White Wine Spritzer

June 11, 2020

Here’s the easiest, most refreshing cocktail: a white wine spritzer! Add bubbles to your favorite wine to make the ideal summer drink.

Here’s Alex and my top trick for summertime entertaining: the white wine spritzer! Yes, there’s nothing easier or more delightful than a bubbly version of your favorite crisp white wine. We discovered wine spritzers when we took a trip to visit friends in Austria, and they are truly one of the most refreshing drinks on the planet. Because they’re so easy, you don’t need to plan or prep anything. Grab your favorite bottle of wine, then head to the pool or drink on the patio while you make a grilled dinner.

What is a wine spritzer?

A wine spritzer is a drink made with wine and soda water that originated in Austria. Diluting wine with water started back in the 19th century, as a way to make bubbly wine. The name comes from the German word “spritzen,” meaning “to spray.” You can make a wine spritzer with white wine, red wine or rosé wine: it’s typically diluted to about 25% or 50%.

Spritzer vs spritz: what’s the difference? A wine spritzer is similar to a spritz: they both come from the same German word! A spritz is a drink made with sparkling wine, bitters, and soda water: like the famous classic Aperol spritz. Add the “er” and it becomes this refreshing bubbly wine concoction.

The white wine to use

You can use any white wine you love for a white wine spritzer: just make sure it’s well chilled before you start! Here we recommend a dry, crisp white wine, but if you enjoy wines on the sweeter side you could use that too. The best white wine varietals for a spritzer are:

Dry Reisling
Pino grigio
Albariño
Grüner Veltliner

A note on Grüner Veltliner: it’s an organic wine from Austria and it’s what we used for this recipe. The flavor is simple perfection (in fact, it’s one of our favorite white wines to drink in general). We found it at Whole Foods, so check at your local grocery or liquor store.

How to make a white wine spritzer (basic steps)

The white wine spritzer is summer’s easiest drink. Once you do this once, memorize the formula and make it on repeat! You don’t even need a recipe.

Grab a bottle of chilled white wine.
Pour about 1/4 cup into a glass.
Pour in about 3/4 cup soda water (eyeball it).
Stir gently and enjoy!

The spritzer ratio

Another way to think about a wine spritzer is the spritzer ratio. Here are a few notes about how to do it:

For white wine and rose wine, the spritzer ratio is 3 parts soda water to 1 part wine.
For red wine, up the amount of soda water to get it to taste bubbly. Use the ratio of equal parts red wine and soda water.
For a “summer spritzer”: A “Summer Spritzer” or Sommer Spritzer is a wine spritzer that’s diluted by 75% with soda water. You can do this with any type of wine, and it makes for a nice brunch drink or low-alcohol cocktail.

Step it up: add fruit or herbs!

You can also step up your spritzer by loading the glass with beautiful fruits or herbs! It makes for a stunning presentation for entertaining, like dinner parties or bridal showers. Here are some ideas:

Berries: Slice strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries
Fruit: Sliced peaches or green apple
Citrus: Thinly sliced lemon, lime, or orange
Herbs: Fresh basil, mint, or thyme sprigs

Try all 4 wine spritzers

Because we love wine spritzers so much: we’ve made them all! After you’re done with this white wine spritzer, make sure to try these:

Rosé Spritzer Pale pink, tart, and bubbly: perfect for summer!
Red Wine Spritzer Dark, full-bodied, and fruity: like a cheater sangria.
Lillet Spritzer Similar to this white wine spritzer, but using Lillet Blanc! (Follow the variation in the recipe notes.)

When to serve a white wine spritzer

The white wine spritzer is bubbly and refreshing. It works well for summer, but you can drink it anytime (and we do!). It’s great for serving as a:

Summer drink
Brunch drink
Before dinner drink (aperitif)
Cocktail hour drink