As we prepare to celebrate the 4th of July, let us never forget what the colors of our flag tell us.

Ah, the good old red, white and blue! Throughout history, these three colors have reflected many nations efforts to be a unifying symbol. So, what do these three colors mean? Well…

Red symbolizes valor and bravery. For some cultures, the red color is to remind them of the blood spilled by many in defense of their nation, and the bravery of those individuals.

The color white reminds us of the purity of our nation’s emphasis on the rule of law. In the good old USA, no person –no matter what position that person holds — is above the law. Under our laws, everyone is equal. White also is to tell us that innocence is a noble endeavor. It’s not the innocence of a child, but rather, the critical rule that everyone is innocent until proven guilty by due process of law. Again, everyone must have open access to this aspect of our legal system.

The color blue is to remind us to be vigilant and to persevere in providing justice for all. Blue wants all of us to be aware that when our Constitution and the rule of law are threatened, we must all stand for what’s right as noted in our founding documents and legal system.

Interestingly enough, the colors of red, white and blue are colors of wine, too. I’m sure you’ve seen red and white wines, correct? How many of us have seen a blue wine? There’s an interesting story here, and more on that later.

The three wines — red, white and blue — can remind us of the diversity in our country. That diversity may be seen in people’s faces, their cultural dress and heard in various music genres. The three colors also tell us about a diverse landscape for growing wines — from high to low elevations, from cool to warm growing climates and to the various types of soils in which the grapes grow. Diversity enriches everyone.

There is a lot of perseverance needed to make a blended wine. A red blend such as a reasonably priced Ménage á Trois Silk Red Blend brings together Pinot Noir, Malbec and Petite Sirah grapes to create a very satisfying softness from beginning taste to the finish. There’s an innocence of taste in this wine.

A sweet Risata Moscato d’ Asti is a perfect example of a bubbly white wine made with vigilance that results in a pure pour. By the way, the bottle holding this bit of sweetness is a beautiful blue bottle.

Remember when I asked if you had even tasted or seen a blue wine? Well, search for a bottle of Blu Perfer — a chardonnay based Spanish wine and your eyes will see the glory of a blue wine. Wait a second! If the wine grape is chardonnay, where does the blue color come from? Well, the wine is filtered through the pulp of red grape skins and the chemical process results in a blue colored wine. Again, it takes a lot of perseverance to make this wine. When you find it, let your eyes enjoy the color of it.

As noted before, wines come from a variety of environments. Maybe these many regions from around the world, and the colors of red, white and blue, will remind us to always be welcoming of the stranger and hold out our hands to them. Maybe they will enrich your wine glass of life.

May we honor our flag and our country with bravery to stand up for what’s right, and a pure sense of law resulting in liberty and justice for all.

As always, eat and drink in moderation, but laugh with reckless abandon!

Cheers!