I love peaches, nectarines, plums, and all the other stone fruits of summer… and I love wine. Sangria combines the two to create a delicious and beautiful drink… this is a no-brainer.
Traditionally, Spanish sangria is made with wine, chopped fruit, a little sugar or sweetener, and a splash of brandy. Although, nowadays there are countless variations of this popular beverage. I’ve even heard of sangria that just mixes wine, fruit, and a bottle of Coca-cola. No matter what version you encounter, one thing they all have in common is chopped fruit.
With stone fruits widely available and in season, I wanted to make a sangria that highlighted summer’s bounty. I used a mixture of all the stone fruits I could find: peaches, nectarines, apricots and pluots. I really wanted to add cherries, but I had no luck finding any at a decent price. As you can see, you can use whatever fruits you want. In love with peaches, just use peaches. Hate apricots, don’t include them.
Once you have chosen your fruits, slice them into similar sized wedges and place them in a large pitcher. Pour a little peach brandy and an entire bottle of rose wine into the pitcher. Add some sugar and stir the contents together until the sugar dissolves. Cover the pitcher and let it marinate in the fridge for about half an hour (or more if you can wait).
I like to use peach brandy to inject more stone fruit flavor. Regular brandy works too, and is probably more alcoholically potent. Sangria is derived from the Spanish word for blood, “sangre,” and thus is typically dark red in color. Rosé wines are much lighter than reds, but slightly more robust than whites. I think that makes rosés perfect for the warmer months.
You’ll end up with a pale red concoction with alcohol infused fruits. Add this point, if you are ready to serve the sangria, add 2 cups of club soda to lighten the drink. Serve the sangria over ice and garnish with mint. Be sure to pour in some fruits with each serving. Asides from drinking the sangria, the best part is munching on the wine-soaked fruits.
Sangria is a classic summer cocktail great for outdoor entertaining. Its an updated and fancier alcoholic fruit punch. As sophisticated as the drink sounds, its ridiculously easy to make. Forget about the pre-made sangria bottles found at the supermarket, that doesn’t compare to what you can make at home.
Enjoy the remaining summer nights with this stone fruit sangria!
Stone Fruit Sangria
Ingredients:
2 apricots, halved, pitted, and sliced into small wedges
1 nectarine, halved, pitted, and sliced into small wedges
1 peach, halved, pitted, and sliced into small wedges
1 pluot, or plum, halved, pitted, and sliced into small wedges
1- 750mL bottle of rosé wine (I used Coppola Sophia Rosé. Its available at Costco, Target, and most box big stores.)
1/4 cup peach brandy, or peach liqueur
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups club soda
Instructions:
1. In a large pitcher, combine sliced apricot, nectarine, peach, and pluot. Add wine, peach brandy, and sugar. Stir to combine. Cover pitcher with lid or plastic wrap. Let chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes (or up to 8 hours).
2. Before serving, add club soda. If desired, sugar the rims of glasses. Add ice and pour in sangria. Finish with mint leaves for garnish and added color.
Maryanne’s Chic Tip: Entertaining for a large crowd? You can easily double or triple this recipe. Don’t bother spending on an expensive bottle of wine. You’ll be altering the taste with the addition of sugar and soda. As long as you use ripe fruits, the sangria will be delicious.
I’m always curious about other variations of fruits in sangria. Share your favorite combinations with me! I’d love to hear about it.
