Ep 381: Wines for a Barbecue

Barbecues are fun, but having wine at them…not so much! The food at barbecues ranges but the theme is that even though they generally occur in the dead of summer, the food is heavy and served warm so the wines we needed for pairing aren’t necessarily the same ones we’d have for sipping on the porch. In this show, we go over the main foods we eat at BBQs and break down some of their constituent components so we can find the best wines for them.  Photo: Unsplash It turns out that, as we talked through it all, there are some wines you just can’t do without at a barbecue – we tell you the details of great pairing and hopefully convince you that with just a few key wines, you can have bottles that pair as well with food off the grill and the sides, as a cold, frosty beer.   Condiments we discuss: Ketchup (and its ingredients) Mustard (and its ingredients) Mayo Photo: Pexels Sample foods we use to explain pairing and offer some ideas with explanations: Hot dogs and popular toppings like sauerkraut, slaw, ketchup, and mustard Burgers with popular toppings Sausage Pork and various preparations Steak Chicken Veggies Seafood and fish Corn Watermelon Pasta salad Cole Slaw Photos: Unsplash Ribs and rubs: ketchup based sauces, sugar and fruit based sauces, smoky flavors, tandoori or hot spice notes, garlic and lemon marinades   MVPs (most valuable players – meaning best wines): Rosé: heavier styles from Tavel, Bandol (both in France) or those with higher alcohol levels, therefore a heavier body Photos: Pixabay Whites: Grüner Veltliner, fruity Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling (off dry and dry), Chenin Blanc (off dry and dry), Albariño, Verdejo, Fiano, Etna Bianco   Reds: Gamay, fruity Pinot Noir (California, New Zealand, Chile), Grenache/Syrah/ Mourvèdre blends (GSM) – either Côtes-du-Rhône or from warmer places in Australia or the US, Shiraz from Australia or earthier Syrah in some cases, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, right bank Bordeaux   Sparkling – have to have it, even if it’s cheap (Cava. Prosecco) Don't forget to chill your whites, rosés, and especially your REDS!! Happy grilling! _____________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!  Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!    Wine Access  Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!  I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops. Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps. Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!  Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal