Blink an eye, and the month of July is half over!
July is packed with “food days” — those official (or otherwise) celebrations of everything from (in the case of July) corn fritters to jelly beans.
In fact, there is not a single day in July that is not devoted to at least one type of food. Several days have two concurrent celebrations, and two — the 14th and the 20th — have three.
July 14 was Macaroni Day, National Grand Marnier Day and Bastille Day, while July 20 is a dream for anyone with a sweet tooth: National Lollipop Day, National Ice Cream Soda Day and National Fortune Cookie Day.
Obviously, not all foods are great pairing partners for wine, but perusing the list of July food days — some that have come and gone for this year, one still so come — reveals a few possibilities that aren’t exactly top of mind…
• July 4 — National Barbecued Spareribs Day.
If you go beyond burgers and hot dogs on Independence Day, spareribs are a tasty treat and Zinfandel is the wine to serve. Its luscious fruit flavors meld nicely with the sweetness of the barbecue sauce. We have an array of wines selected specifically to pair with the bold flavors of barbecue and you can order together at a discount for a limited time.
• July 11 — National Blueberry Muffin Day.
A number of wines suggest blueberry in their flavor spectrum, including Malbec (particularly renditions from Argentina), Mourvedre, Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah. But with a just-out-of-the-oven blueberry muffin, nothing beats a fruit-forward Shiraz (a.k.a. Syrah) from Australia.
• July12 — National Pecan Pie Day.
Among the wines that exhibit a general “nuttiness” (i.e., not necessarily a pecan-like flavor) are Pinot Blanc, Roussanne, Semillon and Verdejo. But when you add sweetness to the equation, the best pairing partners for pecan pie are Cream Sherry or Port.
• July 17 — National Peach Ice Cream Day.
Some “late harvest” dessert wines are so sweet and so “thick” that winemakers often suggest pouring them over vanilla ice cream for a unique sweet treat. Think of it as a sundae for adults. Well, it just happens that there’s also a wine that can be poured over peach ice cream because it exudes a peachy impression of its own: Moscato. And unlike dessert wines, Moscato often adds another fun dimension to the ice cream dish: bubbles. If you really enjoy the combination or just like sweet, bubbly wines, join our Light & Sweet Wine Club. You’ll save time and money by having wine selected just to your taste and delivered right to your door. For more frozen fun like Strawberry and Sparkling Rosè Pimms Sorbet, check out Ice Cream Magazine.
