Since the weather is finally breaking and Spring is officially here, I’ve decided to share some wines that will be perfect for Spring! I’ve been a manager at a liquor store for the past 10 years, so I like to think I know a thing or two about wine. Here’s some of the knowledge I’ve learned over the years at job #1 (now that I have two..)
In the white department, I’m really into Rieslings, Sauvignon Blancs, and blends lately. For Rieslings, I recommend Kendall Jackson, Chateau St. Michele, and Barefoot, you can pair them with any fruit dish or spicy Asian dish. (The Barefoot one is more sweet than the other two, so stick to dessert or using it for a base for sangria!) In the Sauvignon Blanc section, I love the 90+ brand (especially the one from New Zealand, be sure to check the bottle because the 90+ brand outsources grapes to get the year’s best.) Pair a Sauvignon Blanc, with seafood or salads. And for blends, my latest fave, is Kitchen Sink White. It’s a blend of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Gewurztraminer, and is perfect for Spring and Summer. It’d be great to bring to a bbq or girls’ night in. (And it’s super inexpensive! Should run in the $8.99 range-depending on where you live!)
As far as reds go, I say you can drink what you like no matter what time of year..with that being said, I don’t recommend drinking a Bordeaux on a 95 degree day. Anywho, back to what I recommend, I’ve being loving Pinot Noirs, Carmeneres, and red blends. As far as Pinot Noirs go, I love love love 3Girls. It’s perfectly soft and makes for easy drinking on it’s own or paired with food. I’d pair it with spaghetti and meatballs or a nice piece of pork loin. I stumbled upon Carmeneres a few years ago, when randomly a new saleswoman came in with a new Chilean brand, Casas Patronales. I did a taste test with it when I first brought it in and customers thought it was a $40 or $50 dollar bottle, when really it retails for about $7 or $8.99 (again, depending on where you live.) To me, it goes great with steak dinners or spicy chicken meals. And last, but certainly not least, I have two favorite red blends. The first is the Kitchen Sink Red, like it’s sister the white blend, it’s super cheap and would be perfect for a bbq, but it has four different grapes. It’s a blend of Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Shiraz. It’s not as dry or heavy as you would think we you hear it’s a blend of those four, it’d be great with a meatloaf or hamburgers. My other fave blend is, Primal Roots. It’s heavier than the Kitchen Sink, but you could still drink it on it’s own. It’s a blend of Merlot, Syrah, and Zinfandel. It’s also in the $10 dollar range (please, don’t rush into your local liquor store and say “My blogger pal said this is $10, why are you charging $14.99?!?”) Pair it with steak or lasagna.
Here’s a couple of my wine tips;
Open any bottle of red wine about 10 to 15 minutes before you pour, it’ll release the tannins and make the wine smoother.
Freeze fruit cups in their own juices to use as ice cubes for your sangria. When they melt, it won’t water the wine down!
When buying wine, keep in mind that air kills wine, so buy smaller bottles. That way you only use what you need and don’t have to throw away the rest of a big bottle. Depending on the wine, it can start to turn in a couple of hours.
Buy 187ml sizes and have a wine tasting party. Get a cheaper brand like Barefoot, you just need to get the taste of what each type is like. Then you’ll know the next time you hit the liquor store, what you like and don’t like!
This post was not sponsored in any way, shape, or form, just wanted to share some of my faves and some tips I’ve gathered over the years!! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday and let’s go Rangers!!! #playoffsorbust baby, Xo.
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