This 4th of July wine tasting is a Happy Birthday America party
Find 4th of July fireworks or celebrations near you and avoid the holiday crowds by stocking up now on everything you need to throw a Happy Birthday America wine-tasting party for 4th of July weekend.
Duplin wine tasting parties are the best because you get everything you need in one box delivered right to your door. Our new Party on the 4th Wine Tasting Kit, including 10 summerlicious wines, snacks and must-have barbecue sauce for your Independence Day grilling, is $30 off, plus free shipping, June 13-26 only. You can even choose a kit that includes a summer-favorite cheesecake.
When your Party on the 4th Wine Tasting Kit arrives, call your friends, share the tasting sheet included in the kit and stream the video at the top of this blog to follow along with our expert wine guides. No, this is not some fancy, formal tasting. This is a party thanks to easy bottles like Sangria Red, Blueberry Cotton Candy and a Goin' Coastal blush with a breezy beach buggy label.
How to taste wine like a Duplin pro
See. Swirl. Sniff. Sip. Savor. Use this 5-step system for each wine on the 4th of July Tasting Sheet included in your kit. Here's how.
See: First, hold a wine up to a light and look at the color. It will allude to the variety of grape used and what the wine will taste like. Is it Scuppernong? Nobel? Carlos? Another? Color also indicates flavor. A bright, saturated hue often means more intense flavor. See if you can guess the grape and flavor before you sip.
Swirl: Consider the wine's body next. Swirl the wine in your glass to determine if it is light or heavy. You're looking for the viscous streaks running down the side of the glass after you swirl. They're called "legs." Sweeter wines will leave streaks cling or move slowly. That means a heavier body.
Sniff: After you swirl, really dip your nose into the glass and inhale the aroma, what wine pros call the "bouquet" or "nose." Pausing to experience the bouquet heightens your senses and anticipation of the first sip. Think about what you are smelling. Is it fruity? What kind of fruit? Berries? Ripe banana? Musky honeydew melon? Pure grape? Are you getting floral notes like honeysuckle or gardenia? See if you pick up unexpected smells like pine or fall leaves. Describe the bouquet and discuss it.
Sip: Take a sip slightly larger than normal and hold the wine in your mouth for 3-5 seconds. Let the wine coat the tongue and the inside of your mouth. Wine releases more flavors as it warms on your taste buds. Before swallowing, purse your lips and breathe in gently, allowing the air to travel across the wine in your mouth to get the full flavor profile.
Do the flavors you're experiencing match the wine's nose? When and where are you tasting those flavors? Are you getting, say, banana bread on the first sip and then astringency or acidity at the end, which is called "the finish." Where do flavors hit you? On the tongue? On the side of your mouth.
Think back to the wine's body. Compare the texture of different wines, how they feel in your mouth. Light as water or heavier, like the texture of sweet iced tea? If you're sampling a sparkling wine, do the bubbles feel fine or medium in size. Compare your experience to the wine's description and see if it matches.
Savor: As you continue sipping, note how the sensation is slightly different from what you experienced when the wine was resting in your mouth on the first sip. This is the point when you taste and feel the wine's finish. As you continue tasting, note how the wine pairs with the Duplin Gourmet crackers and Muscadine Pineapple Habenero dip. See which wine you like best with those snacks and others you may be enjoying during your at-home or virtual tasting. Cheers!
Moonlight Bliss
Those moonlit nights on the beach, waves whispering ashore, your toes in the soft, cool sand. Pure bliss. That's what inspired our newest white wine, perfect with grilled shrimp, steamed crab or a family-favorite dish of pasta alfredo. We like to have a glass with nothing but the full moon. Relax and let go with each sip of this fruity, not-too-sweet, not-too-dry muscadine wine.
Midnight Magnolia
Midnight Magnolia is Duplin co-owner Jonathan Fussell’s personal favorite wine.
Close your eyes as you take your first sip and experience the elegant fruity start and then the crisp finish.
One of three Duplin Estate wines, Midnight Magnolia is made from grapes Duplin grows within four miles of the winery in Rose Hill, N.C.
Brice's Creek
Brices' Creek is named after a tiny community near New Bern, N.C., where pine forests are calming and peaceful.
Take time to notice the slight floral start. Do you sense jasmine? Yellow jessamine? Pay attention to the smooth finish and light alcohol bite. This wine’s complexity is thanks to a combination of Scuppernong and Niagara grapes. Niagara is not a muscadine grape but a native American vitis labrusca variety developed in Niagara County, N.Y.
Burgundy
Burgundy has a 1.5% sugar level, similar to the sugar content in merlot or cabernet sauvignon. Duplin Burgundy is much lighter and fruitier than those wines.
Duplin winemakers use a blend of early-harvest muscadine grapes. Grapes picked before they become too ripe are less sweet. Sip slowly. This wine packs 13% alcohol, making it a great partner to a big steak or caramelized onion and mushroom burger.
Pelican Red
Pelican Red combines mid-harvest muscadines with Pink Catawba grapes. Catawbas are a cross between Vitis Labrusca and the European cultivar Semillon. Native to France, Semillon is a golden, thin-skinned grape used in sweet and dry wines. Historians aren’t sure who first crossed these two grapes, but early vines were said to have grown on a so-called “Rose Hill property” in Maryland.
With just 7% sugar, Pelican Red is mid-sweet with a smooth floral finish.
Hatteras Red
Sweet and fruity, with a bite at the end, this blend of late-harvest Muscadine grapes is an easy drinker for folks new to wine. We call it our "beer-converter wine" because so many beer drinkers end up loving Hatteras Red.
This was the first Duplin wine to display the lighthouse and seagull that are now on all Duplin labels. The response from customers was so positive that we decided to put the image on all Duplin wines.
Goin' Coastal
Goin' Coastal sends you a lifetime of beach memories with every sip. The refreshing blend includes white muscadines from North and South Carolina. Duplin winemakers add Pink Catawba and Niagra grapes from the northern United States. Goin' Coastal bursts with hints of citrus and fresh fruit.
Scuppernong Blush
Scuppernong Blush is made from scuppernong grapes blended with other late-harvest muscadine grapes. The flavor is sweet with a noticeable mellowness at the end.
Scuppernong Blush is best served chilled. Try it on ice. It is the perfect wine to bring on romantic beach walks or for just sitting around the pool on warm summer nights.
Sangria Red
In 2015, Sangria Red was released and quickly became a fan favorite with its citrusy berry flavor.
Made from a blend of ripened red muscadines, citrus and strawberry, this wine is wonderful by itself or paired with fresh fruits. On a hot summer day, we like to freeze this wine in ice cube trays. We drop those "wine cubes" into Sangria Red to keep the wine cold without losing flavor! Sometimes, we add cut fruit to the ice trays.
Blueberry Cotton Candy
A burst of bright, blueberry sweetness and a hint of soft vanilla in red wine like no other. Pair it with grilled cheese sandwiches, candied pecans or Duplin's famous cheesecake. For taco night, stir together with a pitcher full of Cotton Candy Blueberry Sangria spiked with spiced rum and berry liqueur.
Blueberry Freeze
Blueberry and pomegranates mingle to create our Blueberry Freeze. Blend with Duplin Brice’s Creek (or a sweet white wine) for a cool, sweet and freezy experience.
Muscadine BBQ Sauce
A Muscadine flair added to a traditional sauce. This perfectly rich blend is just thick enough to evenly coat beef, poultry or wild game.
Savannah Grace Traditional Cheese Straws
Cheddar Cheese and lots of it in these delightful pastries. This is a traditional flavor that will please just about any cheese lover. The perfect entertaining snack or everyday treat.
