HOLIDAYS
HOLIDAYS
Find the perfect picnic pairing of wine and food.
Few things are more relaxing than a leisurely picnic in the park. Only one thing can improve on the great outdoors, clear skies and delicious food: a great bottle of wine. Here are some tips on finding the perfect match:
It's all about the condiments! If you're using...
- A Specialty Cheese: Pair the wine to whichever cheese you use on top of the burger. For blue cheese, try a Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Lots of Ketchup: Try fruity or sweet wines, such as a rose. Check out our article on Top 5 Roses for great suggestions.
- Lots of Pickles or Coleslaw: A dry red wine, like a Syrah, is a good choice.
- No Condiments: Lots of red meat from the burger requires a strong, warm red wine. Try Canaletto Primitivo.
This classic picnic sandwich is well suited for a great Merlot. Here are a few to try:
- Quail Ridge Merlot: complex and sophisticated, but can be hard to find and pricey.
- Coho Wines Merlot: intense, smooth and juicy.
- Huntington Wine Cellars Merlot: robust and earthy with dark cherry and plum flavors.
- Matanzas Creek Winery Merlot: spicy and smooth with notes of blackberry.
A sweet, fruity Riesling is just the match for a hot dog loaded with relish, pickles or hot peppers. The versatile wine is very "food friendly" and pairs well with a wide assortment of eats. Try
- Chateau St. Jean Sonoma County Johannesberg Riesling: strong florals with a hint of melon and apricot.
- Trimbach Riesling: full of flavor with fruit undertones and a bit of an acidic finish.
- Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Drachenstein "Dragonstone" Riesling: fairly sweet with a honey and grapefruit flavor.
- Fritz Haag Estate Riesling: packs a nice, refreshing citrus punch.
Good, old fashioned fried chicken tastes excellent when paired with Semillon, a white wine with a full body and low acidity. Here are some top Semillon picks:
- Peter Lehmann Barossa Semillon: sits nicely between the lightness of a Riesling and the depth of a Chardonnay.
- De Bortoli Sacred Hill Semillon: oaky and dry with citrus notes.
- Fire Gully Sauvignon Blanc Semillon: full bodied and dry with a crisp finish.
- Torbreck The Woodcutter's Semillon: very intense; buttery and crisp at the same time.
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