Stone Fruit Sangria

Sangria is one of my favorite things to bring to a summer barbecue.  It's light, fruity and refreshing...pretty much the perfect beverage for a hot day.  And with the awesome selection of fruit that is in season, there is no better time of year to chop up fruit and toss it into some booze for a good, flavorful soak.

The hubs is an enormous fan of peaches.  So last summer, I thought it would be fun to try a peach sangria with a white wine base rather than our typical red.  And woah buddy, what a hit!  This puppy had a double whammy of peachy flavor from both fresh fruit and peach schnapps.  It's a refreshing, summery treat that isn't overly sweet. Hey, I'm rhyming....neat!

To keep the peaches from getting lonely in there, I added a few fellow stone fruits, namely cherries and plums.  They add a great flavor and color to the beverage overall.  And though it's pink, don't begin thinking this is a overly sweet, girly drink!  Dry, crisp Sauvignon Blanc mellows out the sugar of the peach schnapps.  NO extra sugar required here, folks!  Even my husband's beer drinking buddies enjoy a glass of this in the summer.

Oh....and about the vodka.  That's was a sneaky little addition the hubs threw in!  And a good one, because you can't taste it at all.  Just know that if you choose to include it or not, you'll have a great cocktail.

Stone Fruit Sangria

• 1 bottle dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
• 1/3 c peach schnapps
• 1/4 c vodka (optional)
• 1 peach
• 1 plum
• 12 cherries
• 2 c lemon lime soda

Pour white wine, peach schnapps and vodka (if desired) into a large punch bowl or pitcher.  Set to the side of a cutting board.  

Prepare the fruit, adding to the bowl as it is cut.  Half the cherries, plums and peaches and remove the pits.  Add the halved cherries to the wine.  Slice the peaches and cherries into small wedges, about 16 per peach and 12 per plum, and add to the wine.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours, up to overnight.

To finish, add the lemon lime soda and stir.  Serve over ice.