Wine and such for the weekend; Hello Fourth of July

Celebrate the July 4th weekend with a big bang and even more class when you pour these wines or other cocktails at your backyard gathering. And, we even include one for the designated driver.

This Fourth, plan on drinking and popping open Risata Wines festive blue bottle of Moscato d’ Asti ($11.97). The premium Moscato eloquently blends notes of minerality, fruit, and brightness. With its great, well-balanced body and buttery finish, it is the superior, versatile wine choice to enjoy with salad, burgers, hot dogs, and all the classic Fourth of July favorites.

The newly-released 2020 DAOU Rosé ($24) for summer is the perfect wine for the July 4th celebration.  A rising star in Paso Robles, DAOU Family Estates launched their first rosé last year, selling out in less than three months to become the #1 domestic, premium rosé in the US — an indication that the best rosés are as popular as ever. The 2020 release from DAOU is remarkably fragrant, with top notes of fresh peach and a silky finish. Inspired by childhood summers spent in Cannes, winemaker Daniel Daou is inspired by the Provençal style, vinifying at extremely low temperatures to preserve fresh fruit aromas and a light salmon hue. The bottle is also of French design. There is also the Red Blend Trio ($185) three top-rated blends from DAOU: Unbound, Eye of the Falcon and Seventeen Forty.

Check out the new northeastern Italian label from 3 Badge Beverage Corp., Guinigi Wines. Guinigi specializes in both Prosecco, but the Pinot Grigio ($13.99) is the winner here and now available by the glass at Blue Sushi,  the original sushi concept restaurant from Flagship Restaurant Group and founded by Texas natives Anthony Hitchcock and Tony Gentile. Honoring the Italian heritage of proprietor August Sebastiani, Guinigi Wines appeal to lovers of crisp, clean whites. Produced in the Delle Venezie area of Triveneto, the Pinot Grigio has the perfect aromas of apricot and hawthorn flowers, delicately balanced with a hint of minerality.

Dog Point’s Sauvignon Blanc ($25) has become the icon in its category, a stainless steel Sauvignon Blanc that creates energy and  expressiveness with a complexity that pushes the boundaries of what you may expect from Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is the ultimate vision of vibrant and perfumed New Zealand white wine. A pure, citrus-driven Sauvignon with subtle tones of pear and white peach, the palate bursts with fresh grapefruit and Meyer lemons for juicy flavor and refreshing acidity. The wine is ideal alongside a dozen oysters or other seafood favorites. And in case you can’t have just one, this wine can be comfortably cellared for five years or more.

LOW CALORIE SPA COCKTAILS

Cheers to the red, white, and blue this 4th of July with Spa Girl Cocktails, a premium ready-to-drink canned vodka cocktail brand. Opt out of serving your guests the same old cheap beer and hard-seltzers you usually drink at every summer soiree and offer one of these convenient cocktails instead with a high-proof and low cal, carb, and sugar count, the Spa Girl Cocktails collection is just the thing your friends and family need to get the party started with flavors like Strawberry, Peach, Cucumber, Pineapple, and Pear and Soda.

THE FAN FAVORITE

It’s the 4th of July so how about celebrating Independence Day with some American-made spirits? Gray Whale Gin ($40) is a small batch, California-made, spirit inspired by the migratory path of the Gray Whale. The gin is perfected with six botanicals that are foraged and harvested along the majestic creatures' 12,000 mile journey from Baja all the way to the Arctic; Gray Whale Gin is truly California in a glass. With every purchase, Gray Whale Gin donates a percentage of proceeds to Oceana to help protect and preserve the world’s oceans.

GRAY WHALE GIN ON THE ROCK-ETS

• 3 oz Gray Whale Gin

• 1 red, white and blue popsicle

Pour Gray Whale Gin in a glass. Dip popsicle and enjoy!

DESIGNATED DRIVER? TRY THIS

Moment is a natural botanical beverage that bottles the feeling of meditation in a can. Their blend of botanicals and adaptogens promotes alpha brainwaves – like those that arise during meditation – for reset and clarity. The flavors include Tulsi Lemon, Rooibos Blood Orange and Hibiscus Dragon Fruit. The result is botanical water that works hard so you don’t have to.

Moment is available for purchase in CVS stores and sales go towards mental health non-profits, including Calm Classroom and Mindful Miracles.