It’s a simple idea: Open a bottle of wine, set out some snacks, and connect with friends and family on a spring Sunday. That’s the premise of Share & Pair Sundays, an initiative now in its second year from the same team behind Come Over October. This year’s campaign runs from May 3 through June 28 and might be exactly what we need in these fast-paced, screen-first times.
The effort was founded by the trio that helms Come Together — A Community for Wine Inc., wine professionals Karen MacNeil, Kimberly Noelle Charles, and Gino Colangelo. As MacNeil says, the biggest lesson from their first year is that this push is “more needed now than ever.”
As we spend more time looking at screens and interacting through the internet, individuals’ time spent face-to-face has declined and greatly increased reported loneliness. And while the name Share & Pair Sundays prioritizes the food and wine combo, the campaign is really about spending time together in an environment that naturally promotes socialization.
It’s also about remembering the pleasure of a glass of wine. “I think what we’ve had is a perfect storm of numerous factors,” leading us to forget that sharing wine and food is a great way to connect, MacNeil explains. She notes that while social media is a huge contributor, the “explosion of fascinating things to drink” from cocktails to RTDs to wellness beverages has shifted consumer behavior away from wine.
While choice is good, the above drinks are about speed, movement, and optimization. Wine is the opposite of that, says MacNeil. “Wine is not a fast beverage. It’s a slow beverage. It’s an analog beverage in a digital world.” People are no longer likely to sit contemplatively, but that’s what wine encourages us to do, something MacNeil feels could become the industry’s greatest strength as the public becomes more mindful and looks for ways to reground.
So how should you participate in Share & Pair Sundays? There are plenty of hospitality industry members throwing events as part of the movement, but celebrating at home is just as important. “I don’t care if you’re having pretzels and Pinot Grigio, really,” MacNeil says. The initiative is not about the technical, often elitist aspects of food and wine pairing. It’s about “the best 8,000 year old marriage still going,” per MacNeil — food and wine.
An easy way to get involved is to ask a friend to bring something and go from there, potluck style. “Food and wine become a good excuse for just being together for an hour,” MacNeil says. “You’re sitting there, you’re eating something, you’re drinking something, and you’re with someone, and all of a sudden the magic of that simple behavioral act begins to take hold of you,” she recounts. Share & Pair Sundays (though it doesn’t have to be exclusively Sundays) is really about that emotional impact.
Not sure what to serve? Whether it’s takeout or a home-cooked feast, MacNeil thinks that a cold, crisp wine is perfect, especially if you’re tired. So order in, pop open a bag of chips, or microwave a frozen meal — whatever you do, do it with a glass of wine and good company and celebrate Share & Pair Sundays together.
Wine is a communal adult beverage. The Share & Pair Sundays campaign asks that you consume wine responsibly and in moderation.
This article is sponsored by Share & Pair Sundays.
