I Tried the Viral Jalapeño Sauvignon Blanc Trend—And Now I’m Ready for a Hot Wine Summer

Adding fruit to wine isn’t a radical notion. My Italian in-laws pour red wine over slices of perfectly ripe peaches. You drink the wine during dinner and then fork the peaches into your mouth for an instant dessert. And, of course, there’s sangria, wine (and usually liqueur) positively packed with fruit. Cocktails, too, get tons of garnishes, many of them savory. Think olives in martinis and pickles in Bloody Marys.

So when I saw on social media that people were putting frozen jalapeño slices into their glasses of sauvignon blanc, aka Spicy Sauvy B, I shouldn’t have been surprised. Like most other things these days, the trend started on TikTok and has been going strong the past couple of months, garnering over a million views and lots of taste tests. 

But, I was surprised! The whole thing sounded weird, gimmicky, and frankly, not tasty. As a wine and spirits writer, I knew I needed to put the trend to the test, if only to recommend that people skip it. Before I tried the drink for myself, I reached out to Maureen Petrosky, author of Wine Club, to get her take. It turns out there’s a scientific reason why jalapeños might work in some types of wine.

The Science Behind Spicy Sauvy B

“My first thought upon hearing about the trend was, why?” says Petrosky. “But then I quickly shifted to, why not?” She said it’s especially interesting to her as a wine educator, since adding jalapeño to wine can actually teach drinkers a thing or two, specifically about compounds called pyrazines found in some wines. 

“Pyrazines are elements naturally found in the skin and seeds of grapes that lend green bell pepper, grassy, and vegetal aromas to wine, especially sauvignon blancs.” Theoretically, adding some jalapeño to wine could help bring out those notes.

Trying Jalapeños in Wine for Myself

Now that I had some grounding in why jalapeños might actually work in wine, I was ready to try it for myself. I enlisted my husband Dave to taste test with me.

I picked up a bottle of New Zealand sauvignon blanc on my way home from the office since several online sources suggested these typically vibrant bottles, often chock-full of tropical and citrus notes, go especially well with the jalapeño. I washed and sliced a jalapeño, put the slices on a parchment-lined plate, and slid the plate into the freezer. (The parchment paper keeps the slices from sticking to the plate.) After only 30 minutes the slices were well past frosty. I added two to each of our glasses, poured the vino, and took a whiff. 

We smelled the jalapeños instantly, a slightly sweet, spicy, vegetal scent, reminiscent of bell pepper. It complemented the fruity, tropical aroma of the wine nicely. 

Then we sipped. At first, I got just a hint of heat, and it was actually quite pleasant. After just two or three minutes, the wine got even zingier, and after five minutes it was decidedly spicy. I finished my glass, surprised at how much I enjoyed it, especially the first several sips when the spiciness was more subtle. Dave finished his glass…and then poured more wine over the peppers.

My Takeaways

Overall, I’m a fan! Adding jalapeños to sauvignon blanc was almost like mixing up the most low-effort cocktail ever. It could pair especially well with Mexican food, in the vein of a spicy margarita. My husband pointed out that it would also be a fun party trick—a drink that would certainly get everyone talking.

I suppose it’s helpful to say here that a New Zealand sauvignon blanc isn’t my usual go-to. I typically find its tropical, vegetal flavors too one-note, too in-my-face. So adding the chile actually improved the wine for me, adding another layer of flavor without completely overpowering the original taste or aroma. To keep the chile from dominating, I recommend using only a slice or two of jalapeño and starting with smaller pours (and just refill more often) so the chile doesn’t steep in the wine for too long.

I also wouldn’t do this with anything fancier than a $15 bottle of sauvignon blanc, since as the pepper sits you do lose some of the nuance of the wine. But for a fun seasonal sip, I’m on board. A hot wine summer? Bring it on!