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Summer may be winding down, but the beach is still calling! That’s why we’ve gathered our favorite wine-inspired beach beverages and pairings. So, kick back, relax, and prepare for some serious vacation vibes.
It may not be widely celebrated, but August 30th is National Beach Day! We don’t know about you, but we’ll be observing this holiday with all things beachy, summery, and (duh) wine!
This holiday celebrates the beauty of our beaches while also raising awareness about the need for keeping our beaches clean, safe, and beautiful. Now that’s a summer holiday we can all get behind! Plus, with fall right around the corner, we want to experience all the summer vacation vibes we can get.
So, in honor of the occasion, we’re sharing some wine-inspired beach treats! Don’t worry though, you don’t have to be on the beach to enjoy this holiday. Read on for five wine pairings and recipes that are sure to make any day feel like a beach vacation!
Cool Off With A Glass of Low-Carb Frosé
What says summer better than strawberries?! Their vibrant color and juicy sweetness make strawberries a great summer staple to include with your favorite beverages. Speaking of favorite beverages, we’re kicking off our National Beach Day celebration with a crowd-pleasing glass of low-carb frosé!
This beverage is high in fresh summery goodness and low in carb count. All you need for this yummy treat are a handful of strawberries, some ice, and our refreshing PALO61, Toscana Rosato. The floral and raspberry notes of this medium-bodied wine combine perfectly with the freshness of summer strawberries.
The beauty of this beverage is that you can tweak it however you like! Want a seriously frozen drink? Add more ice! Prefer to garnish with strawberries instead of blending them in? Go for it! Use the strawberries however you’d like in your own signature cocktail — slice ’em, dice ’em, or blend ’em — they’re sure to be delicious no matter how they’re used with our Toscana Rosato rosé.
We recommend topping your frosé with fresh mint for some extra summer freshness. Just blend your ingredients, pour in a glass, garnish, and enjoy!
Pair A Crisp White Wine with Rich Garlic Butter Shrimp
On the foodie side of our National Beach Day celebration, we’re craving rich seafood and crisp white wine. That’s why we’re opting for this super simple garlic butter shrimp recipe that pairs beautifully with our Santa Lucia Toscana Bianco. All you need is the shrimp, a handful of ingredients, and our delicious white wine to enjoy this summer meal.
Ingredients
- 2.5 sticks of butter
- 1.5 pounds of jumbo-sized, peeled shrimp
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
- 5 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 1/4 cup of chicken or beef stock
- A dash of your favorite hot sauce (optional)
- A squeeze of a fresh lemon
First, melt two sticks of the butter in a skillet over medium heat while you salt and pepper the shrimp in a separate bowl. If you want, you can add a bit of onion powder and/or red pepper flakes to the shrimp seasoning to kick things up a notch.
Next, add the minced garlic to the melted butter and stir for about a minute. Then add the chicken/beef stock, hot sauce, and lemon juice, and bring it all to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for a minute before mixing in the rest of the butter. Finally, add the shrimp to the skillet and reheat everything together for a minute or so, and ta-da! Your buttery garlic shrimp is ready to garnish how you like and then serve.
We chose our Santa Lucia Toscana Bianco white wine because of its tropical notes of pineapple and banana. This crisp, dry wine helps freshen up your palate after each bite of rich, buttery shrimp.
Interested in more wine pairing ideas? Check out our Wine-Pairing 101 guide for simple tips to pair wine like a pro.
Anyone Up for a Wine Tasting at the Beach?
If you already have beach access (or lake, backyard pool, etc.), why not throw a wine tasting celebration by the water!?
We all know that adding friends, beach vibes, and wine together is automatically a GREAT time. Plus, you don’t have to be a sommelier to choose a delicious wine, nor do you actually need a beach to enjoy a fabulous wine tasting. Honestly, we think our wines taste excellent at any venue 😉
But if you want to get the most out of your wine-tasting experience, consider these tips from our experts:
- Examine the appearance of the wine. Its color and texture can tell you a lot (age, grape quality, and even sugar & alcohol content).
- Take note of the aroma. Start with the primary scents — floral, fruity, herbal, spicy, etc. — and then go from there. Secondary aromas will clue you in on that wine’s fermentation process, while further scent-analysis will hint at the aging practices of the wine, and can be detected by cedar, leather, tobacco, and vanilla aromas, to name a few.
- Taste the wine, of course! Keep in mind the details of aroma and texture, both while sampling the wine and after you’ve swallowed it or spit it out. Notice which areas of your tongue pick up on various sweet or sour flavors. The texture of the wine on your palate determines the “body” of the wine, where light-bodied wines tend to feel crisp, while heavy-bodied wines are heavier on the palate.
Click here for even more details on mastering the art of wine tasting and read tips on how to host or attend an event. Plus, if you’re excited about hosting but not quite sure where to start, check out our list of party recipes PLUS wine recommendations. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Stay Hydrated for Beach Day With A Simple Watermelon Salad
Spending any length of time in the summer sun requires staying hydrated. If chugging water isn’t your thing, you can actually help your body stay hydrated with the food you eat. That’s why we’re digging into this fresh and simple watermelon salad.
The base is made of fresh spinach and bite-sized chunks of watermelon, and also includes red onion, feta cheese, almonds, and fresh basil. The highlight of this salad, however, might be the dressing. It’s a simple mixture of balsamic and red wine vinegar, olive oil, and just a dash of salt and pepper. Additional toppings like shrimp and blueberries (or whatever else comes to mind) take this salad to the next level.
And the best part? It’s KETO-friendly! So enjoy this simple and delicious salad guilt-free and elevate the entire experience by pairing it with our Palo61 Toscana Rosato. We know, we know—we’ve already recommended it once! But can you blame us? There’s just something about a fruity, floral rosé that makes us want to hit the beach!
For the complete recipe and wine details, check out all the details here.
Create A Low-Carb Tropical Sangria
Now it’s your turn to get creative! Sangrias are simple to throw together. Plus, as an added bonus, they’re surprisingly easy to keep low-carb.
We recommend the following ultra low-carb tropical fruits to whip up your own signature sangria:
- Raspberries
- Star Fruit
- Blackberries
- Strawberries
- Peaches
- Watermelon
For a simple sangria base, simply mix four ounces of your favorite red or white wine, four ounces of club soda, 1 ounce of citrus-flavored vodka, and 1 squeeze of lime juice. If you’re worried about staying in ketosis, you can always skip or minimize the vodka. We highly recommend using one of the red or white wines from our list of wines with the lowest carbs.
Still not sure? Try our PALO 61 Toscano Rosso as a fabulous base for a raspberry sangria. Additionally, our Palo 61 Toscano Bianco would be a light and refreshing choice for a peach sangria.
Grab Your Wine and Hit the Beach!
Whether you’re at the beach or sunbathing in your backyard, let the ideas here inspire you to enjoy the last days of summer. Fall is just around the corner with all of its own inspiration and wine pairings to fawn over. Until then, we hope you enjoy your summer, enjoy your loved ones, and enjoy your wine!
Want more wine delivered straight to your door? Subscribe to our wine club and you’ll never have to worry about running low on your favorite low-carb wines!
