The 4th of July is around the corner and while the traditional beer goes well with your grilled hot dogs, burgers and steak, there are some patriotic wines that can make great summer sippers.
Red (Okay Pink) – Berberana Gran Tradicion Cava Rose Brut, Spain
This sparkling rose wine is from Spain and uses the traditional method of making champagne, finishing the fermentation in the bottle. It has a lovely pink hue and ripe strawberry, tart apple and bread on the nose. Light and elegant with a medium finish, the bright acidity and 11.5% alcohol make it great with food or as a solo beverage. You can find this sparkler for under $10.
This wine put me on the southern coast of France in a shaded patio, eating mussels as I watch the surf and the world go by.
White – Bianchi New Age, Argentina
New Age is a straw yellow white wine with a little effervescence, made from the aromatic Torrontes grape and grown in Argentina. Let your nose hover over the rim and be delighted with bountiful tropical fruits and flowers including ripe mango and papaya. The little fizz tickles your tongue as you drink this naturally sweet with only 9% alcohol. I like to drink this one as a cocktail know as a Tincho, over ice with a squeeze of lime. Try one and you’ll be buying New Age by the case for the summer to share with friends. Under $10 a bottle, so you can splurge on the case.
This wine transported me to the deck of a summer house on the beach after a hard day of reading on the beach and playing in the surf, still salty and sandy as the first one goes down easy.
Blue – HXM Riesling, Germany
A stunning blue bottle encases this elegant wine from Germany, the masters of the Riesling grape. Light and refreshing with elegant mineral and fresh citrus and the characteristic Riesling organic odors, this wine has a bit of residual sugar, with some nice balanced acid from the grapes. It’s a wine for a non-wine drinker with a low 8.5% alcohol content. It drinks great alone or with some light appetizers or snacks. This one can be had for less than $10 a bottle as well.
One sip and I was in a mountain cabin by a lake, watching the fish jump, the kids play in the water and canoes slide by.
This 4th, try something new – a red white or blue wine to celebrate!
Cheers!