As I get older the seasons seem to fly by faster than ever. I can't believe it's already Labor Day. Growing up I was never a fan of Labor Day. It signaled the end of the carefree summer and the beginning of the rigorous back to school routine. My family would celebrate Labor Day every year but my memories of the holiday were centered around hamburgers and Oscar Meyer wieners on the grill. Throw in a cooler filled with the king of beers and you have a holiday celebration worth forgetting.

Today I plan on celebrating the social and economic achievements of American workers with a bit more pizazz. My game plan is simple. As summer comes to a close, it also brings along some of the best foods of the entire year. The farmers markets in Florida are brimming with tomatoes, peaches, berries, melons and much more. If you can combine the bounty of local produce with a juicy steak and a couple of good bottles of wine, I guarantee you a successful backyard get together.

So what kind of wine will I serve? Glad you asked. When choosing wine for a diverse group of people I look for wines that have what I call crowd appeal. These are typically well-balanced, fruit forward wines with enough complexity to get people talking about them around the picnic table.

No party is complete without a sparkling wine, so make sure you have at least a couple of bottles on hand. Collalto Spumante Rosé is a wonderful wine to start your festivities and also works well with whatever fruit based dessert you might serve.

Since we are outside you'll want a refreshing white wine. Nothing too high in alcohol. Try serving a good quality German Riesling and see how many of your friends comment what a good choice you made. Thanisch Bernkasteler Badstube Kabinett is my wine selection for today.

We are going to need a big red for the steaks but once again the wine must not be too heavy. Giovanna Tantini Ettore is produced mainly from Corvina with a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. I drank Ettore with the steaks pictured and it was a match made in heaven.

If you haven't purchased your Labor Day wine yet don't worry. ABC is open all day with summertime savings.

Paul Quaglini, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinepaulq