The Perfect Pair – Summer Wine and Activity Pairing

You never really need an excuse to enjoy a nice glass of wine, but I took this challenge to carefully pair wine with an activity that best suits it was a pretty fun reason to try four different white wines. I always think of what shoes will pair with a wine as I’m trying it since shoes are more my forte than food pairings as you all know from my Wine O’Clock posts, but pairing with an activity is a whole new level of fun and creativity!

To begin I tried each of the four Summer Sips selections from NB Liquor and tried to imagine the best thing “to do” while drinking each of the wines, what they reminded me of or what they would pair best with. Let me know if you would pair them the same way or would have thought of an entirely different activity for any of the wines.

Beach Day

I am from northern New Brunswick and love a good beach day whether I’m at home, travelling or looking for a way to entertain Little Dude for an afternoon. The amount of things you can do at a beach for the day (and for free I might add!) is virtually unlimited. It’s a great place to unwind, read a book, listen to the waves, go for a walk, build a sand castle, collect sea glass, play frisbee, throw rocks, go swimming, and the list goes on forever…

The Benjamin Bridge Tidal Bay was my choice to pair with a beach day. Not only does the name itself remind me of home (on the Bay of Chaleur) but it’s light refreshing taste is perfect for a day out in the sun.

*Make sure you check the rules and regulations for beach you’re going to before arriving with wine… not all beaches allow alcoholic beverages* Board Games Board Games tend to be a summer time activity for us. On rainy days at the cottage, camp or on vacation they are the perfect family activity to inspire memorable family fun. Of course, you can expand the scope to playing cards, cribbage or really any other game that gets the gang together. If you have little ones around like I do I highly recommend Monkey Around. It’s Little Dude’s favorite board game, is good for kids ages 2+ and is quite entertaining (even for the parents). Les Fumées Blaches Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect Board Game wine. It has a hint of citrus and pear with great aromas and is dry enough to pair with all of your favourite snacks that are surely going to be paired with playing board games. Bachelorette Viewing Party / Book Club I don’t read very many books or watch The Bachelorette consistently, but both are a fabulous excuse to have a Mom’s night out, a Date Night or a Solo Party to pair with my favorite wine. Santa Margherita has been a long time favorite of mine and covers everything you may possibly want in a wine: the label is classy, it has a dry finish with pungent flavors that almost make you feel like you’re on an Italian beach and it brings back great memories. In the end that’s what favorite wines, coffees, etc. are intended to do – the flavors bring you back to a moment worth remembering. Many of these types of memories are made from simple evenings at home with friends watching a silly show or chatting about our latest read. Backyard BBQ I think almost everyone in North America waits all winter long for this time of year in anticipation of BBQ season. There is nothing better than firing up the grill with a cold beverage in hand to cook a tasty meal. We tend to grill alot of pork chops and chicken paired with veggies and side salads during the summer. My absolute favorite thing to BBQ are salmon steaks however. They are super tasty and simply do not taste the same cooked any other way. Serving wine at a BBQ can be a bit tricky since there are likely many options on the menue from fish to steak and a little of everything in between. Thankfully there are fool proof wine tips for these situations… when serving a variety like this you are always safe with a Pinot Noir, if you prefer red wine, or a Riesling (or any sweeter wine) if you prefer white. The Santa Christina Casasole Orvieto is not a Riesling but is definitely sweet enough to substitute and pair with meat, poultry or fish. It is described as having a subtle sweet finish, but this one is definitely a great pick for those who prefer a sweeter wine. Have you tried the summer sip selections yet this season?! I’d love to know which one is your favorite and the next one on your list to try! Bring on the sunshine, good wine and summertime 🙂 Last but not least, leave me a comment with your favourite activity to pair with wine for a chance to win a $50 NB Liquor Gift Certificate! A winner will be selected by a random draw on Saturday, June 16, 2018 – Good Luck! Cheers! Jenna My shoes for that: Slingback Sandals from Old Navy