Hi out there to all you oenophiles. As a foodie and a wine drinker, I live to pair. It’s always safe to go with classic pairings, but I want to live on the wild side. So here’s a few fun pairings to try during the “dog days” of summer.
Do you like rosé? I’m a full fledged lover of a glass of rosé in the summer. I try to pair the wine based on the origin of the wine. Is it a rosé of Pinot noir or Grenache? Where in the world is it from? Because of all the blush wines sold in the U.S., the rosés from France are very affordable and the Provence rosés are a personal favorite and under $20 for a great one.
What pairs best with a French rosé? My favorites are a great salad with beets or berries. But another great option is to play to the sweet part of the wine. For that I would go with bacon wrapped water chestnuts or even a pork tenderloin satè.
My other favorites summer wines are Pinot blanc and sparkling wines. Oregon Pinot blanc is a fast growing varietal and it’s delicious as a general rule. It’s typically under $20 and pairs with raw and cooked seafood. I love it with cooked oysters, spicy shrimp and crab cakes. Very elegant dish is a crab cake, with garlic aioli and a chilled glass of Pinot blanc.
As for sparkling wines, who doesn’t love bubbles? It has been a long held belief that champagne and bubbles in general are “special occasion” beverages. It generally makes your guests feel special and is a great way to start a gathering. You can expect a great bottle of Proseco for $20 or less and very good champagne can be bought for $50 or less.
So what goes with “bubbles?” My first answer is everything, but all kidding aside, a few great options are salty foods for dry or “Brut” sparkling wines and spicy foods for sweeter or “Demi Sac” or “Sac” wines. If you want to WOW your guests, try some deviled eggs with fish roe (caviar) for less than $10 for 24 servings. As for spicy, try some homemade nut mix with cayenne pepper and rosemary.
It’s my goal to help you have the best “Dog Day Afternoon” or evening soirée. Want a recipe or a wine label suggestion? Leave me a comment. Cheers!
What wines would you recommend for a old fashioned American BBQ?
Barbecue is best broken into three categories. First, is Texas style or traditional beef barbecue. My recommendation for that is an Australian Shiraz or California Zinfandel. Both wines have the tannin and structure to hold up to the black pepper based rubs used in that style cooking. There are many good choices for $25 price point. 2012 Zinfandel’s are on the shelf now, but would definitely need to be opened an hour before consumption.
If you are having southern style barbecue with pork or chicken with a ketchup based sauce you can go one of two ways. With a sweet sauce, choose a Pinot Noir Rosé is option 1. Oregon and France will offer great wines for $20 dollars or less. If you are going spicy or vinegar based sauces, I would go with either a Riesling or a Chenin Blanc. The better Rieslings are going to set you back $40 and the Chenin Blancs a more wallet friendly $15.
Category three is more for smoked meats than traditional barbecue. It tends to go from a very subtle smoke flavor to strong smoke flavor. This is a bit more tricky, but depending on the wood used to smoke the meat, there is an answer. If it is a fruitwood like cherry or apple, go with a Syrah or CDP and for nuttier woods like hickory or pecan, go with a Merlot or cabarnet blend. Syrah or CDP tend to be more $50 wines for the good bottles. I would pick a coastal California or Washington State merlot. These will run $35 for a good match.
Need a recipe or want some specific wines? I am here for you, so light that fire!