Select the Right Wine for Home Grilling

BY WILL HOWARD

Summer is here and that means it is time to fire up the grill, stoke the smoker, and dig into some barbecue. There is sure to be beer in the cooler, but if you’re like me, then you’re probably wondering what wine will take your cookout to the next level. Here are a few tips to keep your sauce from clashing with your sauternes:

• Think of your wine choice as an ingredient in your dish.

• Consider either complementary pairings like bacon and champagne, or congruent pairings like duck and pinot noir.

• Test the wine and food together.

• And always drink what you love.

On the lighter side for barbecue, I will start with fish. I don’t want to off end any of the whole hog barbecue enthusiasts, but I’m going to count grilled fish as barbecue here. Trout or salmon are excellent fish options for grilling.

For your wine pairing, try to match the weight of the fish with the weight of the wine. A good choice for red wine would be a lower alcohol, low tannin, lighter colored red with higher acidity. For white wine you don’t have to worry about the weight of the wine as much as the sweetness versus the acidity.

If you’re grilling glazed salmon, then try to have your wine at least match the sweetness of the fish. If you’re going with a classic lemon/dill flavor on your fish then think more about matching the acidity of the food. With grilled fish I recommend a delicate, yet rugged wine with maybe some ocean influence to offer a touch of salinity. Suggestion: Occidental pinot noir from FreestoneOccidental Vineyard.

Barbecued chicken makes for a uniquely challenging wine pairing. The chicken is usually less savory and more sweet or spicy depending on the sauce and preparation. This will lead you to wine options that again are lighter in body, low alcohol, and low tannin.

I think this is a great food to pair with white wine as well. Especially if there is some spice involved. I find that there are more refreshing white wine options with acidity to stand up to a BBQ sauce. Suggestion: Brunn Grüner Veltliner from Austria.

For true Southern style barbecue we’re going to focus more on the fatty, salty, smokey, and savory flavors of barbecued pork for the pairing. In this style barbecue you can move towards some wine with more tannin and savory flavors.

However, we are still dealing with a white meat so most likely lean toward lighter bodied pinot noir, Syrah, or grenache. Suggestion: La Clarine Farm’s Syrah from Sumu Kaw Vineyard. This is a thirst-quenching Syrah that is both light enough and flavorful enough to somehow fit in with the cornucopia of flavors in Southern barbecue.

The flavors of barbecue span such a spectrum of flavors that making just a few recommendations seems like a shot in the dark. Pairing wine with barbecue is not easy. You may need to practice with a few bottles. Follow the basic pairing tips from above and you will never be wrong if you love what’s in your glass.

Occidental, Pinot Noir, Freestone-Occidental Vineyard 2018 - A superb balance of bright, primary red fruits and saline elements. It fi nishes vibrant and long with beautifully sculpted tannins. Its modest alcohol (13.5%) makes this wine a perfect complement to any meal.

Brunn, Grüner Veltliner 2019 - A classic Grüner Veltliner with lots of apple and citrus. Crisp with a traditional peppery hint.

La Clarine Farm, Syrah, Sumu Kaw Vineyard 2017 - A translucent ruby color in the glass, the wine has very expressive aromas of berry, garrigue, smoke and white pepper. The flavors are forward and fruit driven, and fi nish with a flourish of tannin and notes of tar. The acidity gives the wine a great focus.

Will Howard is Sommelier at Rococo Steak in St. Petersburg.