Red, White and Blue Vino-A Patriotic Pairing Down the Shore

Its been years since I enjoyed a 4th of July holiday 'down the shore' in southern New Jersey.

So this Independence Day, I decided to go all out with a patriotic pairing that would make the founding fathers proud.

Afte whipping up some salsa, my mother and I turned our attention to creating a batch of creamy deviled eggs, which I wanted to match up with a white that wouldn't overpower the delicate texture but accentuate their richness. My choice was a Petit Bourgeois Sauvignon Blanc, so fresh and light it almost floated away in my glass, its airiness and lemony quality perfect for the dish.  

  

With my ground strip steak burger, I was pondering a Zin but pulled a Sarah Palin and went rogue, picking a Rosso di Montalcino from Uccelliera. Even though Rosso is considered the little brother of Brunello, it has wonderful qualities all its own and goes down easier in warmer weather anyway. After sampling the wine and taking a bite of my juicy burger, I was pretty happy with my choice. Full of bright and flavorful sweet cherries, it was still earthy enough to match the meat, topped with a fresh-picked Jersey tomato and red onion.

For our sweet finale, Mom's homemade blueberry muffins were met with a natural choice-blueberry wine from Tomasello Winery in Hammonton, New Jersey. Both are made with locally-grown blueberries that are to die for...the pairing was too.

Of course, no 4th of July in Ocean City would be complete without fireworks and funnel cake on the world- famous boardwalk. I indulged in both, the salt air greeting me on a cool evening breeze, with the comforts of home foremost in mind. I'm thinking a German Riesling would go great with the powdered sugar...

For more of my wine adventures, follow me on Twitter @VinoChick75 and visit me at http://www.mydesert.com/vinochick.

Join me on Wednesday for another food and wine pairing experiment, this time at an iconic seafood establishment that has been a Vallee family tradition for nearly 40 years.