Mix-and-Match Wine Pairings for the Season

Can we chat about wine? This past weekend I was browsing the aisles of my favorite Save Mart store and I noticed they were having a fantastic sale on wine. You can buy ANY four (or more) wine and spirits and receive 10% off your total – you even get this cute tote that fits all four bottles! I realized that I don’t talk about wine or alcohol in general in this space, unless it’s added to a sauce or as an additional flavoring to meat. Since the holidays are upon us, I felt this was a subject that we needed to discuss before guests arrive. Plus, I love a good bargain and most of the time wine isn’t cheap!

Now, I’m no wine connoisseur. I’m a Moscato girl through and through and I find most red wines a bit too dry for my taste. I’ve gone wine tasting and I’m always drawn back to the white wines, although there’s a few sweeter red dessert wines that do please my palate. I decided to try four new wines since they were at such a great price. I’m usually more of a cocktail or mixed drinks girl and not much of a beer drinker either. I worked as a cocktail waitress in my past life as well, but that’s another story for another time. Anyhow, sometimes I can appreciate the simplicity of pouring a glass of your favorite wine and sipping – no blender necessary. I decided to only purchase one white wine with this sale, and try my luck with some new deeper colors and flavors!

I envisioned the type of meal I would serve with each wine as I purchased them, this helped to ensure that I purchased a wide spectrum. I may not be too knowledgeable in the wine department, but I’m not too bad at pairing flavors so I felt like I was on the right track. My favorite meat sale was also going on at Save Mart so my first thought was, “Which wines would pair well with which meats?” Since it’s the holiday season it’s always a good idea to have a variety of wines on hand, never knowing who might come by for a visit and we all want to be properly prepared. With such a variety of meats and dishes on the menu this holiday season, it’s good to keep a variety in your wine rack.

Not only do you get your pick of any wine or spirits, but you get a FREE bag! It’s so cute!

I’d say I chose well and I feel I’ve broadened my palate a bit. I now have a new appreciation for red wines, and I have Save Mart to thank! The last thing you want to do is spend a lot of money on wines that you’re not sure you’ll love, but with this sale it’s totally worth it!