Wines For Your Cookout

We are now well into grilling season. Are you still pairing your grilled foods with beer? It’s nice to switch up your beverage and try some wine pairings to take your grilled meals up a notch. There are so many flavors to consider that pairing your meal with the right wine can be a bit of a challenge, but let’s keep it simple.

HAMBURGERS

Hamburgers are a grilled summer staple, and nothing pairs better with a juicy burger than Beaujolais. Beaujolais is a light, bright, juicy wine that is actually extremely food friendly. Try:

DOMAINE DE LA MADONE BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGES: This delicious Beaujolais comes from the Le Perreon area of Beaujolais, which produces outstanding gamay grapes. The wine is made from old vines and farmed organically. The results are a fabulously fresh pretty wine. Robert Parker said “dependably delicious Beaujolais Villages doesn’t disappoint, bursting from the glass with aromas of cherries, wild berries, peonies, and licorice. A terrific value!”

TERRES DOREES BEAUJOLAIS L’ANCIEN: This is also an organically produced wine from old vines. There are flavors of cherries, licorice, and berries. A supple, well-structured wine. Both the Terres Dorees and La Madonna are Beaujolais whose qualities are comparable to much higher-priced Cru Beaujolais.

Both of these wines can be served with just a slight chill to add to their refreshing qualities.

HOT DOGS

The other summer grilling favorite is hot dogs. The challenge with hot dog pairings is in finding a wine with the versatility to go with any number of toppings. A nice, dry rosé fills the pairing nicely. Rosé wines are extremely versatile and can pair with a large number of different foods. Try:

IL ROSE DE CASANOVA LA SPINETTA: There is a ton of red fruit and citrus in this wine. It has a long finish with salty minerals and fresh florals. This is a rosé that has more weight and concentration than most, making it a great pairing with food.

FRANCOIS BOYER ROSÉ: From Costieres de Nimes, France. Francois and his sister Franny are the fourth generation of their family to run this winery. This rosé is produced from 60% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 10% Cinsault. It has a nose of peach, raspberry, red currant and pomelo. It is lively and full on the palate with aromas of fresh red raspberries. Refreshing and expressive with a clean finish. I love the bright minerality in this wine. It is also organic and vegan. Like the La Spinetta, it has more concentration that makes it a great rosé to pair with food.

PULLED PORK

North Carolina pulled pork is the style with a vinegar-based sauce. An off-dry Riesling is the perfect pairing for this meal. Try:

RED NEWT CELLARS RIESLING: Red Newt is located on the east side of Seneca Lake, in the Finger Lakes of New York. Vinous Media reports, “This is Red Newt’s best-selling wine and is meant to be a semi-dry crowd pleaser. Golden yellow. Explosive green apple and warm citrus and a gentle, almost floral finish.”

Memphis-style pulled pork is a bit sweeter than North Carolina, it nice to pair with a well-balanced Zinfandel. Try:

FIDELITY ZINFANDEL RAILROAD: From California’s Alexander Valley, this Zinfandel offers robust blackberry, anise, pepper and toasty spice flavors. It is very round with great structure.

STEAK

Steak calls for a bold red such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Bordeaux or Spanish Reserva. The higher fat content in the meat balances out the tannin in the wine. Try:

MEADOWCROFT CABERNET SAUVIGNON: This wine is made from small batches of Cabernet Sauvignon from the heart of Mount Veeder and Stags’ Leap in Napa Valley. A robust wine with deep, dark, fruit, rich cassis, and spicy dark chocolate.

ANDERSON’S CONN VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON CAVE DWELLER: This was my first experience trying this particular wine from Conn Valley, and like every other Conn Valley red wine, it is delicious.

Antonio Galloni writes: “Cave Dweller is dark, bold, and explosive in the glass, with terrific depth and plenty of character. Black cherry, smoke, tobacco, and spice give the wine a distinctly brooding profile that is matched by its tannic heft.”

GRILLED FISH

While a fattier fish pairs well with Pinot Noir, a lighter style grilled fish pairs well with a crispy Sauvignon Blanc. Try:

DOG POINT SAUVIGNON BLANC: From Marlborough, New Zealand, the 2018 is on the tropical side of the spectrum, with hints of guava, pineapple, and nectarine. It’s medium-bodied with a long flavorful finish.

Other wines for pairing with grilled food

When in doubt, Pinot Noir is the most food-friendly red wine. The earthy spicy qualities of Pinot Noir make it a good match with seafood, salmon, poultry, smoked meats, and barbecue chicken or pork.

I already mentioned rosé to pair with hot dogs, and rosé also is great pairing with a wide variety of foods such as seafood, pork, turkey burgers and vegan burgers.

Happy grilling!

Please drink responsibly