Wines for Grilling Season (Cookouts, barbecues, and other summer shindigs!)

Show Notes

Episode 29: Wines for Summer Grilling! (Cookouts, barbecues, and other summer shindigs)  00:00

Hello, and welcome to the Wine Pair podcast. I’m Joe, your sommelier of reasonably priced wine, and this is my wife and wine-pairing partner in crime - Carmela. And we are the Wine Pair.

For new listeners to our Podcast, what we usually do in every episode is taste and review three reasonably priced wines - which means under $20 - that you should be able to find easily in your local store or online or something like that. Sometimes we will also do some interviews like the awesome conversation we had in our last episode with The Swirl Suite, but the tasting and rating three wines that you should be able to find and won’t break the bank is our gig.

So, Carmela, a few weeks ago we got this email from KC. Do you want to read it?

Hey guys! First- I want to say I absolutely LOVE your podcast! It’s one of my favorites for sure! Second- any chance you’re going to do a wine pairing with barbecue? I’m getting ready for grilling season and would love some ideas for wine! 

KC, we hear you, and we are going to deliver for you!

We love this question because first, we are getting to summer which means cookouts and barbecues and grilling and hanging out with family and friends - and this summer I think we are all going to go crazy because we’ve been locked down for two years - at least out here on the left coast - and we love love love a good cookout, and I love to grill food.

And, I love this question because I love to think about what wine to pair with food, and so pairing wine with grilled food is just like - you know, yes! And, because I am a total nerd ball I really think hard about what wine to pair with what food. But, because all of you may not be as nerdy as me, I think we need to simplify things a bit for those of you out there in listening land so that you don’t get freaked out. 

I will just make one nerd out comment, though, as we get started. The title of this episode is Wines for Grilling season and so we are going to focus on grilled foods and not barbecue. I know that sometimes those terms are used interchangeably, but grilled foods, which we usually have at cookouts, are foods that are cooked quickly over high heat. Barbecue, for all you nerds out there, is technically foods that are cooked over a long period of time - hours and hours - over low heat. Low and slow.. And they require different kinds of wines because the smoky flavors and the sauces a lot of times need different types of paritings than grilled foods which tend to be a little simpler.  We will do a separate episode on wine and barbecue sometime this summer for sure. Maybe smoked foods as well. I love to smoke. 

But, back to wines for grilling season, I think what we want to find is relatively simple, and we are going to help you make some choices! What do you think are some criteria for choosing these wines for grilling season, Carmela? 

• First, we need to find some good crowd pleasers - that means wines that just about everyone at the party will enjoy - and these wines have to be easy to find so you don’t have to search around a million stores - in fact, these are wines that you can and should just have on hand just in case folks drop by
• Second, they have to be reasonably priced, and that means they don’t cost very much so you don’t have to break the bank buying wine and you can have lots of it on hand
• Third, we want wines that can go well with a variety of different foods, because there are so many different foods you can find at a cookout, like grilled foods - from burgers and brats to shrimp and fish and vegetables and chicken, to salty foods like chips and snacks, tohearty and creamy foods like potato salad or pasta salad, and all sorts of stuff. So, this is a challenge and so you have to have pretty flexible wines, and I think that means pretty high acid wines.
• And, because we are talking about summer, they have to be wines that are good in hot weather

So, we have our work cut out for us, but we are up to the challenge! Over the next few minutes we are going to break down what wines you should think about having on hand for grilling season and your next cookout, and we are going to try a few of these wines and let you know what we REALLY think - not just theory, but practice!

But, first, . . . we have to do our shameless plug, Carmela, and ask you all to subscribe to this podcast so you never, ever, ever, ever have to worry about missing one of these breathtaking and exciting episodes!

And we would also love you to give us a rating and review, and we would love it if you would send us some feedback on what you like and what you maybe don’t like, and also things you would like us to do on the podcast - like KC! See, we mean it. We listen!  You can DM us on Instagram at thewinepairpodcast or on our website at thewinepairpodcast.com if you have any feedback or ideas or want to collaborate or be a guest. Just let us know. And, this week, we hope you tell your boss about us. Because, frankly, you need the brownie points. I mean, seriously

Topic: Grilling Season Wine Choices  09:47 

Ok, Carmela, we have mentioned this before in a few other podcasts, but we think if you are going to have people over for a cookout or a reasonably big party, you should have at least a white and a red on hand, and even better yet, if it’s a decent sized party, I would suggest you have three different kinds of wine available for people to enjoy - so, in this case, I would add in either a rose’ or an orange wine.

Now, orange wines are these things that are becoming more popular that people may have started hearing about. What is an orange wine, Carmela? From a wine making standpoint, orange wines are not wines made from oranges, but what they are are wines that are kind of between a rose’ and a red wine. They are called orange wines because they stay on the skins longer than rose’ wines.

We will talk about orange wines more in upcoming episodes - specifically our next episode where we are interviewing a real live wine maker -  but what makes a white wine different from a rose wine and different from an orange wine and different from a red wine in terms of color - is - what, Carmela? The amount of time the wine spends with the grape skins. It’s that simple - more contact equals deeper color more or less. But, that’s for a later date. 

Back to rose’ quickly, though, as we mentioned in a previous episode, rose’ wines are not really a thing in that they are not a varietal like cabernet or a chardonnay or a pinot noir or a sauvignon blanc. Rose’ wines are a type of wine, and they can be very different from each other depending on what grapes they are made from - think of them as a genre’ or class. So we will talk about what kinds of rose’ we think you should look for serving during grilling season. 

Ok - how about we start with red wines we think you should choose. Remember, we are looking for crowd pleasers that won’t break the bank and go well with grilled foods. I would suggest one of the following:

And by the way, don’t worry about memorizing these. Just head over to our show notes where we will list everything out, and have links to articles, too. 

• Argentinian Malbec - the $8 Costco version should just be on hand for you any time, night or day. It is a great wine, soft but full flavored . To me, it is a real crowd pleaser and hard not to like. 
• Chianti Rufina or a Zinfandel - these are good wines that do well with grilled foods and can take the heat of the summer, and have some juice on them which people like. I say a Chianti Rufina specifically because I find them to be juicier than Chianti Classicos, but we’ll talk about that in a different episode. Just remember a Chianti is really meant to be consumed with food. 
• Gamay Noir - because it is light and because you can serve it slightly chilled and because it goes with lots of foods, and good with grilled food. 
• And, many of you may want a cabernet sauvignon, but I would only recommend it if you are serving steak or you are having barbecue rather than just grilling - with thick barbecue sauce, etc. However, because Cabernet is popular, we will cover it in our episode today. See, Carmela, open-minded

For whites, again we want a crowd pleaser, and we want something that will complement the reds, so I would suggest one of the following:

• Gruner Veltliner - a crisp, refreshing, citrusy alternative to Sauvignon blanc with good acidity, does well with fried foods and grilled white meats and fish. If you have not heard of this wine or never tried it, you are in luck because it is what we are trying today!
• Sauvignon Blanc - a classic, high acid crowd pleaser. We love the Costco version that;s like $6 so buy a case and just have it on hand.
• Albarino - If you are going to grill fish or shrimp, this is the wine to have on hand. It is light, refreshing, with high acidity but enough body to handle grilled foods. A Vinho Verde is a great choice as well.
• Chardonnay - ok, again, not my favorite, and personally I would prefer a pinot grigio, but I know that a lot of folks will just expect a chardonnay, so go with a crisp no-oak or lightly oaked version. Those will tend to go better with grilled foods. 

For rose’ I would look for these types, and where possible, and where I know it, I have attempted to give you some idea of what these wines might be if you are looking at French rose’s because they tend to talk about the region and not the grape itself, which is different than rose’s in the US. 

• Rose of Cabernet Franc - tends to be a little richer, this is a good wine to go with charcuterie and hard cheeses. In France, these tend to be rose’s from Loire.
• Rose of Pinot Noir - can stand up to red or white grilled meats as well as stronger tasting grilled seafood like a grilled salmon. In France, these tend to be rose’s from Burgundy
• Cotes du Rhone rose - works with a lot of grilled foods, even a grilled margarita pizza! Tend to be Grenache heavy, with other classics from the area like syrah and mouvedre (GSM) or Cinsault
• Rose of Grenache - this is the one we chose tonight. It should go well with grilled foods, but also charcuterie and salty foods that you would have at a cookout. Cotes de Provence wines in France tend to be made with Grenache as part of the blend, along with Cotes du Rhone

ARTICLES

https://learn.winecoolerdirect.com/rose-wine-summer-bbq/

https://www.marthastewart.com/8110647/best-wine-grilled-food-pairings

https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/the-best-wines-for-bbq/ 

Wines we chose for this episode: White, Rose’, and Red 19:16

Unfortunately, we can’t drink all of those wines for our tasting, so again, we made the following selections, and part of why we chose these is because they are wines that we think people either are curious about, or will want to make sure they have good recommendations on before they go out and buy them - so we want to taste them to make sure!

We also think these wines will go well with the kinds of grilled foods we like to have a cookout. What do you like best in grilled food, Carmela? If I am doing a cookout, while I do love a good hamburger and a hot dog, I also like to grill chicken thighs marinated in teriyaki sauce, a grilled flank steak marinated in soy sauce and sweet hot chili sauce (homemade, of course), and grilled shrimp marinated in olive oil, lemon, and garlic. I also love to have spiedini or kebabs on the grill, too. Those are a bit of a hassle to put together, but they are pretty easy to serve!

With those foods, along with some cured meats and cheeses, some potato chips, tortilla chips and guac, and some crispy crudite (fresh vegetables) - we want to see how these wines do!

