Fire up the grills, the unofficial start to summer is right around the corner! There are so many ways to celebrate Memorial Day Weekend, but the best times are the ones taking time to thank those that have served or are still serving, be with good friends, and drink some good wine! For how to make the most of your backyard barbeque, keep reading for the top 5 tips from Chelsey Nelson of Wino on a Budget.
What comes to mind when you think about springtime? For me it’s nicer weather, outdoor activities, and rosé. It’s a moment to connect with friends and family over long warm evenings and string twinkle lights over your backyard deck. Spring barbecues kick off over Memorial Day Weekend for my group of friends. With the long weekend giving us time off to reflect and be thankful for those who have served and are still serving, it’s also a good time to have a backyard get together!
Here are some of my must haves when it comes to attending or hosting the perfect backyard get together:
Wine: Although this seems to be a given, I needed to make sure I mention that you really can never go wrong with bringing chilled rosé to a warm weather gathering. Pro tip if you always want to make sure there is something everyone likes: bring 2 bottles. One bottle should be a dry rosé (popular options available from Provence, France) as well as one bottle of a more fruit forward rosé for people who like a bolder flavor to their rosé.
Insulated Wine Carrying Case or Cooler: Has the ice all gone a melted in the beverage chest or there’s no room in the beverage bucket? Bring something that keeps your rosé nice and chilled so that you’re not worried about drinking warm wine on a hot evening. A good pick is from KATO and you can snag it for $18.99. There is a separator inside that keeps the wines from hitting each other during travel. The khaki is very versatile too!
Charcuterie Platter: A good crackers, cheese & meat board is essential to every party. While I could write an entire article about the art of a good cheese plate, make sure you grab at least two meats, two cheese, a LOT of crackers, and perhaps a nice jelly to add a little kick to your board. Stonewall Kitchen makes delicious crackers, jams, jellies, and other goodies to make your board perfect. Pro tip: Bring all ingredients to the event as well as a board to stage them all on. Charcuterie boards tend to not travel very well, and it can be nice to keep them chilling in a cooler until you reach your destination as well.
Coravin & Screw Cap Accessory: If you want to open up that nice bottle of wine but don’t want to be worried about rushing through it, a Coravin is easy to pack and gives you freedom of the glass. Something that most people don’t know about Coravin is that they have a Screw Cap Accessory that is the perfect additional tool to keep on hand! The wine industry is starting to embrace the screw top and now you can get some very high-quality wines that are not corked. Especially in regions like New Zealand and Australia where a majority of their wines can be found with screw tops. Thankfully, Coravin has a Screw Cap Accessory that will still allow you to access a screw top bottle the same way you would a naturally corked bottle so no need to worry! Learn how a Coravin System can take your BBQs to the next level here.
A Laid-Back BBQ Playlist: Whether you’re the one having people over or you get designated as the DJ, there is no need to overpower the conversations by blaring music, but it’s always nice to have some background vibes! I’m a fan of a good country song!
So there you have it—my top 5 things I recommend bringing with you to make your Memorial Day Weekend get togethers a hit. Enjoy the sunshine, good vibes, and wine!
– Wino on a Budget
How do you like to celebrate Memorial Day Weekend? Share your plans with us in the comments, or tag us on social using @Coravin on all channels!
