Demeter Fragrance Library White Sangria Pick-Me-Up Cologne Spray — Is It Happy Hour In A Bottle?

Earlier this summer, Demeter Fragrance Library revealed the newest addition to its aromatic portfolio, which already consists of over 250 scents — all made with 95% natural ingredients and incorporating no phtalates or artificial dyes. Embracing the festive spirit of summer, Demeter revealed its new White Sangria Pick-Me-Up Cologne Spray ($20 for 1 fl. oz. at DemeterFragance.com), inspired by the fruity and zesty, white wine-based cocktail. Traditional sangria relies on a blend of red wine, brandy, and ginger ale or lemon-lime soda, all mixed with chopped up bits of apple, orange, lemon, and even strawberries or cherries. But red wine can be rather full-bodied and viscous, which is why it’s often paired with heavier, heartier meals consisting of red meat, casserole or pasta entrées. In the summer, however, when rising temperatures can leave us feeling lethargic, most of us prefer light-hearted culinary fare as opposed to robust, sizable, and indulgent meals. It follows, then, that we’d make similar choices regarding our cocktails of choice, opting for light, fresh, and crisp white wines with fruity notes. And that, of course, is where white sangria comes in: a refreshing cocktail made with dry white wine (typically Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay), ginger ale or club soda, and sweet fruits like apricots, peaches, tangerines, and mangoes. Some recipes even integrate peach schnapps and other fruity liqueurs for an added dose of sweetness.

Theoretically, the Demeter Fragrance Library White Sangria Pick-Me-Up Cologne Spray would incorporate some of the notes we associate with white sangria: white wine, peach, lemon or orange, and maybe a touch of mango or apricot. In truth, however, the fragrance isn’t a close reproduction of a classic white sangria cocktail since there’s absolutely no hint of anything that might resemble a white wine note. I may not be a decanter-wielding aficionado who can instantly recite the region from whence a wine came or guess its vintage year, but I drink enough Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Chardonnay to discern the aroma of white wine. Maybe it’s the type of conditioning we associate with Pavlov’s dogs but, when a bottle of white wine is opened anywhere near me, my spidey senses tingle. And, even as I tried to isolate the different notes in the Demeter White Sangria fragrance, I couldn’t detect any trace of white wine. What I did detect, however, was a lemon-y zest, a ripe peachy juiciness, and a grassy green note which reminded me a bit of pine but which later softened to more of a lemongrass-ish herbal aroma. The predominant scent, however, was that of peach — in fact, I felt like the scent more closely resembled peach schnapps than it did white sangria — but the herbal notes did temper the sweetness a bit.

Its proximity to the real-life scent of a white sangria pitcher aside, this Demeter scent is extremely sweet but also has a crisp and clean quality that does make it feel summery and fresh. It’s not a long-lasting experience — the cologne’s smell dissipates rather quickly — but it can definitely function as a pick-me-up so that you can spritz some whenever you want to uplift your mood and feel reenergized via a hint of fruity fragrance.

Would you want this to be your fragrance of choice? Would you spritz it on before a date to entice the object of your affection? Well, probably not. But if you’re a fan of body mists and like to have a lightweight scent that you can spritz when on-the-go (or during weekend trips and quick getaways), it’s a fun way to mix things mix. Cheers!