• Our white is a Gruner Veltiner from Austria which comes in a 1 liter bottle! I am excited about this because I am not sure I have had this type of wine before
• Our rose’ is a Grenache rose’ from France, specifically from Cotes de Provence, that comes in this crazy plastic bottle which we think could be an awesome choice for a cookout. Again, I am still getting to know more about rose’s, so this will be a fun wine to try. 
• Our red is a Cabernet Sauvignon is from Longevity, which is a black owned winery, and they have gotten good reviews for their wines

Ok, enough with this jibber jabber - let’s get to it!

Wines and Ratings for Grilling Season 23:08

Wine: Lenz Moser Gruner Veltliner

Region: Austria, Niederôsterreich

Producer: Lenz Moser

Year: 2020

Price: $11.99 for a 1 liter bottle!

Retailer: Metropolitan Market (owned by Good Food Holdings - the holding company for: Bristol Farms, Lazy Acres Natural Market, Metropolitan Market, New Seasons Market, and New Leaf Community Markets)

Alcohol: 12%

Grapes: Gruner Veltliner

What we tasted and smelled: Green apple, lemon, cotton candy, tea, grapefruit. Lots of acidity, with some viscosity.

Food pairing with: Grilled food, grilled fish, salty foods, charcuterie, crudite, potato chips, cured meats.

Rating: 

• Joe: 7
• Carmela: 8

Wine: French Pool Toy Rose’

Region: France, Cotes de Provence

Producer: French Pool Toy

Year: NV

Price: $11.29

Retailer: Metropolitan Market

Alcohol: 12.5%

Grapes: Grenache

Notes: comes in a plastic bottle and claims it is the lowest carbon footprint bottled wine (assuming they are not counting the travel from France to here)

What we tasted and smelled: Watermelon, strawberry, tea, lime, strawberry lemonade, diluted strawberry water. 

Food pairing with: Salty foods, charcuterie board, fish, white meat, grilled chicken, chips, nacho cheese Doritos

Rating: 

• Joe: 7
• Carmela: 6

Wine: Longevity Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: California, Livermore Valley

Producer: Longevity (black owned wine)

Year: 2018

Price: $11.99

Retailer: Total Wine

Alcohol: 13.5%

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon

Professional Rating: WW 89

What we tasted and smelled: Smoky, flowers, rose, caramel, chocolate, leather, potting soil, wood, vanilla, a lodge or wooden cabin

Food pairing with: Burger, steak, marinated red meat, grilled steak.

Rating: 

• Joe: 7
• Carmela: 6

Which one of these are you finishing tonight?

• Carmela: Gruner Veltliner
• Joe: Gruner Veltliner

Taste profiles expected from Gruner Veltliner, Grenache Rose’, and Cabernet Sauvignon:  42:47

• Gruner Veltliner
  • Yellow apple, pear, lemon, lime, grapefruit, asparagus, white pepper, flint. 
  • White flowers, gunpowder, dill, and wasabi on the nose with yellow apple, tropical fruit, radish, arugula, watercress, tarragon, sage, ginger, honey, and saffron in the mouth.
  • Lighter body, very high acidity, not sweet
  • https://www.winetraveler.com/grape/gruner-veltliner/
• Grenache Rose’
  • Ripe strawberry, orange, hibiscus, allspice
  • Strawberry, Raspberry, Watermelon Candy, Lemonade, and Cucumber -  a burst of sweet red fruit flavors in wine, and the finish is usually zesty with a touch of lemon acidity
  • https://winefolly.com/tips/guide-styles-of-rose-wine/
  • https://blacktailnyc.com/what-are-the-flavors-of-a-grenache-rose-wine/ 
• Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Cabernet grown in California tends to be more fruit-forward and more mellow, with rich dark fruit notes of blueberry and blackberry as well as earth, dust, mocha and cedar
  • Classic flavors and smells include black cherry, black currant, cedar, baking spices, graphite, tobacco, mint
  • https://www.vivino.com/wine-styles/californian-cabernet-sauvignon#:~:text=Cabernet%20grown%20in%20California%20tends,it%20a%20sensational%20food%20wine 

Outro and how to find us 44:46

As always, thank you so very much for listening to us, The Wine Pair, and you know, while you’re thinking about it, we think you should subscribe and give us a nice rating! 

We would also love to hear from you. Please reach out to us on our website thewinepairpodcast.com, you can email us at joe@thewinepairpodcast.com, you can follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and we would be so happy if you DM’ed us and told us what you think, if you have ideas for future episodes like KC did, or whatever! We would absolutely love to hear from you. And, tell your friends and family and loved ones and your dog walker about us. Because they have to listen to something while they are walking your dog!

Thanks for listening to the Wine Pair podcast, and we will see you next time. And, as we say, life is short, so stop drinking shitty wine