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Summer Foods and Wine
Written By: Marlene Osteen | Issue: July - 2022
Celebrate your Independence by pairing wine with Summer Food Favorites.
It is in the summer months that wine and food collide in the most exciting and unexpected ways. Take for instance, the intersection of Barbecue and Wine. One would not necessarily think that barbecue, the messiest and most democratic of foods could conceivably merge with wine – a beverage so tidy and imperious. Though pairing our favorite summertime eats with wine is never straightforward, it’s a spectacular highway to explore.Beginning at barbecue, I make the case that wine can easily outperform beer as a match.As Chef Adam Lang famously pronounced, “Wine is to barbe-cue what pickled ginger is to sushi—a palate cleanser.”Though discussions of what to drink with barbecue can be as conten-tious as a conversation about barbecue in general, here are some of my favorites:Champagne– Perfect with barbecue, its bright acidity cuts through the meatiness, and the bubbles prepare the palate for the next bite. TheJ. Lassalle Brut Cuvee NVis well-balanced, round, smooth and bright with fresh minerality on the palate.Zinfandel– a well-crafted California Zinfandel with smashed blue fruits and sweet spices is a spectacular enhancement to a plate of ribs.Try theRidge East Benchfrom Sonoma, intensely ripe and with plenty of backbone.Australian Shiraz– Always a good bet with barbecue, thePenfolds Bin 138blends Shiraz with Grenache and Mataro to produce a wine that is bursting with red fruit, full-bodied, rounded and approachable.For a Hot Dog and Hamburger cookout:Gewurztraminer– More frequently found in Alsace and Germany, this wine is treasured for its intense floral aromas, and will easily stand up to the spices of the hot dog and the sourness of the toppings.One to try is theCalifornia lychee scentedHusch Anderson Valley Gewurztraminer.Syrah from the NorthernRhone – The dark meaty flavors of a burger will bring out the exotic fruit notes and spices of a Syrah. One of the very best is theJ.L.Chave Crozes-Hermitage Silene.At the end of the highway, Grilled Steak:California Cabernet Sauvignon–Of course, the classic combo that has enriched the balance sheet of steak houses for genera-tions.The best exhibit flavors of black currant and subtle licorice, with firm tannins and a judicious use of oak.Though normally identified with Napa Valley, much better wines and better values are to be found elsewhere in the state.The easy goingBroadside Paso Robles Margarita Vineyardhas a juicy core of fruit and is made to be drunk young.
by Marlene Osteen
