Strawberry Peach Sangria

Say hello to this Strawberry Peach Sangria, or as we like to call it: summer in a pitcher! Fragrant, sweet strawberries and peaches pair perfectly with refreshing basil in this white wine sangria. Perfect for any summer entertaining occasion, or even just a gorgeous summer afternoon/evening.

This post is sponsored by Calphalon. All opinions are our own.

Sangria is one of our favorite summer cocktail options. It's easy to make, serves a large crowd, and can be easily customized based on seasonal ingredients.

This strawberry peach and basil sangria is a particular favorite. It's fruity, herbaceous, refreshing and has all of the summer flavors you're looking for!

Red wine vs. white wine sangria

Although traditional Sangria is made with red wine, white wine is far more fitting for this summery drink. As a general rule of thumb, we tend to prefer white wine sangria versus red in warmer months.

It pairs perfectly with summer produce, while red wine tends to work best with fall and winter spices and fruits.

There's nothing better than a traditional red wine sangria at the holidays. We like ours infused with cinnamon sticks, oranges, star anise and even pomegranate.

You really can't go wrong with red or white sangria any time of the year - we're just sharing our preference!

When it comes to choosing a white wine for this summer strawberry peach sangria, opt for something dry and acidic, like Pinot Grigio or Riesling. We chose a Pinto Grigio for this recipe!

If you'd prefer, you can also opt for something less traditional like Rosé, Prosecco or Cava (Spanish sparkling wine). We love Sparkling Rosé Sangria especially - it adds the perfect amount of sweetness and effervescence.

Side note - looking for the perfect sangria pitcher? We've gathered quite the collection (food photography prop obsession), so we thought we'd share a few of our favorites.

We use this tall, thin pitcher from Crate & Barrel all the time - it's sleek, classic and always looks great! For this particular sangria, we used this all-purpose pitcher.

Instructions

This strawberry peach sangria really doesn't get much easier - simply slice up the fruit, chiffonade the basil, and pour in the liquid ingredients. Give everything a stir and let it infuse in your refrigerator for a few hours.

With a bit of forethought and patience, you'll have a refreshing, cold, delicious pitcher cocktail perfect for any summer gathering.

When it comes to prepping the ingredients, it's incredibly important to have the right kitchen tools. A high quality set of knives is our single most important kitchen tool!

Seriously - if you haven't invested in great knives, you don't know what you're missing out on. Even just one good knife can majorly improve your prep skills. Plus, a sharp knife is far safer than a dull one!

We're thrilled to be partnering with Calphalon to bring you this recipe. We had a chance to try out their new SharpIN™ Cutlery, which has ceramic sharpeners built-in to the knife block. In other words, every time you remove a knife from the knife block, you can easily, quickly and safely sharpen it!

It's super easy to use, and the knife block is sleek and looks great on our countertop. This 20-piece set from Calphalon is a seriously great deal ($329.99) and it includes everything you need, from a 4 1/2 inch paring knife, to an 8-inch serrated bread knife, and even kitchen shears.

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How to chiffonade basil

Speaking of knife skills...let's talk about how to chiffonade basil!

Never heard of the term "chiffonade"? It may sound like fancy culinary school jargon, but it's really just a simple knife skill for slicing leafy greens or herbs into long, thin strips.

To chiffonade basil, stack a few leafs on top of one another. We typically do 5-8 at a time. Roll up the stack from the stem end towards the top of the leaves.

Then, slice the leaves into thin strips, cutting perpendicular to the roll. Since basil tends to bruise easily, try to use a gentle rocking movement with your knife. It's especially important to use a sharp knife when working with basil. A dull knife will most definitely lead to bruising.

You can use this same technique for other leafy herbs like mint or sage, and it also works well for delicate greens like arugula and baby kale. We love garnishing salads and soups with basil chiffonade.

How gorgeous does it look as a garnish for these strawberry peach bruschetta? (Also, yes, if you can't tell, we're obsessed with the strawberry + peach + basil combo.)

More of our favorite summer cocktail recipes

This Strawberry Peach Basil Sangria is perfect for summer entertaining - we plan to make a big batch (or two) for Labor Day weekend! If you're looking for some smaller batch summer cocktails, here are a few of our favorites:

• Bourbon Peach Smash - bourbon, fresh peaches, cherries and homemade basil simple syrup come together beautifully in this strong, yet refreshing summer cocktail.
• Frozen Watermelon Jalapeño Margaritas - need I say more?
• Charred Pineapple and Jalapeño Mezcal Smash via the College Housewife. Wow, these look and sound so intriguing!
• Fig Moscow Mule - suitable for late summer or early fall. The ginger + fig pairing is absolutely amazing!
• Berry Bourbon Lemonade Pitcher Cocktail

If you make this Strawberry Peach Sangria, be sure to leave a comment below and/or give a rating! We’d also love for you to tag us on Instagram @crowded_kitchen if you give it a try. We love hearing from you and seeing your beautiful creations!

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