Pear White Sangria

Sangria can be served long past summer’s end. With fresh pears available for months to come, this crisp and lightly sweet white sangria recipe is a batch drink to enjoy throughout the year. For now, the addition of elderflower liqueur brings out the most summery flavor of ripe pear slices. Once chillier days are upon us, it adds a bit of warmth to the crispness of pear.

When making white sangria, I prefer to use sauvignon blanc, as it lends the herbaceous flavor that I love to each drink. Fruit and wine are a classic combination made even better with this additional note. I also skip the added sugar that many sangria recipes contain, instead adding a bit of pear nectar.

In addition to this sangria, as the days turn chillier, I’ll also be turning to white wine and pears for dessert, such as in these vanilla cider poached pears. But for now, I’m slicing them up for a pitcher of this delicious potion.

Ingredients

1 bottle (750ml) sauvignon blanc
1 cup pear nectar
½ cup St-Germain
2 Bosc pears
Seltzer for topping (optional)

If you’re looking to serve a pear or St-Germain cocktail for a crowd, this batch drink recipe works well. Since some of your guests may prefer to drink it straight and others may want to top it off with a splash of seltzer, I would leave a bottle on the side rather than adding it to the pitcher.

Of course, you can also make a pitcher for yourself and enjoy it over a few days. Just keep an eye on the pear slices and remove them if they become too soft. You can always add fresh pears to your glass before pouring.

Begin by cutting the pears into ¼-inch thick slices. Add them to a pitcher. Pour the white wine, pear nectar, and St-Germain into the pitcher and stir to combine. Let sit for about 2 hours so that the flavors meld.

Serve with slices of the pears. Enjoy the sangria on its own (my preferred way) or top each glass with just a splash of seltzer, but not so much that you dilute the delicious flavor.