July 4th Wines

July 4 is almost upon us. If you're looking for some wine and food pairings, look no further!

Recommendations:

Hamburgers, steaks and other red meats: These foods pair well with red wines that are medium to full bodied and have a little spice to them. Look for a wine made with Cabernet Franc grapes, a Cotes du Rhone red from France (usually a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre grapes), or a Zinfandel.

Scallops, shrimp, crabs, white fish, other seafood: A curveball suggestion is a Soave Classico, a dry and light-bodied white wine from Northern Italy's Veneto region made with the Garganega grape. Classico means it is made in the most traditional style and more tightly regulated. Since this region was once mainly for bulk grape production, the designation is a good indication the wine will be of higher quality.

Soave is similar to Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris but has a little something extra, and is certainly a great conversation piece.
Bonus: If you see a "Superiore" on the bottle, it means it was made with higher quality grapes and aged for at least eight months. 

Another unique white wine from Italy is made with the Vernaccia grape, a dry acidic white wine that also pairs excellently with seafood.

All-around crowd pleasers: Dry sparkling wine pairs well with salty food because the bubbles cleanse the palate, similar to the way that beer does. It also pairs well with almost anything aside from a dessert (go for a Demi-Sec or Sec, which means partially, or wholly sweet). 

I would suggest Champagne from the region in France, or Cava, a sparkling wine from Spain, made with native Spanish grapes, also in the same method. 

Look for the words Brut, Extra Brut or Brut Nature (the driest) on the label. With Cava, look for 'Reserva' on the label, and a green sticker on the bottle. The aging requirements are similar to Champagne, producing a higher quality wine. 

Rose wines are also a great choice and go with almost anything. For heavier dishes, go with a darker colored rose, so it can stand up to the food, like one made with Garnacha grapes from Spain. Or for lighter dishes, a lighter rose pairs nicely. And sparkling rose is always an excellent choice.

These are just some of the possible combinations. Throw the rule book out the window and start sipping and eating. Its the only way to find out what you like. Cheers!