We’re so excited to watch the beautiful leaves fall, don our cozy sweaters, and wander the dog park without fighting the dog into snow booties. For anyone attending classes, teaching students, or paying for those things to happen (parents, you know what I’m talking about) we offer a toast to you!
Parents, we suggest starting September with an optimistic approach called wineglass half-full (or full, we’re not judging.) As the maker of meals, official chauffeur, number one fan and proudest cheerleader; these pairings were designed with you in mind!
1. For the parents perpetually stuck ferrying their rugrats between school and soccer practice, give your sip and snack a boost with a yogurt tube and the Annex Ale Project’s Norm-Core Pale Ale. Upgrade to a romantic evening by sharing the crushed granola bar from the bottom of your bag with your partner and antagonizing that referee as a family.
2. September is a smorgasbord of postponed August birthday parties, not to mention all of the actual September birthdays! It’s go-time on the weekends, balancing multiple birthday parties and ballet before the sun sets on Saturday. Savour the delightful combination of a chocolate pudding cup and a fruity Malbec like the Humberto from Canale Estate, hidden in a travel mug, to remind you that weekends are supposed to be fun and relaxing. Layers of blueberry pie and vanilla in the wine will mix beautifully with the milky chocolate.
3. Too exhausted to make yourself a snack after staying up late to make your ungrateful kids their lunches? Munch those peanut butter and jelly sandwich crusts with a bold, jammy Cabernet Sauvignon like Vinovalie’s Terreo to match the fruit preserves and balance the acidity of the peanut butter.
4. On a crisp fall evening when you need a break, let the kids reign free in an unsupervised frenzy and take a moment for yourself. Sneak away with a peelable string cheese stick, and devour it as you slam and lock the bathroom door to keep their tiny, sticky fingers out. Open your secret bottle of Cab Sauv (we recommend strategically placing the Avia Cabernet Sauvignon all over the house) and run yourself a hot bath with some stolen, yet effervescent Paw Patrol bubble bath.
To help you survive the month, we’ve combined all of these delicious and necessary bottles into the perfect #ParentPairings mixed package, available to members now, at WineCollective.ca.
Students! You’ve slogged through twelve years of mandatory schooling, and now you’re making your higher-level path with post-secondary! With all of the lectures, labs, and late nights writing papers (or bonding with classmates,) we’ve paired classic comfort foods with fabulous alcohol! All hail grading on a curve!
1. Fall is here, and it’s time to replace the school supplies that disappeared over the summer! For the old school yellow pencil lovers out there, WineCollective Two is the beverage of choice. Sharpen your writing utensils and sip on the wine that surpasses all expectations (just like you, right?) This Shiraz is going to accent the mineral smell from pencil shavings and add a tart cranberry note with a hint of vanilla, to accentuate your hidden potential.
2. When your paper is due Friday evening, make sure you sustain yourself with some classic one-minute ramen. Boil the water, throw those crunchy noodles in a bowl, and prepare to scald yourself because it’s seriously hot! Pop open a bottle of Cuvée Jean-Paul to cool down and enjoy the matching savoury notes from the rustic herb flavour in the wine, with the mystery spice satchel from the ramen.
3. Proven* to help with synonyms when other words escape you, this pairing is a sure-fire hit for late night writing sessions (and asking for extensions!) Grab a slice of leftover pepperoni pizza, borrow your neighbour’s ice bucket and crack open a refreshing bottle of Più Gioia Pinot Grigio. Let the vegetal and herbal notes of the wine create a full meal with the microwaved tomato sauce and sausage playfully mingling.
When the cold frost blows across campus and getting to the dining hall involves crossing the vast Arctic tundra that now separates you from lunch, opt for the Asheville Brewing Ninja Porter instead! Hunker down somewhere warm and enjoy the roasted coffee to keep you awake, nutty chocolate for sustenance and sweet caramel as a bonus treat! A+ for this delicious combo.
*Pinot Grigio has not been verified against a thesaurus to help with synonyms but is recommended by 9/10 university alumni that work at WineCollective. (That last employee prefers reds.)