The 4th of July is just around the corner. Images of BBQ, corn and watermelon along with fireworks dance in my head. While the 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays, it isn’t the easiest holiday to pair with wine. The weather is typically hot and sultry (unless you live in San Francisco like we do and then it’s cold and foggy) and the food is as all American as apple pie with apple pie generally on the menu. This creates a tricky scenario, as the wine you want to drink isn’t necessarily what you would want to serve with the food coming off the barbeque. Here are DOTW’s Top 5 picks to try for the 4th of July this year:
- Lambrusco: A 1970s favorite and a personal obsession. Lambrusco is a sparkling red wine from Northern Italy (Emilia Romagna) region of Italy. While you can find sweet lambrusco, most lambrusco is dry and perfectly pairs with meats, such as sausage and salami (and in our opinion hamburgers and hot dogs too)
- Gruner Veltliner: A rising star in the wine world. Gruner is a crisp white wine that is full bodied, has a velvety texture, spicy-vegetal flavors (think white pepper and arugula) that is a perfect food wine. Gruner will pair well with many of the side dishes served on 4th of July (potato salad and corn)
- Chardonnay: The mainstay of the US wine industry. You can’t have 4th of July without an American wine and what do people think of when thinking about American wine—buttery Chardonnay. While not a huge fan of the typical American style Chardonnay, it is generally a hit and will serve well with food served for the 4th of July. And, since it’s served chilled, it is also a refreshing beverage
- Shiraz/Cabernet: A popular wine in Australia. This wine is a blend of Shiraz (the Aussie name for Syrah) and Cabernet Sauvignon. While the amount of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon varies, these wines are generally pretty spectacular
- Prosecco: A fun and flirty wine from Italy. Prosecco is made in Italy near Venice from the ancient Prosecco grape and it’s a light and refreshing sparkler. Prosecco is an easy sipper, will cool you down and for variety, serve it with different juices (grapefruit, orange, peach) and liquors (St. Germaine’s, Chambord, schnapps).
