What is a wine spritzer? It is chilled still wine topped with sparkling water and served over ice. Start with two parts wine to one part sparkling water, then adjust to taste. The best wines for a spritzer are crisp and unoaked: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or a dry rosé. A soft, low-tannin red such as Pinot Noir works too.
Below: the ratio glass by glass, how to pour it, which ONEHOPE Wine bottle to open, a tinto de verano and five fruit twists.
What is the ratio for a wine spritzer?
Two parts wine to one part sparkling water is the classic place to start. More wine keeps the glass rounder and fruitier. More sparkling water makes it brisker and fizzier.
| Style | Wine to sparkling water | In a 6-ounce pour | How it tastes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wine-forward | 3:1 | 4.5 oz wine, 1.5 oz sparkling water | Full wine flavor with a gentle fizz |
| Classic | 2:1 | 4 oz wine, 2 oz sparkling water | Balanced: the wine leads and the bubbles lift it |
| Brisk | 1:1 | 3 oz wine, 3 oz sparkling water | Very fizzy and crisp, with the fruit in the background |
The amounts are for one glass over ice. Measure the first one, then pour the rest by eye.
How do you make a wine spritzer?
- Chill both. Keep the wine and the sealed sparkling water in the fridge for a few hours. Cold liquids hold their bubbles longer. Our wine serving temperature guide shows how cold each style should be.
- Fill the glass with ice. A large wine glass or a tall tumbler both work. Large cubes melt more slowly.
- Pour the wine. Add it over the ice first.
- Top with sparkling water. Tilt the glass and pour gently down the side, so the bubbles survive.
- Stir once. One slow turn of a spoon mixes the two without knocking out the fizz.
- Garnish. Add a citrus wheel, a few berries or a sprig of mint.
Why ice here? Melting ice waters down a plain glass of wine, but a spritzer already includes water. The ice keeps it cold to the last sip.
Which wine is best for a spritzer?
Pick a crisp, dry wine with lively acidity and little or no oak. Acidity is what you still taste once the bubbles and ice go in.
| Style | Why it works | ONEHOPE bottle |
|---|---|---|
| Crisp white | High acidity and citrus stay bright under the bubbles | 2023 Vintner Sauvignon Blanc |
| Light white | A light body and gentle fruit make a soft, easy glass | 2023 Vintner Pinot Grigio |
| Dry rosé | Red-berry fruit with a white wine's freshness, and a pink glass | 2025 Herstory Rosé |
| Soft, low-tannin red | Soft tannin stays smooth when the wine is cold | 2021 Hospitality Pinot Noir |
Our 2023 Vintner Sauvignon Blanc is the zesty pick. Lime and lemon lead, with guava and star fruit behind them, all carried by lively acidity. Our 2023 Vintner Pinot Grigio is gentler, with ripe stone fruit, light floral notes and a citrus zest finish. Its high acidity keeps the glass crisp. ONEHOPE wine gives back.
To compare the two grapes, see our guide to types of white wine.
Which wines should you skip?
- Oaky, buttery whites. Vanilla, toast and a creamy texture tend to taste dull once sparkling water and ice go in.
- Big, tannic reds. Cold and bubbles make firm tannin feel harsher, and a bitter edge shows.
How do you make a rosé or red wine spritzer?
Rosé spritzer
Use a dry rosé, so fruit rather than sweetness leads. The 2025 Herstory Rosé is dry, with spicy cherry, strawberry, rose petal and crushed raspberry. Its lively acidity keeps a 2:1 glass fresh. New to the style? Read what rosé wine is and how it is made. For a frozen version, see how to make frosé.
Red wine spritzer
Choose a red with soft tannin and bright red fruit. Pinot Noir suits it, because the grape is thin-skinned and naturally low in tannin. The 2021 Hospitality Pinot Noir brings ripe strawberry, Bing cherry and a touch of cinnamon, with a smooth, silky finish. Chill the bottle in the fridge before you pour; the ice keeps it cold from there.
What is tinto de verano?
Tinto de verano means summer red in Spanish. It is red wine over ice with a lemony sparkling topper, usually in about equal parts. The traditional drink uses a lemon soda; this version uses sparkling water and fresh lemon instead.
- Fill a tall glass with ice.
- Add 3 oz chilled 2021 Hospitality Pinot Noir and the juice of a lemon wedge.
- Top with 3 oz sparkling water, stir once and finish with a lemon slice.
What fruit can you add to a wine spritzer?
Keep juice to a splash, about an ounce, so the wine still leads. Put the fruit and juice over the ice, then add the wine and sparkling water.
| Twist | Pour | Add to the glass | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pink grapefruit | 2025 Herstory Rosé | 1 oz fresh grapefruit juice; a grapefruit wedge | Tart citrus sharpens the wine's strawberry and raspberry |
| Cranberry | 2021 Hospitality Pinot Noir | 1 oz cranberry juice; a few cranberries and a rosemary sprig | Tart berry meets ripe Bing cherry |
| Blackberry and mint | 2021 Hospitality Pinot Noir or 2025 Herstory Rosé | Four blackberries, lightly crushed; a mint sprig | Dark berries deepen the wine's red fruit, and mint adds a cool lift |
| Cucumber and mint | 2023 Vintner Sauvignon Blanc | A long cucumber ribbon pressed inside the glass; a mint sprig | Cool, green flavors suit the wine's lime and lemon |
| Orange | 2023 Vintner Pinot Grigio | 1 oz fresh orange juice; an orange wheel | Orange picks up the wine's citrus zest and stone fruit |
A vegetable peeler makes the cucumber ribbon. Bold juices such as cranberry suit the 3:1 ratio.
How do you keep a spritzer fizzy?
- Keep everything cold. Warm sparkling water loses its bubbles fast.
- Add the bubbles last. Pour the sparkling water just before you serve each glass.
- Keep the sparkling water sealed. Cap the bottle between pours and return it to the fridge.
- Top a pitcher at the table. Chill the wine with any juice and fruit, and add sparkling water only as you pour.
Want fruit that has steeped in the wine for hours? That is sangria. Try our sangria recipes with wine and fruit.
What is the difference between a spritzer and a spritz?
A spritzer is still wine topped with sparkling water. A spritz is a different drink, built on sparkling wine. For one example, try our apple vanilla spritz.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ratio for a wine spritzer?
Two parts wine to one part sparkling water is the classic start. Use 3:1 for more wine flavor, or 1:1 for a brisker, fizzier glass.
What is the best wine for a spritzer?
A crisp, dry wine with lively acidity and little or no oak. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and dry rosé all work. Skip oaky, buttery whites and big, tannic reds.
Can you make a spritzer with red wine?
Yes. Choose a chilled red with soft tannin, such as Pinot Noir. Serve it over ice with sparkling water and a slice of lemon.
What is the difference between a spritzer and a spritz?
A spritzer is still wine with sparkling water. A spritz is a different drink, built on sparkling wine. For sparkling wine and juice, see how to make a mimosa.
Can you make a pitcher of wine spritzers ahead?
Yes, in part. Mix the wine with any juice and fruit, then chill the pitcher. Add the sparkling water only at the table, so the drink stays fizzy.
What is tinto de verano?
A Spanish summer drink of red wine over ice with a lemony sparkling topper, in roughly equal parts. Our version uses Pinot Noir, sparkling water and fresh lemon.
Should a spritzer have ice?
Yes, usually. Ice keeps the drink cold and the bubbles lively. Large cubes melt more slowly.
