What to drink with BBQ
When you say "BBQ” it can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. It can mean a few burgers and dogs on a grill or a full 12 hour smoke of a big beef brisket with a lot of yummy bark. But, for the most part, it means cooking meat outside with fire. We’re here to give you some good wine pairing options with most flavors we find in outdoor cooking.
Steak
Malbec is a classic steak pairing. The Argentines aren’t just great at making wine, but they have a deep history of raising amazing beef cattle. Malbec’s softer tannins goes great with leaner cuts, like flank steak, sirloin, and skirt steak. But don’t sleep on drinking it with a cut like Prime Rib…the boldness of Malbec can really stand out against the stronger textures of the meat and bring out some great flavors.
Other wines to try with steak: Shiraz/Syrah, Zinfandel
Burgers
Syrah gets our vote here. The structure, with the black fruit, dried herbs and smoky, gamey profile will work perfectly against the smoke and the grill char on a grilled burger. What you top your burger with definitely matters here: the sweeter the toppings (i.e. ketchup, caramelized onions), the higher in acidity you’ll want your wine to be.
Other wines to try with burgers: Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon
Sausage
Sausage is a tough one to pair because there are so many different types of sausages, and so many different toppings. In general, beer is a great pairing with sausage, which makes sense, considering the cased-meat culinary history that Germany has. For wine, a German style sausage should be paired with Gruner Veltliner, a Chablis, or a dry Riesling. These wines will complement the traditional toppings of mustard and sauerkraut. If you need to drink a red with your sausage, Pinot Noir should be your go-to. If your toppings include ketchup, maybe go for a Zinfandel. For something like a spicy Italian sausage, you can’t beat Chianti.
Chicken
California Chardonnay pairs perfectly with a smoked full bird or even a grilled breast, but if you’re doing anything with BBQ Sauce, you’ll need something that stands up to the sauce, not the chicken. In that case, Zinfandel is a great option.
Pork
Pulled pork, pork tenderloin, pork chops, even ribs, can go great with an easy-drinking Pinot Noir or Red Blend. The intensity of sauce on the pulled pork or ribs can change the game, however, and you may want to go with a Sangiovese or Merlot. The more “white meat” your preparation of pork, the lighter wine you can use. Don’t sleep on cider, either! Pork and apples are a great pairing, and a nice dry-dish cider pairs well.
Fish
Depending on the preparation and type of fish, it usually just takes on the flavors it is cooked with, so for something like a cedar plank salmon, you should go for a nice Oregon Pinot Noir. But for any other types of white fish, this is where you’ll break out your favorite Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or dry Rosé.
All Around Picks
Now, we don’t expect you to open your whole wine library just to have a little cookout on the deck, but if you are making a whole host of different meats and veggies on the grill, here are some wines that will work for pretty much everyone.
Malbec
Oregon Pinot Noir
California Chardonnay
Dry Rosé
Crisp and not too sweet Riesling
Final Tip!
This seems counterintuitive, but, chill your red wine! When you’re outside, your wine is nowhere near cellar temp, let alone room temp. The flavors best come out around 55º-65ºF. Keep your whites cold and your reds chilled until right before serving because they will quickly heat up in your glass in the summer sun.