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| Sausages
and pork Grilled pork chops or home make pork sausages sizling on the grill call for a medium bodied red such as a rioja crianza, chianti or pinot noir. A rosé from the tavel region in southern france would do well also. Lips like sugar..and spice Spicy foods require a slightly sweeter accompaniment to offset their heat. Some alsace producers vinify their whites with a little residual sugar. This gives the wines sweetness and adds mouthfeel. Riesling or Gewurtztraminer are good bets with spicy shrimp kebabs. Most bbq sauces contain a lot of sugar tough some also have a bold smoky flavour their sweetness and tangyness are points to remember when pairing bbq with wine. If you like your baby back ribs wet and sloppy go with australian shiraz or california zinfandel with gobs of super-ripe fruit pair with the fruitness and zippyness of the sauce. |
Fish/Seafood Swordfish or salmon are two fish that love to dive on the grill. These two fish are commonly found on BBQ menus. Full flavoured, fatty fish with firm flesh-they call for a full flavoured wine. You can say that again! This calls for a medium bodied wine with some depth and acidity to cut through the fish’s fat. A riesling from Alsace would be terrific. To bring out the richness of the fish try a crisp pouilly fuisse a chardonnay from southern burgundy. If your feeling norweigian and dig salmon cooked on wooden planks try a tokay pinot gris from alsace. the smoky notes in the wine will complement the smoked/toasted wood flavours of the fish. Grilled calamari on the other hand, pairs well oak-aged pinot grigio or a real good soave. Again the grill takes centre stage. Calamari has a rather neutral flavour but when grilled, it absorbs the charcoal smoke flavour that rises from the pit of the bbq.The same principles of matching common flavours in both the food and wine apply here as well. Choices of red wine would be pinot noir or beaujolais. |
| Burgers My colleague, Danny at Ristorante Cavalli, makes the best homemade beef burgers. I bring over Montepulciano d’Abruzzo or Nero d’Avola from Sicily. If you must drink white fume blanc with a little depth and structure will work, Burgers made from lighter meat such as veal or pork require a lighter wine such as Valpolicella or Bardolino. |
Lamb I prepare my lamb chops with a simple garlic rosemary marinade. I then drizzle with nonna’s homemade extra virgin olive oil from abruzzo and a pinch of black pepper. A few minutes on each side and a few more to rest and voila! Uncork an aglianico from campagnia or carmignano from tuscany. This paring will make you feel like your in the countryside. |
| Steak Guys go to your butcher and ask for the porterhouse cut or as its called in tuscany, bistecca alla fiorentina. it is the grand poobah of steak and pairs well with most full-bodied reds. Brunello di Montalcino or chianti riserva are my two choices. This kind of prime meat with marbling roars for a challenge from a powerful wine like a californian cab. Go for a top napa cab. like rick and ilsa from casablanca, steak and cabernet were made for each other. If you like your steak smothered with steak spice try it with a peppery australian shiraz or a châteauneuf du pape. Careful not to go too crazy with the hot sauce or spice as too much will scorch your taste buds and the 40$ bottle will taste like a 4$ bottle. Get it? |
Chicken/Turkey |