Wine + BBQ Pairings for Summer Grilling Season
Summer is here and it's time to fire up the grill and pull out the perfect bottle of wine to pair with all of your BBQ favorites! Though you may think beer is better for the occasion, it's often argued that wine pairs better with BBQ than beer as the salty and sweet flavors better complement the flavors in wine - all the more reason to try these parings!
Read on for five wine and BBQ pairings you'll be sipping all summer long!
Burgers → Cabernet Sauvignon
We're kicking things off with a BBQ pairing classic, burgers and Cabernet Sauvignon! Cabernet’s combination of berry and savory flavors complement heavy meats, and the tannin moderates the beef’s richness. If you’re looking to elevate your BBQ, pair your burgers with one of Napa’s iconic Cabernets like Hall Winery. For a lighter body Cabernet with just as much flavor (but a less hefty price tag!), look for a Cabernet from a producer in Washington State’s Walla Walla Valley like L’Ecole 41!
BBQ Chicken→ Zinfandel
For grilled chicken covered in BBQ sauce, grab a Zinfandel. The tangy and often sweet flavors in BBQ sauce are nicely complemented by the fruity, peppery flavors in Zinfandel, and the acid in the wine cuts through the richness of the sauce. Try one of my favorites, Klinker Brick's Old Ghost Old Vine Zinfandel from Lodi, CA alongside your BBQ chicken!
Veggie Burger → Barbera
Though some veggie burgers are made with smokey flavors and textures that mimic beef burgers, they should still be paired with slightly different wines than the real thing to account for the lightness in its proteins. With that in mind, pair your veggie burgers with tart, juicy red wines with a good amount of acid and soft tannin, like Barbera! Try a bottle from Piedmont, Italy's Vietti Winery!
Grilled Vegetables → Rosé
You'll be sipping rosé outdoors all summer, so be sure to pair it with the vegetables you make out on the grill! Vegetables go best with wines that are crisp with high acid and some minerality, and rosé hits the mark! Also importantly, the flavors in your rosé won't overpower the flavors in the vegetables. Try Grgich Hill's rosé from Napa Valley!
Grilled Caesar Salad → Chablis
Another favorite pairing (that I whipped up last weekend!) is grilled Caesar salad and Chablis! Chablis is a bright and refreshing style of unoaked Chardonnay known for its minerality and high acid that comes from France's Chablis region. If your dressing is a creamy style, Chablis will cut through it, and if your dressing is a vinaigrette style, the high acid in Chablis can stand up to it. Try a Premier Cru Chablis by Thomas Labille!
For more wine info and tips, join my Wine Club! You'll get three bottles of wine from a single boutique producer each month (or quarter!), and the chance to connect with an incredible wine-loving community while learning the stories behind the bottles directly from the producers at our monthly live virtual tastings. And because wine is meant to be shared with friends, you can gift a membership to the Club as well. Learn more about the Wine Club here!
Happy BBQ Season!