With the long holiday weekend almost upon us, you’re probably all out buying meat to barbecue and hiding contraband fireworks around the house. So I’ll make this 4th of July post quick.
Keep it patriotic by serving a red wine, a white wine, and a blue wine this Independence Day. That’s right, I actually said blue wine. Read on to find out more.
Feel like a red wine with your barbecue? Try this Pinot Noir from Oregon.
Red: Summer isn’t always the best season for red wines, so keep things light with a nice, food-friendly Oregon Pinot Noir. The Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir is an excellent value with fresh berry flavors, low acidity and a lovely, light finish. It’ll go great on its own or with your barbecue.
This white wine will quench your thirst on what’s going to be a long, hot day.
White: It’s set to be another scorcher across the country this weekend, so start chilling your bottles of white. For something refreshing but a little offbeat, I might suggest the Qupé Modern White. It’s from one of my favorite wineries in the Central Coast of California, which sources its grapes from biodynamic, organic and sustainable vineyards. This wine is an unusual blend of Viognier for lovely aromatics, Chardonnay for acidity and body, and Marsanne for some more interesting textures. So basically, it’s got something for everyone.
Yes, there’s blue wine! It’s from Spain. Photo courtesy of Gik.
Blue: Believe it or not, six young Spanish entrepreneurs have been working with the University of the Basque Country to create a blue wine aimed at, who else, millennials. Gïk made from both red and white grapes (varieties not listed) from France and Spain and is produced in wineries in La Rioja, Zaragoza and Courthèzon. It’s sweet because it’s meant to be easier for non-frequent wine drinkers to imbibe, and the color comes from organic pigments of indigo and anthocyanin, both of which are found in grape skins. So at least it won’t hurt you. I haven’t tried it yet, and it looks like it’s available just for pre-order here in the US, but if you’re interested in trying it for yourself, you can check out the site and the store here.
