BBQ Pairing: Bright and Refreshing Lunazul Tequila Sangria

There is nothing better on weekends than getting together with friends, tossing some delicious foods on the grill, and watching the sun go down all while catching up and sharing stories. And with the travels we have been doing, it is often the only times I seem to be able to relax and see anyone outside the airport staff in various cities.

Now, I would love to brag that I have been the grill master this summer, but alas that would not be true. That title has fallen on my good friend Alex, who I am sure could grill up a sponge and it would be delicious. He has mastered the charcoal grill to the point that it isn’t even a question of who is cooking, something I have come to accept. But that does not mean I am left in the dust with nothing to do.

Instead, I get to shine in the drinks department, making up a cocktail for whatever theme we are going for that night. Up tonight was fresh fajitas and I knew I would need to create something that would cut through the smoke and char coming off the grill while giving up a solid, refreshing cocktail for the evening heat. I could go with a standard margarita, but, well, that is standard. So why not a mix up on the classic sangria, something that hits refreshing notes mixing in fresh fruit from the farmer’s market all backed by the Mexican element of tequila. So why not tequila sangria? That sounds delicious, and with the bright elements of the tequila, would work well with the incredible fruit flavors. And with a bottle of Lunazul Blanco Tequila on hand, ready for all kinds of delicious experimentation, I knew I would come up with something fun and fitting.

After a few small rounds of experimentation, I came up with the following list. Now, I know peaches aren’t always available, so they can be switched out for honeydew or even apple. Your goal with that element is to help balance the acidity of the orange without overpowering. But I love peaches, and they are in perfect season right now.

• 6oz Lunazul Blanco Tequila
• 1 bottle Moscato wine
• 2 peaches – sliced
• 1 jar of black cherries
• 1 orange – sliced into rounds (keep the skin on for a kick of bitter)
• A few large fresh mint leaves
• 3oz agave nectar syrup
• 2oz freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 cans lemon-lime soda, chilled
• 1/3 cup of ice

Place the peach, orange, and mint in a large pitcher with the ice, muddling together. Add in the agave syrup, Lunazul Blanco Tequila, and freshly squeezed lime juice and stir. Finally, add the bottle of Moscato and let sit in the fridge until ready to serve. For serving, use a spoon to serve the fruit mixture, adding one or two black cherries, a few cubes of ice, and top off with the lemon-lime soda. If wanting something on the less sweet side, replace the lemon-lime soda with club soda for an equally refreshing cocktail.

So there we have it – a tequila sangria that celebrates the fresh fruits from the market while also complimenting an incredible grilled meal. And with the Lunazul Tequila’s versatility, I am sure there are a slew of other cocktails to be recreated and enjoyed.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Lunazul Tequila. The opinions and text are all mine.