Southern-Style Wines from the USA to Europe
Southern hospitality. Those words automatically bring to mind warm images of good food, good drinks and great times had by all. Great hosts from the South of the good old USA to the South of the Mediterranean know how to make their guests feel special. Let us share with you a few of their secrets on great entertaining from around the globe.
The long, sunny days of spring and summer just beg for good food, good drinks and lots of good friends and family to share them with. Southerners have always been known for their gracious hospitality as well as good taste in food and beverage. The key to it all is keeping things simple and making sure you have plenty to go around.
Sweet tea is by far the most popular beverage in the South. Long, tall, cool glasses of sweet tea have always been the perfect complement to Sunday afternoon meals spent with family and friends. Now you can serve your guests this same perfectly blended sweet tea with a little something extra. Olde Savannah Southern Style Sweet Tea is a refreshing blend of sweet tea and grape wine with a few citrus flavors added to make it extra tasty. Olde Savannah is great in a tall glass over ice with a slice of lemon, or you can be a little more creative. My favorite way to serve Olde Savannah is to mix it with lemonade (another great Southern beverage!) and serve it in tall glasses over crushed ice. Another refreshing combination is Olde Savannah mixed with ginger ale or sparkling water. Play around with it a little bit and see which combinations you like best. Better yet, set up a drink station for your guests to take a turn at coming up with their favorite combinations. Less work for you as the host, and provides entertainment for your guests, too!
Another key to Southern entertaining is doing that little something extra to make things really special. Be sure to have some garnishes for your sweet tea beverages on hand. The traditional lemon and lime slices are always popular, but try cutting them in different shapes like twists. Sugared lemon and lime slices are a great garnish for these drinks and definitely add that extra Southern touch. Also try serving them in interesting containers that mirror the casual style like small, unused flower pots or baskets lined with tea towels. Mint sprigs, raspberries and orange slices are also tasty complements to this thirst-quenching drink.
Refreshing Wines from the South of the Mediterranean
As delicious sweet tea is, you might want a different beverage for those days you’re dining al fresco or perhaps having a spring brunch. A beverage that captures the sunny flavors of warmer weather with a little festive tingle, something a little more elegant. For these occasions, I recommend a little trip across the ocean to Italy. They produce a delicious wine named Risata (which means laughter in Italian – perfect for your gatherings!). This wine is a frizzante (that’s a fancy term for a lightly sparkling wine), and has a fresh, bright citrus flavor, so it’s perfect for warm, sunny days when you want a light, cool beverage. Risata is slightly less effervescent than champagne, so if you find champagnes to be too fizzy for your taste, Risata would be an excellent choice. Risata is also slightly less sweet, so it’s perfect as an aperitif (a beverage served before a meal to stimulate the appetite) or with lighter foods like egg dishes and salads. It’s also perfect with desserts or even just served on it’s own.
Another wonderfully delicious Italian beverage for warm weather is a Bellini or Mimosa. The Blood Orange Mimosa has a unique sweet, juicy flavor with a hint of tartness. The Bellini Cocktail is a luscious peach and sparkling wine combination that your guests are sure to love. Both of these beverages can be served before a meal as an aperitif, with lighter fare like lunch and brunch entrees, or just on their own as you enjoy a sunny afternoon or evening sunset. Beautiful garnishes like raspberries, mint leaves or even edible flowers floating in your beverages will add that extra special touch that your guests will remember. These beverages are also both host friendly in that they’re already mixed and ready to go. Just chill several bottles, put out your champagne or wine glasses and let the warm weather celebration begin!
The weather is warmer, the drinks are lighter and the entertaining is easy whether you are in the South of the USA or the South of the Mediterranean. Drop by World Market and pick up several of your favorite Southern beverages to keep chilled and ready for guests. After all, anywhere around the world, a good Southern host
is always prepared!
