Summer is here, a.k.a “Grilling season”, and this comes along with plenty meat, veggies, games, and cold drinks to go around. It also means pairing wine with easy-going styles, seasonal flavors, over-the-top delicious grilled dishes. So if you are wondering which wine to serve with each grilled sensation, then this guide will help.
Grill-friendly Red Varietals to Consider:
Zinfandels
will be able to handle a wide variety of red meats. This bold red wine bellies up to meaty, smoky flavors – allowing the varietal’s black pepper spice, acidity and ripe tannins to carry the meat’s fats and texture to a new dimension. A Zin will also work well with barbecue sauce, steak sauce and mild salsas – if there is too much spice in the sauce the two will compete and both the wine and the sauce end up losers.
Merloth
is the spicy sauce answer to the above dilemma. With the characteristic fruit-forward flavor profile, this varietal will support the spice and not aggravate it. Grilled pork chops, chicken and burgers or brats also mingle well with Merlot.
Shiraz/Syrah
another varietal that makes the grill-friendly wine list. This varietal is delicious with just about any red meat. Offering dynamic, somewhat aggressive fruit flavors, balanced with more mellow tannins and a softer-fuller body – this wine’s place to shine is definitely at a barbecue gathering!
Rhone Syrahs tend to have a smokier flavor characteristic and lend themselves extremely well to smoked brisket.
Cabernet Sauvignon
is made for steaks with a higher fat content and burgers of beef or turkey will pair equally well. The tighter tannins are significantly mellowed by the meat’s fat, producing a palate pleaser to remember! Top your burgers with bold cheeses, like blue or sharp cheddar and this varietal gets even better!
Pinot Noir
a flexible varietal that is known for being extremely food-friendly. Can go from grilled fish to a juicy burger in a single sip! Pinot Noir is an ideal candidate for grilled fish – especially salmon, burgers and chicken both bare their best in the presence of Pinot Noir. If unsure whether your wine will work with key components of grilled fare, then Pinot Noir is your easy out – versatile and capable of handling all sorts of barbecue favorites.
Grill-friendly White Varietals to Consider:
Chardonnay
will work wonderfully with grilled fish (including shellfish), chicken with creamy sauces, and grilled corn on the cob with lots of butter!
Riesling
the perfect varietal for grilled brats, shrimp, barbecue chicken, grilled pineapple and a variety of grilled veggies.
Sauvignon Blanc
has an herbaceous quality that supports marinades and sauces with similar attributes. For example, grilled chicken that has been doused in Italian dressing or a citrus marinade will be unbeatable with a Sauvignon Blanc. Likewise, roasted peppers, veggies in fresh herbs, grilled fish with dill and lemon will all be highlighted in tandem with a Sauvignon Blanc.
Gewurztraminer
often offers a balance to spice with its slightly to moderately sweet character. This varietal would be a great choice to go with blackened Mahi Mahi, or grilled Cajun chicken with fresh mango salsa.
In very, very general red wines go well with grilled red meats – we’re talking your basic burgers, steaks, ribs and the like. These meats can be somewhat salty, a bit smokey and tend to be a touch sweeter if grilled due to marinades, sauces, condiments, cooking times, etc. The lighter meats and sauces are more apt to flow better with white wines that share similar flavors as the foods they are meant to accent. If you are having a backyard barbecue, offer a few whites and a few reds and let your guests mix and match to see which flavor pairs suit their preferences. They are no hard and fast rules when it comes to pairing wines with your grilled foods, just generalities that can get you going. Ultimately it is your palate that you are seeking to please by the wine pairing.
By Stacy Slinkard, About Food