Hello darlings! My name is Mary and I’m The Godmother behind the recipe blog GoodieGodmother.com. I’m so excited to be visiting here at Cook.Craft.Love. to share this wonderful sangria recipe as part of her Summer Cocktail series!
This sangria was inspired by the Sunshine States – Florida and California! If you follow my blog, you’ll know I’m a Florida girl at heart that spent some time in California before moving back East (again). One of the things that I adored about both California and Florida was the amazing citrus fruit available almost year round. Winter was when it was really in season, but when you’re wearing shorts in December, who cares?
Citrus fruits have always been a sign of warm weather and summer for me, and when thinking about the kind of cocktail I would share today, I knew it had to be three things:
- Easy to make and party-budget friendly.
- Great for a crowd!
- Be filled with flavors that scream SUMMER from the first si
A white sangria was the most natural fit! I started with a bottle of California coastal Chardonnay, Trader Joe’s brand if you’re curious, but any decent coastal Chardonnay will do. I picked this wine because I am familiar with the growing region and know I’m not going to get a big, oaky, buttery chardonnay, and because it’s under $8, so you can double or triple this recipe without going over your summer entertaining budget. You also don’t really want to pick your best bottles of wine for sangria because it’s going to be mixed with so many other things, you’ll lose the beautiful complexity crafted into a higher end wine. A white table wine is perfect. Other great options would be a Pinot Blanc, Chenin Blanc, or Sauvignon Blanc. You’re looking for a wine with tropical or citrusy notes.
Then, I spent some time thinking about how to best build the flavors I envisioned for this tropical white sangria. I wanted a white sangria that wasn’t too sweet and overpowering, but sweet enough to be very drinkable. I’ve been on a bit of a grapefruit kick recently, primarily because I’m the only one that regularly eats grapefruit in the house, so it’s something I look for excuses to enjoy. Sangria usually has a carbonated component, and I decided to add that in the form of an Italian grapefruit soda. This did give the sangria a definite grapefruit twist, which I loved, and my recipe club loved, but the Godfather – not an ardent fan of all things grapefruit – said he could do without. If you share his opinion, feel free to substitute an Italian blood orange soda for the grapefruit soda or a lemon lime soda.
To make your sangria successfully, you’ll need to start a few hours before you plan to serve so the fruit has time to macerate and let the flavors blend. I mixed a little sugar and triple sec liquor with some grapefruit, lemon, lime, and sweet orange and let all of that sit for a few hours before adding my white wine and soda. This step is really important for a successful sangria because this is where the magic happens. This is where the fruits release the juices and the flavors really have a chance to blend so when you add the wine and soda, you have a beautiful wine cocktail ready to go, not just a glass with some fruit in it.
My Sunshine State Sangria is a delightfully tropical sangria recipe perfect for your next summer gathering. Summer is all about relaxation, and your drinks should reflect that attitude! Simple, laid-back, and perfect to share with friends!
I hope you enjoy this white sangria recipe and the other great summer cocktails to come in this series. If you’d like more pixie-dusted kitchen inspiration, I hope you’ll also pop over to visit me on Facebook and Pinterest!
Thanks for having me Meaghan! <3

Sunshine State Sangria {Guest Post}
Ingredients
- 1 ruby red grapefruit, peeled and cubed
- 1 sweet orange, peeled and cubed (I used a Cara Cara orange)
- 1 medium lemon, sliced into thin rounds, seeds removed
- 1 lime, sliced into thin rounds, seeds removed
- ¼ cup triple sec
- 1-2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 bottle Chardonnay (citrusy, not buttery) or other citrusy white wine of choice
- 1 cup Italian grapefruit soda
Instructions
- Combine the fruit, sugar, and triple sec in a large mixing bowl. Stir gently to coat the fruit well. Cover and refrigerate at least 1.5-2 hours, up to 8.
- Place the fruit in your pitcher or serving bowl along with any syrup that may have collected in the bowl. Pour in the win and soda.
- Stir and serve chilled.