Welcome, to the ultimate party guide to unleashing the flavors of summer! Whether you’re a seasoned sommelier or simply enjoy a crisp glass of white wine on a warm summer day, Rising Wines Collective is here to help you curate the perfect experience. We’ll help you set the stage for a successful event, suggest ten excellent summer wines, and provide food pairings to take your guests on an unforgettable journey. So, let’s dive in and unlock the secrets of hosting a summer party!
Setting the stage for a memorable event.
Creating an inviting atmosphere is essential for an enjoyable wine-tasting event. Consider hosting your gathering outdoors with strands of lights, embracing the warmth of the summer, or opt for an elegant indoor setup. Get inspired with elegant summer party décor ideas, and leverage our Wines of Summer Music Playlist to enhance the ambiance and experience.
Choosing wines for warm summer days
Rising Wines Collective prides itself on bringing the essence of small-production wines to your door. Our carefully curated selection promises a delightful sip, a story, a connection to the winemakers, and a genuine experience that transcends beyond tasting to creating new memories with friends and family. For your summer wine-tasting event, I recommend featuring a diverse range of 10 wines carefully selected to captivate your guests’ palates. Here are our top picks:
Sparkling wines
Lytle-Barnett, 2016 Brut Rosé: The epitome of celebration and arguably one of the best sparkling wines from Oregon; A beautiful pale pink with flavors of cherry, red berries, raspberry, bread, and lemon cream. There’s nothing better to get an evening started than a wine that looks to have captured sunset in a glass.
Carboniste, 2020 “Octopus” Sparkling Albariño: Their motto is “Welcome to the sparkling revolution.” This wine is a modern take on a clean and yummy sparkler fermented in a stainless steel tank with a second fermentation in the bottle. Bright and crisp with notes of citrus and stone fruits.
White wines
Rising Wines Collective, Streetvine 2021 Sauvignon Blanc: Crisp and vibrant, perfect for summer sipping. Grapes were picked on a cool summer night and pressed cold to enhance the aromas of this wine. You will find notes of grapefruit, orange cream, pear, and savory herbs. Sauvignon Blanc is a crowd-pleaser, and our 2021 Streetvine will bring its cool summer night to you.
Rising Wines Collective, Maxine Lily 2020 Chardonnay: This Oregon Chardonnay is one of our favorites and an excellent presentation of a well-balanced aroma that explodes with white flowers and perfume, wet stones, lemon, and lime; bright lemon and lemon rind on the attack with more wet stone, medium plus acid, and a crisp citrus finish. Chardonnay is on the rise in Oregon, and this wine melds a certain French character with its new West Coast home.
Two Shepherds, 2018 Grenache Blanc: From the Russian River Valley AVA in Sonoma, CA, Grenache Blanc — one of our favorite grapes — is growing in popularity in California and Washington and is similar to Chardonnay. This wine is rich in lemon, lime, and stone fruits with aromas of grapefruit and an interesting saline character. This wine is true to minimal intervention. Held for three years before release, it’s ready to drink now, making it perfect for your party.
Leo Steen, 2020 Chenin Blanc: Sonoma Winemaker Leo Hansen is a prominent producer of Chenin Blanc. This wine exudes white peach, lemon cream, honeydew melon, and a long finish. The desire of Leo Steen is “to make interesting wines with a sense of place and purpose.” There is no better time to thrill those new and experienced to Chenin Blanc.
Rosé wines
Rising Wines Collective, Streetvine 2021 Rosé of Syrah: This is a customer favorite, an easy-drinking porch wine for the summer. Light and elegant, boasting delicate notes of strawberries and floral undertones. It is dry and has higher acidity, making it a versatile food pairing rosé.
Laterus, 2019 Mourvèdre Rosé: This is everything a rosé should be. Aged in stainless steel, makes this wine a vibrant and lively choice with notes of grapefruit, apple, red cherries, and honey. The whole cluster pressed from the always black as night Mourvèdre, this beautiful wine is where your rosé journey should begin.
Red wines
Project M, 2018 Personify Pinot Noir: From a micro-sized winery in Carlton, OR, this wine is smooth on the palate bringing notes of dried strawberry, raspberry, herbs, mushrooms, tart berry and an earthy finish. This red wine is known for its light to medium body and boasts flavors of red fruits and earthy undertones.
T2 Cellar, 2018 GSM: With limited availability, this wine is a Platinum Award winner from the Great Northwest Wine competition. This GSM (Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah) brings forward notes of red cherry, raspberry, good structure, and dried herbs.
Selecting food pairings for versatile wines
Enhance the tasting experience by pairing carefully selected foods that complement your versatile wines. Consider offering various options, such as artisanal cheeses, a Mezze Platter, and Sunshine Pasta Salad. Our recipes will help highlight each wine’s unique characteristics, elevating your guests’ overall experience.
Creating a memorable experience
Consider incorporating a themed dress code or even a blind-tasting challenge to add an element of excitement. Follow up with a Refer a Friend discount code for your shared wines.
We hope you find this guide useful and your summer party is hugely successful. Please tag us @risingwinescollective as you post photos of your event so we can share your enjoyment.
