 Best Cellars Grilling
Tips
By Jens Strecker and Joshua
WessonIt’s that time of the year again! The dog days of
summer are upon us, and the hot dogs of summer are on the grill – as
well as other things like Alaskan Salmon, juicy steaks and burgers,
barbecued chicken and crisp summer veggies. Finding the right wine
match shouldn’t be too difficult.
Barbecue seems so downright American, but in fact, like so many
other parts of our national identity (the Statue of Liberty; the
colors of Old Glory), the word – if not the whole concept – is
French. It was actually coined long ago by some Gallic gourmand who
used the word to describe the process of grilling a beast from beard
to tail, literally barbe-a-queue. From there, it was an easy leap
across the Big Pond to our native tongue’s less graphic and more
easily spelled “barbecue”.
A great wine match can make the difference in shaping your
outdoor food festival, whether it’s a quiet dinner
à deux, a rooftop soiree or a
family outdoor outing.
Indoors or out, foods and wines partner for pretty much the same
reasons that people do: either they share similar tastes, or somehow
they happily contrast. Here are some tips for creating a winning
match:
Same with same:
Pairing food and wines that share common flavors can be an
effortless way to create a good match. For example: The slight
sweetness of a fresh salmon will take on richer, more caramelized
flavors when grilled, calling for a fuller bodied wine than when it
is steamed, baked or sautéed. A rich Rhone-style white, a
Californian Chardonnay or a lighter styled Pinot Noir could do the
magic. A porterhouse steak, grilled to medium-rare perfection, is a
savory study in big, rich, smoky flavors. A fuller-bodied red wine
with some tannins to cut through the richness will work well. Try
matching the smoky flavors from the grill and the meaty texture of
the steak with a full-throttle Zinfandel from California. The same
Zinfandel will also work well with barbecued chicken.
The wine/food next door:
Combining regional food and wine works well, since there is natural
sense of compatibility. For example: Crushed garden-fresh tomatoes
on grilled bread brushed with olive oil (aka Bruschetta) will pair
perfectly with a Chianti from Tuscany. The reason for this is that
the acids in the tomato sauce match the acids in the wine.
Opposites attract:
Sometimes opposite flavors attract. For example: Hot and spicy
barbecue sauce, or Cajun hot sauce drizzled on grilled flank steak,
chicken or fish will benefit from a fruit-filled, light-bodied red
wine without a lot of tannins, or chilled fruity whites and roses.
Finally don’t forget the fizzy! With its scrubbing bubbles and
palate-cleansing star power, sparkling wines and YES folks, lighter
beers, naturally complement a wide variety of barbecue-inspired
flavors, from salty marinades to spicy sauces and rubs. Fruity,
lightly sparkling wines (Prosecco) pairs beautifully with grilled
fish and shrimp while fuller-bodied sparklers and beers work well
with chicken, burgers, ribs and steaks.
Best wishes for the Barbecue season from WineSquire and the Best
Cellars team!
Barbecue wine picks:
Markham Zinfandel 1998 (California) $21
Scents of pipe tobacco, birch beer and nutmeg mingle with more
obvious notes of black plums, cherries and cassis. On the palate the
wine is rich, smooth and silky and sets the stage for a cascade of
creamy red fruit flavors that take their own sweet time disappearing
down the old gulliver. A lingering finish of sweet smoke and
vanilla.
Chehalem 3 Vineyard Pinot Noir 2000 (Oregon) $30
Let’s face it: no other grape is capable of achieving the refinement
of a fully realized Pinot Noir. This Pinot shows aromatically spiced
red fruit, followed by an array of flavors ranging from cherries and
cassis to black- and boysenberry.
Clos La Chance Chardonnay 1999 (California) $21
The cool, coastal climate and elevation produce Chardonnays with
great acidity, along with delicious ripe flavors and aromas from
plenty of sunshine. Aromas of ripe honeydew melon, crisp citrus and
sweet soices due to oak aging combined with a creamy, buttery
texture make that wine a must buy.
Selvapiana Chianti Rufina 1999 (Italy) $13.50
Bushels of mouth-filling flavors suggest uber-ripe black cherries,
blackberries and roasted nuts. Following that with a finish of new
leather and a hint of vanilla. O sole mio!
Hacienda Brut NV (California) $10
The crisp, fresh scents of citrus and lime of this wine – which
seems to joy-ride on every bubble that soars from the glass – mixed
with broader notes of buttered nuts and warm brioche form a lasting
Champagne-like impression. Hacienda blossoms with an energy usually
reserved for the drinker, not the drink. |
