Steaks and burgers on the grill, wonderful tomato salads, and succulent juicy sweet melons and fruits. With all the complimentary wines and so little time, what are we to do?
Let’s grab a favorite Cabernet, Merlot, or Syrah to go with the grilled meats and slowly sip the afternoon or evening away. All of these wines have the texture and body to compliment the juicy burgers and steaks, or grilled meat of any kind.
Let’s not leave out the seafood! Fresh scallops, tuna, lobster and salmon – oh my! Perfect for pairing with Sauvignon Blanc, Rose and Chardonnay.
The perfect wines for summertime’s lighter fare are the sweet wines that compliment well with spicy foods, and the crisp dry varietals that enhance the sweeter food flavors.
When tender fall-off-the-bone ribs are the order of the barbeque day, select the rich blackberry fruit with slight peppery character of California Zinfandel, Barbera, or Shiraz to go with the sweet grilling sauce.
However, for that dry-rubbed rack of ribs, the best of the leaner, spicier reds will send the taste buds soaring. Reach for the Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, heavier Merlot, Bordeaux, robust Pinot Noir, or Syrah (Shiraz).
Then there are the grilled vegetables and chicken, Yum! The soft refreshing Pinot Noir or Cabernet Franc will cleanse the palate without the heavy weight.
With soooo many wonderful options to select from, the summertime grill season is the perfect time to experience new wines while you enjoy the fruits of your labor with those delicious sips from the vineyards.
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Q:I’ve heard the term “food wine.” What exactly does this refer to?
Hi, Greg, thanks for joining us. Although there is not a strict definition, this term cropped up to describe a dry, elegant, perhaps earthy wine that would serve as a compliment to food. Twenty years ago this would describe the majority of wines produced around the world. But over the last decade or so a new breed of wines has surfaced featuring new oak or oak substitutes, later-harvested grapes, residual sugar and 14%+ alcohol. These wines perform better during ‘sip tests’ employed by wine critics but can cause palate fatigue after a glass. They can be termed “wine as food” as they are better consumed on their own since they do not compliment food as well.