Garden Party with Grapes

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Summer is the season for everything al fresco, if the ever-lengthening list of restaurant patios is any indication. When the urge strikes you to do some entertaining, move the party outdoors with a sophisticated picnic garden gathering. A successful event needs three things: food, drink and games (and company, but that’s up to you.) Suggested activities and tips from Master Sommelier Brahm Callahan will help you wine away the afternoon hours between badminton rounds and impress your guests with palatable pours.

FOOD & DRINK

chablisWarm late June afternoons call for light fare, like cream cheese cucumber sandwiches (to be consumed with pinkies up) or sparsely dressed salads. Desserts like fresh fruit salad or mini tartelettes are a tasty addition to an elegant theme. Luckily, Grill 23’s wine director Brahm Callahan has a vintage for every occasion. Callahan recently joined the very exclusive ranks of Master Sommeliers and is now one of only 147 Master Somms in all of North America. Suffice to say, he knows his grapes. For fresh New England summer dining, like chilled seafood and oysters on ice, Callahan suggests a white Christian Moreau Chablis from the north of the Burgundy region. Says Callahan, “His whole range offers great value and amazing consistency. They’re great with shellfish or own their own, plus they are just so refreshing.”

Licia AlbarinoThe trick to entertaining is anticipating your guest’s picky palates—for a bottle that’s bound to please everyone, look for a white Albariño from the Rias Baixas in Galicia, Spain. Callahan recommends the varietal for its fresh fruit flavors and saline minerality. The lower alcohol content makes it a great party wine, suitable for all-day drinking. “Licia 2013 is what I am drinking right now, plus it is in a screw cap so it is built for speed!” On the other end of the guest spectrum are the self-described oenophiles. If you want an interesting pour to show off your bottle prowess, reach for a white grape Assyrtiko from Santorini, Greece. Callahan explains: “I know what you’re thinking, Greece doesn’t exactly bring to mind images of fine wine (anyone who has ever had retsina–wine made with pine resin– knows what I’m talking about), but there is actually a huge movement toward quality wine in Greece right now.” Stage a blind tasting to see if the most sensitive sipper can identify the Assyrtiko. It will throw them for a loop and raise your grape status all at once.

GAMES & TIPS

After all that food and wine, you’ll need some low-exertion activities to keep the party going. A leisurely game of badminton or croquet will stick to the upper English aristocracy vibe without overdoing your budget (or cardio). While your guests digest, make sure to keep your whites chilled with a bucket of ice, a handful of salt and a splash of water, per Callahan’s advice. As the ice melts, the salt will keep the solution colder than just ice alone. That way you’re guaranteed something chilled to sip during clean-up—if there’s any Albarino or Assyrtiko left, that is.

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