The 4th of July or Independence Day is one of the most important celebrations in the United States. A day when the air smells of bbq, the same ones that bring together thousands of families and friends who, under the summer sun, enjoy barbecues bursting of joy and flavour.

The colours red, blue and white take over the streets of the United States every 4th of July. It is the American spirit that celebrates with patriotism, from 1776 to the present day, the birth of American independence. It is a national festival that takes place during the summer holidays, an opportunity that requires toasting with refreshing drinks such as wine, waiting for a meal to share, parades and of course, the famous fireworks.

To celebrate the 4th of July, we leave you with four interesting food and wine pairings with four of the most popular dishes in the United States.

BBQ Ribs + Syrah

Bbq, bbq and more bbq’s. Grilled food is one of the symbols in the 4th of July celebrations, especially in the areas of Texas, Kansas City, Carolinas and Memphis. Chicken, beef, vegetables and of course, the famous pork ribs prepared with BBQ sauce. That sticky sauce with a characteristic umami, smoky and sweet flavours, which with the fat of the ribs needs a red wine with a certain tannin load. In the United States, a typical pairing would be with Zinfandel, which can also be replaced by another variety that is very grill friendly, such as Syrah. Gravas Syrah 2019 and Casillero del Diablo Syrah 2019 are two examples that represent the typicity of this wine grape very well, which are a great combo with BBQ Ribs.

Hot dogs + Sauvignon Blanc

Another staple of American grills are the beloved hot dogs. Easy to prepare, especially on hot days to enjoy outdoors, American Hot Dogs are a standard within its gastronomy. Usually served with mustard, ketchup, relish, chilli, onions, sauerkraut, or cheese, one grape variety that works very well with the acidity of all these sauces is Sauvignon Blanc. If you thought pairing hot dogs with wine was too much, you were wrong. Try it with Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc or Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc, served very cold, and you will see. Aren’t you convinced? Marques de Casa Concha Rosé can be another great pairing.

Cheeseburgers + Malbec

For the 4th of July Cheeseburgers are another of the most popular preparations. And although the wine will depend on the type of burger, for the classic, filling and greasy cheeseburgers, those that can include bacon, a lot of mayonnaise and, by the way, the smoke from the grill… a voluptuous wine is needed. A variety with flavours of black fruit, notes of black pepper and medium acidity, with great structure and density to accompany cheeseburgers, is Gran Reserva Malbec. You will not regret it.

Also check: To each burger a wine

Apple Pie + Late Harvest

Apple Pie is another of the most American dishes that exist and that cannot be missing in the 4th of July celebrations. Eating a piece of hot Apple Pie while admiring the fireworks is one of the typical postcards of this celebration, which complements exquisitely well with a glass of sweet wine. It could be a Moscato d’Asti, Sauternes or a late harvest wine like Concha y Toro Late Harvest made from Sauvignon Blanc.