Simplicity and Refreshment

Written By: Marlene Osteen | Issue: August 2023

Now that its August and we’re all camping out around our grills, it’s time to explore what to drink. For those of you who’s usual pairing is a tall cold one with foam, let me suggest elevating your beverage and putting a stem on that glass.

The key to a successful wine-food pairing for outdoor dining is simplicity and refreshment. Don’t overthink it – the wine should be as casual as the setting. Wondering what wine is best to serve with all that hot from the grill food?

When your crowd gathers for a backyard barbecue and the menu features steak, lamb, burgers, grilled vegetables and the like, red wines are called for. Though you may regard that marbled piece of aged steak as the quintessential opportunity to open that long-hoarded bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, it hardly seems refreshing sitting outside on a hot day. Instead reach for a wine with a chill.

But first we need to clear a few cobwebs out of the way. Among them that red wine can’t be served cooled. In fact, some red wines show their best attributes when cooled down a touch. That doesn’t mean that your wine should come straight from the fridge – between 55 and 60 degrees is ideal. Reds that taste great served at these temps are unoaked with lower tannin and higher acid. Translation: avoid tannins and oaky flavors. What does that leave? Only much of the low-priced red wine universe. Allow me to make a list, beginning in Italy: Barbera, Valpolicella, Chianti, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, to name a few.

As for the steak, consider a Cabernet Franc from the Loire. A slight chill will activate the mouthwatering peppery attributes and high acid of this cool climate red – perfect companion to the dominant charred flavor of the meat.

As to Barbecue, I am a long-time believer that Champagne is perfect, as long as you steer clear of overly sweet sauce, which you should do anyway. For brisket, I also suggest a red wine with firm acidity and a touch of smoke to echo the meat. I’d reach for a Chianti, one that emphasizes the dusty, smoky fruit of the Sangiovese grape.

The simplest fare – hot dog and hamburgers – calls for relatively fruity red wines, especially those that are served slightly chilled such as Beaujolais, or a Russian River Pinot Noir.

Still have room on your grill? Simply grilled fish and chicken pair terrifically with Sauvignon Blanc, Gruner Veltliner or even Verdejo. Citrusy, sometimes grassy, and always light, they are sophisticated enough to satisfy a refined palate yet simple enough to be pleasurable.

And of course, Rose would match any of these proteins flawlessly!