Listen, I know here in the States, when July 4th rolls around, everyone becomes unhinged for the summer barbecue to end all barbecues.
This year is a little different, and our 4th of July will involve safely partying with (vaccinated) Bitsy and Jerry on their dinghy.
There will be mini-mountains of German potato salad, and the kids are sort of okay because they are finally going to see someone other than their parents.
So how do you throw a party when you don’t really want to see anyone and ultimately still want to be socially responsible?
Well, you celebrate a long holiday weekend the way the founding fathers intended…
Have a loud, noisy, and full of booze 4th of July blowout starting on Friday and finishing on Sunday.
Then you recover the next day alone. Sorry, Mummy isn’t coming out of her room today.
What to Drink on 4th of July …Sip on Red, White, and a Wildcard
As far as party menus – sorry love, I cannot spend my days on Wine & Drama planning meals. I do enough of that in my offline life. Scrambled eggs for dinner, anyone? But I do love planning drinks!
Tell Bobby Ray to bring the beer…
Tell your mother-in-law to leave that potato salad at home and bring you some fruit salad instead…
Discover my 5 favorite chillable and chuggable 4th of July easy drink options:
Tavel Rosé and Ojo Gallo a Chillable Chuggable Rosato Wine for the 4th of July
The Reserve des Chastelles Tavel Rosé (13.5% ABV) from Vignobles & Compagnie is a float in the pool type of rose blend that goes down smooth and easy.
At $10 a bottle from Trader Joe’s you can’t go wrong with this Rosé blend of 60% Grenache, 25% Cinsault, and 15% Syrah from Tavel Rhone Valley, France.
I prefer it as an aperitif on it’s own and it’s particularly delightful with chilled veggies, garlic dip, and whipped feta cheese.
Tavel is a Rhone region that does not mess around with their rosé wines. They take the business of making rosé wine very seriously. Since most rosé wines from Tavel start at $20, discovering this gorgeous gem at $10 is a steal of a bargain.
I love the aromas of watermelon, strawberry, orange blossoms, with a touch of salt, fresh almonds, and blood orange. 2017 Reserve des Chastelles Tavel Rosé is tart, juicy, and mineral-based. It is supremely chuggable.
Finca Torremilanos – Clarete ‘Ojo Gallo’ 2019 from Castilla y Leon, Spain
At first I thought this wine was a light red (like a Pinot Noir), but surprise, Ojo Gallo is actually a ‘Clarete’!
Now what that means is this wine is a reference to the Claret wines of Bordeaux. And made in their traditional dark rose and light red style that has been popular for centuries.
Let this wine breathe for about 30 mins before drinking and make sure it’s well chilled. At $30 a bottle, drink it with people you really like or alone. My preference was to drink alone, because…well you know why.
It’s tart cherry, more cherry, leather, rich earthy mushrooms (a little funk), aged balsamic vinegar drizzled over strawberries, pink grapefruit peel, and tastes like nothing I’ve ever drunk before! And that’s saying a lot… because you know I like to drinky drink.
This is a picnic on the beach wine for sure. Not to mention the vivid rosé almost ruby color is stunning!
Ojo Gallo’, Castellano for ‘rooster eye’ (in other words, what the French call ‘oeil de perdrix’), a throwback to the traditional clarete style of the region.
Finca Torremilanos Ojo Gallo Clarete (13.5% ABV) dark rosé (light red?) is a field blend of very old vines of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Bobal, Monastrell, Viura, Albillo, and Malvasia co-fermented in cement and raised for 8 months in used barrels before bottling without added sulfur for peak drinkability. Chug, chug, chug!
Two White Wines and a Wildcard for the 4th of July
La Granja 360 Verdejo Viura from Castilla y León, Spain
Lately, I’ve been obsessed with Verdejo wine from Spain. I’ve found one that’s a ridiculously good value from Trader Joe’s.
It’s La Granja 360 Verdejo Viura (12.5%) from Castilla y Leon at $5 a bottle, stock up my friend.
This white wine is made with 85% Verdejo and 15% Viura grapes. It’s fermented with native yeast and is vegan!
Chilled and pale straw in color, this Verdejo/Viura blend is bright and fruity. It tastes like pomelo, lemon, orange peel, yellow apple, and white nectarines. There’s an undercurrent of chamomile and wildflower honey.
Trust me this wine is a solid steal at $5 a bottle. I would expect a wine like this to go for $10-$14 a bottle.
Next up we take a little journey to France…
Domaine Régis Minet Pouilly-Fumé Vieilles Vignes, Loire Valley, France
Let me just start by saying Vieilles Vignes Pouilly-Fumé is imported by Kermit Lynch. Who’s a huge name in the wine industry. If Kermit approves it, it’s basically like saying the Queen has blessed your baby.
The Regis vineyards that produce this fabulous Pouilly-Fumé wine sit on prized limestone, flint, and clay soil. Pouilly-sur-Loire produces one of the greatest Sauvignon Blancs in the world.
This Sauvignon Blanc is fresh, clean, mineral-driven, and bracingly mouth-watering in flavor. There’s a small touch of fizz in this wine.
There’s lots of green apple, lemon and lime zest, grapefruit, green melon, gunpowder tea, a little smoke, sea salt flakes, chervil, tarragon, and it’s creamier than the wines you’d find in neighboring Sancerre.
You’re going to want to have several bottles of this Pouilly-Fumé on hand.
Vieilles Vignes Pouilly-Fumé (13% ABV) at $24 a bottle is aged in stainless steel and naturally fermented “sur lie” for at least 6 months.
Blue: The Wildcard – Stillwater Artisanal Dry White Sour Ale Spritzer
Since my favorite cousin came to visit I’ll admit I’ve been on a bit of a beer kick lately. She’s a huge craft beer / IPA lover.
I ran across this sour ale while looking for some beers for her…
Sold in a four-pack for $16 each can is 16 ounces. That’s well over 2 wine glasses or 473 ml per can. The packaging is gloriously sleek and this blanc sour ale spritzer is mighty refreshing.
When you pour it out, it looks like Champagne, but uber carbonated. It is a beer after all.
I’ll admit I was confused for a hot minute. You can smell the Sauvignon Blanc grapes instantly. I enjoyed the way they infused the lime and the sea salt giving it an almost cocktail feel. It’s definitely a beer with a wine profile if that makes sense.
There are also subtle notes of elderflower, kiwi, green apple, and lemon zest. They even have a Rosé wine version called Hot Pink and I’m kicking myself for not grabbing that!
Keep drinking and stay strong. Have a happy and very safe 4th of July!