Great Wines for Grilling
Great wine for the grill.
by Erin Henderson
I’ve got big plans for my summer weekends, and most of them involve a pool and a barbecue.
As a proud Canadian, when the warm weather hits, it’s rare to find me inside, and that includes my culinary routine. I spend too many months of the year cozied up in my kitchen, so come summer, outdoor grilling is the way we feast.
It’s common lore to pair a barbecued steak with a Cab Sauv, and Sauv Blanc for throwing another shrimp on the barbie.
It’s not bad advice, but I think we can do better than that.
Simply grilled, well-marbled beef such as ribeye, New York strip, or Tomahawk
These are the choice cuts that have a good amount of fat. They have so much flavour on their own, it would be a shame to cover it up with loads of sauces. A simple sprinkle of salt and pepper, maybe a herb or two, and that’s all you need for simple, but impactful, flavour. To stand up to the rich fat and protein, you definitely need a big red with some powerful tannin. A Shiraz from Australia, with its brawny structure and flavours of spice and smoke is a good match.
Simply grilled chicken, pork, or white fish such as bass or halibut
These meats are mild but still weighty, and the grill imparts flavours of char and smoke. On one hand, these simple meats can be easily overpowered by wines with too much aromatic gusto, but on the other, they also need wines with enough body to match their own. A white Burgundy, especially Chardonnay from regions like the Mâcon or Pouilly-Fuissé, that dial back the oak influence and keep the fruit upfront, is a good choice.
Related: Perfect Roast Chicken
Spicy sausage
Sausage is full of fat, bold flavour, and heat. You need a wine to cut through the opulence, but also not aggravate the spice with aggressive tannin. A juicy Crianza-level Rioja, made from the Tempranillo grape, has the acidity to mop up the fat and fruit to compliment the flavours of the sausage, but is also low in tannin to help calm the heat.
Sweet or mild sausage
When we have sweet flavours like honey garlic, or a plain pork sausage, look to compliment those sweet notes. Riesling has the bright acidity to enliven the rich the fat, and the sweet fruit to compliment the sweet meat.
Ribs, pulled pork, or saucy chicken (meats cooked with sweet sauces that have a brown sugar, tomato, and/or molasses base)
Remember our article on food and wine pairing basics? You always want to pair with the strongest element on the plate. In this case, we are talking about the sauce. Sweet, tangy, and rich you need a wine that’s as sweet, if not sweeter, otherwise your pairing will be bitter, harsh, and sharp. Or, depending on the pairing, maybe bitter, flat, and dull. But either way, it’s not good. Because the sauce has sweet notes, but not sweet like candy, a red wine, with sweet oak and gentle tannins, such as Zinfandel or Malbec, will work beautifully.
Related: Michael Olson's Spice-Rubbed Pork Loin
Seafood, chicken, or pork that have sweet and spicy sauces and seasonings (such as blackened fish with pineapple-habanero salsa or tacos al pastor)
With the interplay between sweet and heat, we’re back to looking at a wine that’s both cooling for the spice and sweet for the fruit. I’ve found with dishes that incorporate a wide range of ingredients like aromatic herbs, tropical fruits, and fiery chilis, rosé is an all-around good pairing thanks to the berry flavours or the wine, the fresh acidity, and the lack of tannin.
Simply grilled green vegetables (such as broccoli, asparagus, or cabbage)
Green and cruciferous vegetables have an earthy, herbal note that needs special consideration. The sulfuric compounds in the vegetables can make a wine also taste sulfurous, so it’s best to find a wine that also has that verdant note such as Grüner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, or Verdejo from Spain.
Grilled sweet vegetables (such as onion, red pepper, or eggplant)
These vegetables get sweeter and softer as they grill, picking up the charred note for a smoky, sweet taste. I like to pair these veggies with low-tannin reds that have a slight vegetal note. Pinot Noir with its flavours of forest and beet root, Chianti that has flavours of olive, herbs, and sundried tomato, and savoury Cabernet Franc that tastes of dried leaves and pepper all work well here.