Food

John Wilson: Easy-going reds, rosés and white wines for the barbecue

The best drinks pairings for deliciously-charred red meat or lighter fish and vegetable dishes

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John Wilson
Sat May 1 2021 - 06:00

Most writing on wine and barbecues tends to focus on big powerful reds to accompany all that red meat and strong charred flavours. Yet the Irish barbecue has come a long way from the days when it consisted of a few cremated sausages and burgers, or, if you were lucky, a steak. It is now quite likely to feature white meats, pork and chicken, fish and a lot of vegetables too. All of these taste great when grilled or roasted on a barbecue and add a lightness to the proceedings.

When it comes to wine, barbecuing adds an extra layer of flavour, so go for something with a bit more concentration. However many barbecued foods go well with white wines. A medium-bodied white, such as a Viognier or a Chardonnay, will combine a fresh acidity with texture and cover a lot of foods.

Herby, lemony marinades and dressings used with chicken, fish, courgettes and asparagus are often better with aromatic white wines, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Côtes de Gascogne, Pinot Gris, Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. This includes foods with Thai and Indian rubs such as tandoori.

Chilled white wine always goes down well on a sunny day. I would also add rosé and lighter reds such as Beaujolais, Pinot Noir, Mencía or Valpolicella. Sweet marinades are not great with white wine; a rosé or a beer might be better bet. Spicy foods tend to clash with tannic red wines, so avoid these, even with red meats.

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There are times when you do need a big red though. Classic American slow barbecued shoulder of pork, or brisket with those full on spicy smoky flavours call for a Zinfandel, a Malbec, a Southern Rhône or maybe a Pinotage from South Africa.

Do remember that if people are standing around for an extended period waiting for their food, a full-bodied high alcohol red is the last thing they may want to drink, so have alternatives on hand.

Almost as important as the wine is the temperature you serve it at. Warm weather red wines should be served cool, or cold if they are light and juicy like Beaujolais or Valpolicella. A chilled sparkling red wine, such as the Gutturnio featured here, would provide a very refreshing and adventurous alternative.

In many ways, rosé, that perfect summer drink, is the smartest choice for a barbecue. It goes well with all sorts of salads, grilled white meats and fish, even if they have a spicy marinade. A medium-bodied rosé will also go surprisingly well with red meats. Forget about Provence rosé, the latest version of Rós, a rosé, made by Lynne Coyle of O’Briens and Alicia Eyaralar of Bodegas Tandem, could be the summer barbecue wine of 2021.

Harmonie de Gascogne Blanc 2019, Domaine de Pellehaut, IGP Côtes de Gascogne
11.5%, €13 (also available in 5 litre bag-in-box, €59.95)

Light aromatic and refreshing with a rounded finish, this is ridiculously easy to drink. Perfect without barbecued food or with all kinds of chicken, fish and lighter roasted vegetables.

Stockists: Mitchell & Son, D1, Sandycove, and Avoca, Kilmacanogue & Dunboyne, mitchellandson.com; Myles Doyle Select Grocer, Gorey; Molloy's Liquor Stores, molloys.ie; The Malt House, Trim, Co Meath; Boggans, Wexford town; Wilde & Green, D6, wildeandgreen.com; 1601 Off Licence, Kinsale; Cass & Co, Dungarvan, cassansdco.ie; Next Door Clonakilty & Wicklow town; Carry Out, Tullamore.

Rós 2020, Garnacha Rosé, Navarra
14.5%, €12.71 down from €16.95

A delicious ripe food rosé with rose petal aromas, strawberry and peach fruits. Big enough to handle most red meat dishes, it would also handle white meats such as chicken with aplomb, as well as salmon and tuna.

Stockists: O'Briens, Obrienswine.ie

Viaterra Selection Garnatxa Negra 2019, Terra Alta, JNwine
14% €17.95-18.95

An attractive medium-bodied wine with smooth ripe red fruits and red peppers brought to life by a refreshing acidity. A good all-rounder with red or white meats.

Stockists: JNwine.com; Blackrock Cellar, Blackrock, blackrockcellar.com.

Gutturnio 2019, Vino Frizzante, Colli Piacentini, Bulli
13% €17-18

A thirst-quenching Lambrusco-like sparkling red with mouth-watering crunchy damson and dark cherry fruits. It went very well with my barbecued souvlaki and koftes.

Stockists: Sheridan's Cheesemongers, D2, Kells, Co Meath, Galway, sheridanscheesemongers.com; SIYPS.com; Sweeneys D3, sweeneysd3.ie; Woodruff, D18, Woodruff.ie.

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