1. Picnic!
July is National Picnic Month, so serve up picnic goodies you love, then munch and sip the time away. Checkered tablecloths, watermelons and bandannas – decorations are a snap. The menu can be simple favorites: Tasty cheese and crackers, toasted nuts, assorted charcuterie, berries and cupcakes. No matter which Sampler you choose, it's a picnic pairing made in heaven.
2. One Small Step
July 16th is the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Celebrate all month with a space theme and raise a toast or two to this historic event. On the menu: Cheese and Moon Pies, of course, and anything else you love, with an accent on anything round. For extra drama, have it at night with glow-in-the-dark decorations. Be sure to get some moon landing party accessories including LED balloons.
3. Nautical
No boat required (although if you have one, all the better). It can be posh and still very casual. Suggest your guests dress nautically and turn on the yacht rock playlist to get in the mood before the Tasting begins. Decor: Sails and anchors, flags and stars. On deck, serve shrimp, veggies or cheesecake squares. Sip plenty of rosé and sparkling and cast your cares away.
4. Sangria Throwdown
The ultimate refreshing potion, sangria has seemingly endless recipes. Sweet or crisp, still or bubbly, red, white or rosé – everybody has a favorite concoction. Why not have a throwdown after the Wine Tasting? Post-Tasting, line up the remaining wine along with juices, sodas, fruits and garnishes. Ask each guest to bring a pitcher and mix their own creation. Take a vote. Winner gets a prize.
Find sangria inspiration here.
5. Fiesta
Everybody can get behind a summer fiesta with great Mexican dishes – only the best guac and salsa, tacos and quesadillas and whatever else you love. Our wines go beautifully with Mexican food. Do bright multicolor decor with banners and big tissue paper flowers – even a piñata. Play Mariachi tunes. If it’s nighttime (and safe) light the way with luminarias.
Click here to learn how to make luminarias.
6. Ice Cream Social
Card-carrying ice cream lovers are hip to the idea of wine and ice cream pairings. Yes, this breaks some rules, which is part of the fun. Most of the fun is the tasting. Put some classic flavors on the table (chocolate, vanilla, coffee) alongside our classic wines…then toss in a few unexpected ice creams and wines and let the guests experiment.
Read on for our favorite wine & ice cream pairings!
