(MSG 4 21+) Summer Entertaining On The Go Solutions- Blackberry Cristo Sliders

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SummerToGo #CollectiveBias The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older.

Momma Told Me: It's not the bottle, it's the wine.

In my mind Summer is the best time of the year to entertain. Sure the holidays are filled with delicious food, timeless music, and large gatherings of family and friends- but entertaining over the holidays arguably creates the most stressful times of the year as well. Yes, in the Summer there's nothing but lazy afternoons, impromptu get-togethers with long lost friends, and endless hours of sunlight just waiting to be soaked up. In the Summer there's no dress code, no formalities of gift exchanges and fancy traditions, just good times with great people. Yes, Summer celebration are my favorite.

Of course one of my favorite ways to unwind and enjoy a Summer day is by heading down to the local lake or park with a picnic basket, a wireless speaker, and some delicious food. You simply can't see enough sunsets in one life- why not throw up a Facebook status and invite some friends to come down and watch one with you? Summertime gatherings are just that relaxed, especially when you have a 3L box of your favorite Black Box Wine in the trunk. That's 4 bottles of delicious award winning wine ready to be shared while creating memories with friends new and old. Best of all, there's no fuss of breakable bottles, packing corkscrews, or even worse- corks breaking off in bottle necks. Keep the good times rolling, I like to say.

Black Box wines come in several varieties, from light to dark, all from an award winning winery that boasts over 50 industry medals for it's commitment to quality and innovation. If you think delicious wine can't come from a box, you're wrong- not only are Black Box Wines on average 40% cheaper than comparable wines, but those 3L boxes will keep your delicious wine fresh up to 6 weeks. Serving your guests on the go is as easy as popping the easy to use pour spout out of the box's punch tab and pressing lightly on the red dispensing button. When the party's ready to pack up for the day simply pop the pour spout back into the box and put your black box away for another lazy day.

Some may argue that a celebration without all the fuss of planning and stressing isn't really a celebration. I disagree. As the one who's often the hostess, I savor any chance to mingle with my guests and enjoy the gathering, no matter how big or small. Simple solutions, like quality Black Box Wines and Blackberry Cristo Sliders ensure any day can be a memorable day with good eats, great wine, and amazing friends. It really is that easy to elevate any Summer evening with portable, affordable, delicious, Black Box Wines.

In fact I used some of our favorite Black Box Wine, (California 2013) Pinot Noir to reduce a Blackberry Noir Aioli that we've been slathering on everything  we can imagine for weeks. My Blackberry Noir Aioli is the perfect mix of refreshingly tart and unsuspectingly sweet to compliment everything from cucumber slices to turkey sandwiches, and it's even better in a dish paired with a freshly poured bottle of wine. In fact, I whipped up some Blackberry Cristo Sliders and took a Black Box of Pinot Noir down to the lake at my mother's community last month to meet and treat some of her neighbors.

With 27 Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Awards and 40 Gold Medals, I didn't need to convince anyone in attendance that this was the way wine on the go was intended to be done. I set the box on the picnic basket knowing I wouldn't have to worry about running out, or spilled bottles. Black Box proved the perfect way to keep my guest's glasses full, and the conversation going as my Blackberry Cristo Sliders disappeared. Time and again these strangers turned new friends asked where the bottle was to 'fill up' their glass, and one by one they were astounded to learn such quality wine came from such a convenient and affordable wine!

I'm no wine snob- all I need to make memories is a great setting and wonderful people- and the beautiful Oregon lake was certainly a breathtaking setting! But Momma, she's drank her share of glasses from $2 bottles to special reserves, and Black Box passed the test with flying colors! She just *might* have a Black Box of Chardonnay and Merlot in her cabinets right now. After all, any proper host is prepared to bust out the libations as the menu and settings change, right? And I'm sure Black Box will be helping with on-the-go get together all season long; though we'll be hard pressed to test that '6 weeks fresh' claim, since those black boxes never seem to stay full near that long!

We don't have a problem, we are just blessed with a truly wonderful community of family and friends. After all, wine isn't meant to be enjoyed solo- it's meant to be shared, one clink of the glass at a time! Want more Summer on-the-go fun and entertaining ideas, visit the Black Box Wine Social Hub, then enter the exclusive Summer sweepstakes today! Now, tell me, what's one place you'd love to bring a Black Box this Summer?

What Daughter Says: Ditch the bottle and explore the freedom of wine uncorked with Black Box Wines and lazy Summer get-togethers.

Blackberry Cristo Sliders

***Click here for printable Blackberry Cristo Sliders Recipe

Blackberry Noir Aioli Ingredients:

1/2 C Black Box Wine Pinot Noir

1/4 C Blackberries

2-3 Chives, Minced

1/4 TSP Minced Garlic

1 C Light Mayo

Pinch of White Pepper

Blackberry Cristo Ingredients:

3-4 (Day Old) Croissants

2 Eggs

1/2 C Fresh Living Lettuce, or Spinach

2 Heirloom Tomatoes, Thinly Sliced

1/2 LB Thin Sliced Oven Roasted Turkey Breast

1/2 LB Thin Sliced Black Forest Ham

 2 TBS Powdered Sugar

1/2 C Blackberry Noir Aioli

Directions:

1. Combine first 4 Blackberry Aioli ingredients in pot over medium heat. Cook until reduced by half and transfer to an emulsion blender. Combine until smooth. All mayo and pepper, blending lightly to combine. Refrigerate 2-4 hours, or until set in a creamy texture.

2. Break and stir eggs in a small, shallow, bowl. Cut day old croissants into thirds or quarters and lengthwise (sandwich style.) Dip each piece of croissant into egg and place immediately in a greased skillet. Cook 4-5 pieces at a time, for 2-3 minutes being careful to turn and rotate each piece so as not burn. Remove Croissant tops and bottoms from pan and place on a plate lined with a paper towel, allowing them to cool.

3. Assemble Blackberry Cristo Sliders by layering ham, turkey, lettuce, and tomato with a heaping portion of Blackberry Noir Aioli. Use appetizer toothpicks to hold sliders together and dust with a sprinkling of powdered sugar. Serve immediately alongside a glass of Pinot Noir Black Box wine.