Wines for All of Your Memorial Day Activities

• Posted on 23 May 2017
• Posted in bbq, chardonnay, grenache, Memorial Day, picpoul de pinet, rose, wine, zinfandel
• 0

Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer. The long holiday weekend is often filled with a variety of outdoor activities. No matter where your holiday weekend adventures take you, we have a wine that will pair fantastically!

1. Grilling in the backyard
   Backyard grilling is by far the most popular Memorial Day activity.  Whether you are cooking burgers, barbecuing ribs or smoking meats, you can’t go wrong with a Zinfandel (red, not white).  Zinfandel’s fruitiness and spice can stand up to savory seasonings and sauces.  Try the Carol Shelton “Monga” Zin, made from hundred year old vines for super concentrated flavor. 
2. Outdoor concerts and performances
   A number of public outdoor concerts and performing arts venues allow you to bring in your own food and drinks, but not in glass containers.  You may think that rules out taking wine, but you would be wrong.  Wine in a can is the new trend in wine packaging!  This format is easily portable and perfect for “no glass” venues.   The Alloy Chardonnay and Grenache are two great options that will travel well and pair perfectly with picnic sandwiches and salads. 
3. Beach weekends
   Heading for the beach this weekend? What better to eat at the beach than seafood?  After a long, hot day in the sand, try the Le Jade Picpoul de Pinet.  This crisp and refreshing white wine will compliment and balance grilled seafood and briny shellfish dishes. 
4. Parties
   Fruity, sweet cocktails and punches are perfect for block parties, family reunions and other large gatherings.  Pamplemousse is inspired by a cocktail from southern France mixing rose wine and grapefruit juice.  Peach aromas and grapefruit flavors create a refreshing cocktail (mix with prosecco to make it sparkling) on its own and add a layer of complexity to a sangria mix for a crowd-pleasing punch.    
5. Camping in the mountains
   If you are escaping the heat and the crowds for the weekend, look to the mountains to provide relief. The El Chaparral Old Vine Garnacha from Navarra, Spain provides dark plum, tobacco and black pepper flavors, the perfect complement to the dark, smoky ambiance of a campfire (and maybe a cigar if that’s your thing).