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Wine Spritzer is the light, bubbly, endlessly refreshing drink that turns any bottle of wine into a crisp warm weather sipper in under two minutes. I started making these on the back porch on hot summer evenings when a full glass of wine felt like too much, and now it is our go to for easy entertaining. If you love a simple, crowd pleasing drink like our classic French 75, this wine spritzer is about to be your new warm weather favorite.
With just chilled wine, sparkling water, and a handful of ice, it is bright, low in calories, and ready in the time it takes to garnish.
Wine Spritzer Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 2 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 0 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 2 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 1 drink
- ⚡ Calories: 141kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Light, crisp, and bubbly with a refreshing hint of fruit
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, as simple as our classic Cape Codder cocktail
Quick Answer
To make a Wine Spritzer, fill a glass about three quarters full with ice, pour in 6 ounces of chilled wine, then top with 2 ounces of chilled sparkling water. Add a fruit garnish like orange slices or berries and serve right away. The classic ratio is three parts wine to one part sparkling water, but you can adjust it to make your spritzer lighter or stronger to taste.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Sparkling water lightens every sip. A splash of bubbly water stretches the wine into a longer, more refreshing drink without watering down the flavor.
- Plenty of ice keeps it crisp. Filling the glass with ice keeps the spritzer ice cold and bright from the first sip to the last.
- It is lower in calories than straight wine. Cutting wine with sparkling water means fewer calories and lower alcohol per glass, so you can sip longer.
- Any wine works. White, rose, red, or sparkling all make a great spritzer, so you can use whatever bottle you have open.
- The 3 to 1 ratio is foolproof. Three parts wine to one part sparkling water hits the perfect balance of flavor and fizz every time.
- It comes together in two minutes. No shaking, no special tools, just pour, top, garnish, and serve.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is light, bubbly, and refreshing, the perfect easy drink for warm weather and patio season.
- It comes together in two minutes with just wine, sparkling water, and ice.
- It is an effortless party drink that pairs with everything from appetizers to our sweet and crunchy candied grapes.
Key Ingredients
Just a few simple ingredients stand between you and a refreshing spritzer.
- Wine: Use your favorite chilled white, rose, red, or sparkling wine. A crisp, dry wine makes an especially refreshing spritzer.
- Sparkling Water: Club soda, seltzer, or sparkling mineral water all add the signature fizz and lighten the drink.
- Ice: Fill the glass generously so the spritzer stays ice cold and crisp.
- Fruit Garnish: Orange slices, berries, citrus wedges, or fresh herbs add color, aroma, and a pop of flavor.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Mix up your spritzer with these easy ideas.
- Use rose for a pretty pink spritzer or red wine for a bolder, fruitier sip.
- Swap plain sparkling water for a flavored seltzer like grapefruit, lime, or berry.
- Add a splash of fruit juice, like orange or cranberry, for a sweeter spritzer.
- Muddle in fresh berries, cucumber, or herbs like mint or basil before topping with bubbles.
- Make a non alcoholic version with sparkling grape juice in place of the wine, or try a boozier sipper like our passion fruit gin fizz.
How to Make Wine Spritzer
- Fill a glass about three quarters of the way with ice.
- Pour in 6 ounces of chilled wine of your choice.
- Top with 2 ounces of chilled sparkling water for that signature fizz.
- Add the fruit garnish of your choice and serve right away while it is cold and bubbly.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Chill everything first. Cold wine and cold sparkling water mean your spritzer stays crisp without melting the ice too fast.
- Add the bubbles last. Topping with sparkling water at the end keeps the fizz lively.
- Use the 3 to 1 ratio. Three parts wine to one part sparkling water is the sweet spot, then adjust to taste.
- Garnish with intention. Match the fruit to the wine, citrus for whites, berries for rose, orange for red.
- Batch it for a crowd. Mix wine and a little fruit in a pitcher, then add ice and sparkling water to each glass so it stays fizzy.
- Pick a wine you enjoy. A spritzer is only as good as the wine, so start with a bottle you already like to drink.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
A wine spritzer is the ultimate easy entertaining drink. Serve a tray of them at a backyard barbecue alongside BBQ ribs or our crispy fried hot honey chicken for a refreshing contrast to all that savory food. They are perfect for parties and game day next to ham and swiss sliders and a platter of buffalo chicken sandwiches. Set up a spritzer bar with a few wines, sparkling waters, and garnishes and let guests build their own. For a sweet finish, pair your spritzer with a bowl of our crunchy candied grapes. A wine spritzer is light enough to sip all afternoon, so it is ideal for brunch, showers, and lazy summer evenings.
Wine Spritzer FAQs
The best wine for a Wine Spritzer is a crisp, dry white like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio, but rose, light reds, and sparkling wine all work beautifully. Use a bottle you enjoy drinking on its own, since the spritzer showcases its flavor.
The classic Wine Spritzer ratio is 3 parts wine to 1 part sparkling water, which is about 6 ounces of wine to 2 ounces of sparkling water. For a lighter, lower alcohol drink, use more sparkling water, or use less for a stronger spritzer.
Yes. Because a Wine Spritzer replaces some of the wine with zero calorie sparkling water, each glass has fewer calories and less alcohol than a full pour of wine. It is a great way to enjoy a longer, lighter drink.
You can prep a Wine Spritzer base by combining the wine and any fruit in a pitcher ahead of time, then add ice and top each glass with sparkling water just before serving. Adding the bubbles at the last minute keeps the spritzer fizzy instead of flat.
Club soda, seltzer, and sparkling mineral water all make a great Wine Spritzer. Plain unflavored bubbles let the wine shine, while a flavored seltzer like citrus or berry adds a fun twist.
Absolutely. For a non alcoholic Wine Spritzer, swap the wine for sparkling grape juice, a non alcoholic wine, or a mix of fruit juice and sparkling water. Garnish it the same way for a festive mocktail everyone can enjoy.
In the mood for another easy sipper? Try our classic Cape Codder vodka cranberry cocktail next.
Looking for an easy cocktail? Our watermelon vodka slushies come together in the blender.
Wine Spritzer
Ingredients
- Ice
- 6 ounces Chilled Wine
- 2 ounces Chilled Sparkling Water
- Fruit of your choice optional
Instructions
- Fill glass ¾ of the way with ice.Ice
- Add chilled wine.6 ounces Chilled Wine
- Top with chilled sparkling water.2 ounces Chilled Sparkling Water
- Add fruit garnish of your choice and serve.Fruit of your choice
Notes
- Pile that large wine glass with ice. If you’ve got some fancy spherical ice, go for it.
- Stick your bottle of wine and sparkling water in the fridge ahead- warm spritzers are a snooze fest!
- Add the splash of club soda slow- don’t fizz it over like a shaken soda can!
- Stir gently with a spoon to keep those bubbles happy.
- Go big with your glass and get plenty of room for good options like extra ice and fruit!
Nutrition
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