I recently told you about Fresh & Easy’s healthy, affordable food choices for Summer barbecues.  Last week, the market hosted a wine and appetizer tasting event at the SmogShoppe in Los Angeles. Wine expert Richard Wherry (who speaks better Spanish than I do) gave us tips on selecting and serving wines.

Fresh & Easy offers 170 quality, affordable wines from all over the world including Napa Valley, Argentina. Chile, and Spain.  Eight of those wines are award-winning and most of them are under $10. With so many options, how does one go about picking the perfect wine?

Keep An Open Mind – Wines are made to be shared and enjoyed and should enhance the dining experience.   The important thing is to have fun and try something new!  There’s a wine that fits every taste and personality.

Expensive Doesn’t Mean Better – Popular brands and expensive bottles don’t always mean they’re better.  There are many wines for under $10 at Fresh & Easy that are great, high-quality blends.

Aperitif – Serve sparkling wine, which pairs well with most appetizers and is great for toasting the holidays, to stimulate the appetite and make celebrations more festive.

White v. Red – As a general rule of thumb, try to serve one white wine and one red wine at parties.  You want to pair lighter bodied wines with lighter dishes and fuller bodied wines with heavier dishes.  For example, white wines pair well with seafood, salad and chicken and red wines with red meats and saucy dishes.

For more information, just visit your local Fresh & Easy store.

No compensation was received for this post.  I attended an event and received a gift bag, courtesy of the company.