Sparkling Peach Sangria with Fresh Mint

Sparkling Peach Sangria with Fresh Mint

It's summertime and the livin's easy! Well, at least for a few more weeks. This weekend marks the last long weekend of summer for a lot of families before they head back to school- or just closer to colder weather. Either way, your Labor Day Veg-G-Q's will shine with this late-summer sipper. A well-rounded & flavorful sangria can be hard to find, but this light and summery concoction fits the bill: fresh peaches and mint sprigs mingle with sparkling wine, lent a hint of sweetness from the agave & a slight tartness from the lemon juice.  Add a rim of sugar to class it up or serve it in coffee mugs- your guests are gonna love it either way. And while sparkling wine doesn't top the list of good-for-you drinks, the addition of fresh fruit and herbs adds to its health value.
Combine peaches anti-inflammatory properties with the alkalizing power of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and this cocktail just became  the star of the show. Seriously! Did you know that drinking freshly squeezed juice allows you to absorb ALL the nutrients from said veg/ fruit? Instead of separating out the pulpy goodness- often the richest in vitamins, minerals, and good for you enzymes- it allows you down it all in one gulp. Plus, fresh juice offers proven benefits like weight loss, increased energy levels, strengthened immunity, strong bones, and a GLOWING complexion. So here's to adding fresh juice to EVERYTHING! Toss in extra whole fruit if you like, but consider adding some other fresh juices from things like ginger, pineapple, or fall apples. We suspect a few berries would be lovely, too.
Don't have a citrus squeezer? Check out this ahh-mazing citrus juicer from Williams-Sonoma. We want three, and I'm already dreaming up a much more citrusy version we could make with it- blood orange, anyone? You can check out all their juicers here.Now, let's DRINK!

INGREDIENTS:
1- 750 mL bottle sparkling white wine of your choice* (vegan wine options can be  found at barnivore.com)
2-4 tablespoons agave nectar (more for a sweeter drink)
1 lemon, freshly squeezed
1 large peach, sliced OR cubed
5-7 sprigs of fresh mint
Turbinado sugar, for rim garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Pour your wine into a mixing bowl (or saucepan, or whatever container you like. If you're into making this IN the bottle...GO FOR IT!)
Mix in the agave nectar & freshly squeezed lemon juice, then toss in the peach slices and mint sprigs. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, then serve with some of the boozy peach slices and a fresh mint sprig. Add ice if you like it.
To line the glass rims in sugar, squeeze a slice of lemon around the entire rim of the cup and dip the cup, upside down, into a small plate of sugar before serving. The lemon juice sticks to the sugar and looks pretty fancy when you have guests. Plus, if you like a sweet drink, this sugar rim will lighten up each sip.

*It should be noted  that Sparkling White Wine is DIFFERENT than Champagne. Feel free to try it with Champagne, but no guarantees, 'cause we didn't try it.

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