around the edges. Remove from heat and let cool. Add up to a half a cup of simple syrup to your sangria. You can also flavor simple syrup by adding citrus peel or zest and then straining it out. You can also allow people to add their sweetener to their wine glasses, by setting it out with the sangria with a tablespoon or a shot glass.
- Large batch: It’s easy to make a larger batch of sangria if you have a large pitcher. This works, or a punch bowl is also a very fun way to serve sangria to a crowd. There is no need to alter any of the amounts; simply double or triple the recipe.
- Rose Sangria: A crisp Rose is perfect during the warmer summer months and is great in this sangria recipe. I like to add more lemon juice and leave out the lime when using a rose’. Peaches are also a great fresh fruit to pair with a Rose’ sangria.
- Red Wine Sangria: I love to use a Gamay or a Pinot Noir for red wine sangria. I have substituted both of these into this recipe for a lighter option.
I would love to hear what you are reading this summer. I’m always excited to talk about books and food! Please take a moment to give this recipe a star rating below in the recipe card and share it on your socials. You can tag me at eat2gather! XO Sheila
Basil Citrus Sangria
Equipment
- 1 large glass pitcher
- 1 wooden spoon or long handled spatula
Ingredients
- 1 bottle Pinot Grigio or White Table Wine
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1/2 cup Basil leaves cut into thin strips and then measured
- 1 Lemon sliced thin
- 1 Lime sliced thin
- 1 Orange sliced thin
- 24 ounce sparkling citrus water
- strawberries for garnish
- mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Chill the wine and the soda. Slice citrus as thin as possible, place in a pitcher with basil pour in brandy and muddle together with a wooden spoon, add wine and blood orange soda, chill until ready to serve. Fish out a few pieces of fruit, place fruit in glass with ice, pour sangria over ice, ENJOY!
Notes
Nutrition
More book reviews
Gone Girl ~ Unlike Heft this book was not a book I wanted to continue…I could not wait until it ended. It wasn’t bad in a way that made me want to stop reading, it was just not enjoyable for me, it made me clench my jaw and scrunch my brow. I did not like any of the characters. I feel like I am the only person on the planet that did not like this book. I hear tell that they are making it into a movie…UGH! Of course I’m going to have to waste my money on that, just because I’m left wondering will the movie be better?
Language of Flowers ~ A new favorite!!! Oh good God I loved this book. The story of this book was so intriguing to me. I can’t even begin to tell you. Language of Flowers is the story of Victoria an orphan who is now emancipated from the system and has no where to go. Can you say heart wrenching, but Victoria has a gift for flowers and because of this mysterious gift she has for helping others by choosing the right flowers for them she is able to have a second chance on a life that was all but destroyed for her as a child. Get out the kleenex people this one was a knock down drag out emotional roller coaster. Loved it. A new and refreshing story like none I have ever read or will read again.
Me Before You Loved this book too! Wishing we would have read this book for book club. It would make for some great discussion. The characters in this book are lovable and believable. And although the story at times is predictable it’s ok, because it is so well written you just can’t put it down. A love story that will bring you to your knees. I read this book in 4 days, record time for me. I could not put it down!
It’s been a while since I read the Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Society but I loved it. Now I want to read Heft.
I’m liking the GuernseyPPSociety book..but I feel like I wish I could read it straight through, when I take a break I forget who’s who in all these letters. It is a cleaver book though!
Hi Sheila!
Thanks for sharing! I’m always looking for a good read. I’ll be going on vacation soon, maybe I’ll pick up The Language of Flowers. Recently, I’ve read Book #4 in “The Walk” Series. The name is escaping me at the moment. “The Sharper Your Knife, The less You Cry” by Kathleen Finney, and “The Blue Bottle Club”. I’m also planning to pick up Sarah Jio’s latest, I think it’s “The Last Camelia”. I’ve read all her books and love them.
On a separate note, Julie Roche saw my “Bread & Wine” book when she taught swim lessons at my pool recently. She brought up your name… small world. 🙂
I read all of “Guernsey” and thought that it was overrated. Please don’t apologize for including warnings about language, explicit sex, or anything else that might be objectionable. It’s helpful!
I miss belonging to a book club, especially for the awesome drinks and snacks we used to share! Love the basil added in to your drink!
I just started a book club a few months back and am loving it! We meet every month at my house and (like you all) spend a lot of time talking NOT about the book. LOVE your drink recipe and your book reviews…… There are so many to choose from that it’s nice to hear from a friend’s perspective before reading a book. PS~ Chose not to read Gone Girl (a bunch of girls from the group had already read it… and agreed with your review).
I have been waiting to read the Potato Peel Society book for a while but I just have never picked it up. I’ll be interested so see what you think of it. I’m currently doing some light summer reading: Game of Thrones 😉 I watch the show but I feel like I am learning so much more about the characters through reading the book. I need to start a book club! It sounds so fun!