How to Make Cherry Peach Sangria

This refreshing Cherry-Peach Sangria is an ideal summer cocktail: white wine brightened with brandy and sparkling water, studded with sliced peaches, fresh cherries, and a few sprigs of thyme for aroma.

Sangria is the ultimate warm-weather drink — fruity, colorful, and effortlessly convivial. A single pitcher makes a beautiful centerpiece and is easy to tailor to your taste. This Cherry-Peach Sangria combines sweet cherries and ripe peach slices with a chilled bottle of white wine, a splash of brandy, and club soda for light effervescence. Fresh thyme adds a subtle herbal note that lifts the fruit flavors without overpowering them.

Cherry-Peach Sangria

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 2 1/2 cups pitted cherries
• 1 (750 mL) bottle Albariño or another chilled sweet white wine
• 1 cup club soda, chilled
• 1 large peach, thinly sliced
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions

1. In a pitcher, combine the sugar and brandy and stir until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add the pitted cherries and pour in the bottle of chilled white wine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight to let the fruit infuse the wine.
3. Just before serving, gently stir in the chilled club soda, add the sliced peaches and the thyme sprigs. Serve over ice and garnish with extra fruit or thyme if desired. Enjoy!

Tips, Variations, and Serving Suggestions

– Wine choice: A slightly sweet white wine like Albariño, Riesling, or Moscato works well. If you prefer a less sweet sangria, choose a dryer white and reduce the sugar.
– Brandy: If you don’t keep a full bottle of brandy on hand, small mini bottles are an inexpensive option and roughly equal a 1/4 cup. Brandy brings depth and warmth, but you can substitute another fruit brandy or skip it for a lighter drink.
– Fruit: Use the ripest seasonal peaches and cherries you can find. Frozen fruit also works in a pinch — allow frozen fruit to thaw slightly before adding so it releases flavor. For more color and flavor, add a handful of sliced strawberries or a splash of peach nectar.
– Herbaceous note: Thyme pairs nicely here, but fresh basil or a few mint leaves are good alternatives for a different aromatic profile. Remove herbs before serving if you prefer no leaves in glasses.
– Non-alcoholic version: Replace the wine and brandy with chilled white grape juice or peach juice, and keep the club soda for fizz to make an alcohol-free sangria suitable for all ages.

Storage

Keep leftover sangria refrigerated in a covered pitcher. Flavor will continue to develop as the fruit infuses the liquid; the drink is best enjoyed within a couple of days. Add club soda just before serving to retain effervescence.

Nutrition (approximate)

Serving: 2/3 cup | Calories: 155 kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.3 g | Protein: 0.8 g | Fat: 0.2 g | Fiber: 1.3 g