summertime melon and peach white sangria
I believe no amount of fruit is too much for sangria. Tell me I’m wrong.
Alright, so maybe if you fill the pitcher so intensely the fruits clog up the spout and require an act of Congress to get the liquid pouring. I’ll make an exception there.
Brightening up your weekend sip outlook with Summer Melon and Peach White Sangria. VE’s first sangria, as a matter of fact! We enjoyed this after some pretty long training runs last weekend. It was just the thing we needed to relax after hot miles outdoors, along with the Fiesta Carnitas Tapas Board.
The peach really shines in this rendition of sangria, with background notes of melon and of course the orange essence from the fruit, the juice, and the Cointreau. Sparkling water crisps up each cup. Nothing better.
Choosing a Wine
I am no wine pairing expert, but I tend to have a decent palate when it comes to finding flavors that mesh well with one another. Guess that’s fairly helpful with recipe development, huh?
While browsing for wines, I looked for whites that described stone fruit and melon notes. Makes sense, right? I am not sponsored by the pictured brand, but if you need a good bottle for this sangria, it’s what I used and I think it worked wonderfully. Taste test approved prior to infusion, also. I bought it at Trader Joe’s.
I’d avoid whites with apple and pear essences. I’d certainly eyeball those for an autumn sangria, if I were to go the white route, but such may not be perfect for this sangria. If you see any of these key words in a bottle you’re browsing, I’d give it a thumbs up and green light:
… Melon/honeydew/cantaloupe
…Stone fruit/peach/nectarine
…Citrus/lemon/orange peel
Any wine connoisseurs out there, please chime in!
The Fruits of Your Labor
Peaches, cantaloupe, and oranges are your friends here. I highlighted the bundle with lots of fresh mint as well.
As I said, I like a sangria not shy with the fruit. The suggested amounts really fill the pitcher – and yes, from photo 1 to photo 2 above, I added more peaches because why not – and the resulting infusion is light yet noticeable.
The Easy Steps
Simply plop your fruit into a large pitcher, then pour over the wine, Cointreau, and some orange juice. Stir a bit with a big cocktail spoon.
Cover and refrigerate the sangria at least 30 minutes. Lukewarm sangria is less charming than its cold counterpart. Use this period to divvy up snacks, play a round of Charades, vacuum the carpet, whatever.
When the sangria is nice and cold, add some peach and orange slices to the glasses. Divide the sangria into said glasses and top with a splash of sparkling water. Fizz pop. Ole!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Some serving suggestions to pair with sangria:
Margarita Fish Tacos with Spicy Chili Mango Salsa
Black Bean Chili Dogs with Pickled Jalapeno Peach Relish
Ingredients
- 2 cups sliced peaches (about 4-5 peaches)
- 2 oranges, sliced into rings
- 1 cup cantaloupe balls
- 1 package mint leaves
- 1 bottle white wine (I used a pinot grigio)
- 1/2 cup Cointreau
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 can sparkling water
- orange and peach slices, and mint leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- To a large pitcher, add peach slices, orange slices, melon balls, and mint leaves. Pour in wine, Cointreau, and orange juice. Stir to combine. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes until chilled, or up to 24 hours ahead of time.
- When ready to serve, divide sangria into 4-6 glasses. Top each with sparkling water. Garnish with peach and orange slices and mint leaves.
