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Be open to wine with barbecue

By Ben Weinberg, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published June 24, 2008 at 3 p.m.
Updated June 24, 2008 at 6:13 p.m.

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Just as I wouldn't pour caramel sauce on linguini with clams, neither would I offer an inappropriate wine with a specific food - say, serving sweet, decadent Eiswein with earthy, roasted lamb shank.

Now, maybe some readers partake of these combinations. And there really are no wrong answers when it comes to enjoying wine. Even professional tasters don't pretend that their opinions are objective, except when they report actual flaws such as cork taint or unintended refermentation. And in such cases, they often don't rate the wine until they've tried at least one more bottle.

However, centuries of experimentation can turn subjective choices into generally accepted standards. Like most folk, I usually drink whites and roses with fish, fowl and lighter meats; reds with heavier meats and sauces; and dessert wines with, well, dessert.

These tenets exist for one simple reason: They work on a consistent basis. So most of the time I feel one should stick with the tried and true.

But with wine and food, it's definitely good to be flexible. I'm constantly on the prowl for new taste combinations, and the unique ability of my favorite beverage to match with and even improve the taste of all sorts of foods constantly amazes me. I've gone so far as to match Brut Champagne with cigars, and it worked out better than I had any right to expect. But that's another column.

A strategy of flexibility works especially well during the months of June, July and August, when the fresh appetizer of spring becomes the true taste of summer. I am, of course, referring to barbecue, that most American of cuisines. Beer always is good with slow- cooked meats and sweet, tangy sauces, as is iced tea. But wine lovers are like everyone else in that they prefer to enjoy their passions regardless of season.

So what are the best ways to pair wine with that ultimate harbinger of beaches, dog days and dinner on the patio?

I recommend dry, fruity whites that quench thirst and add dimension to slow-cooked meats and glazed sauce. At my barbecues, I often pour sauvignon blanc from New Zealand, lithe and energetic, bursting with juicy guava and pineapple. Slightly sweet, stone-fruit-flavored German Riesling also works well, as does even sweeter, slightly effervescent, pear-scented Moscato D'Asti from Piedmont, Italy.

While white wines are traditional summer fare, dry roses are even easier to pair with gutsy food. The savory aromas and flavors complement almost anything you can put on the table. Try a delicately floral Austrian rose, or perhaps a traditional French Tavel from the Rhone Valley, crammed with strawberries and citrus zest.

If a red is called for, keep it fruity and low in tannin. An excellent traditional choice would be French Beaujolais, full of ripe berries and spice. But the deep, dark cherry and raspberry flavors of Central California zinfandel and syrah also match well with charred meat.

I've always felt that wine nourishes us both physically and spiritually. Certainly all bottles contain essential nutrients, including carbohydrates, antioxidants and vitamins, and some people do consume fermented grape juice for health reasons. But drinking wine to commemorate change and growth is much more pervasive in our societies, perhaps because its unique interaction with an important life event is another kind of sustenance, centered on the soul.

If we multiply this measure of joy by the number of bottles consumed, we can arrive at a sort of vinous happiness quotient, a gauge of how well we've integrated wine into our lives. I hope you use these tips to improve not only your barbecue experience, but to dial up your appreciation of the wine lifestyle, as well.

benweinberg@comcast.net

Recommended

WHITE

* Matua Sauvignon Blanc Paretai 2007 (Marlborough, New Zealand) $19

* Dr. Thanisch Riesling Classic 2006 (Mosel, Germany) $18

* Dante Rivetti Moscato D'Asti 2007 (Piedmont, Italy) $17

ROSE

* Gunter Triebaumer Rose 2007 (Burgenland, Austria) $14

* Domaine de la Mordoree Tavel Rose La Dame Rousse 2007 (Rhone Valley, France) $29

RED

* Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Fleurie 2006 (Beaujolais, France) $16

* Fife Zinfandel Mendocino Uplands 2005 (Mendocino County, U.S.) $20

* Stolpman Syrah Santa Ynez Valley 2005 (Santa Ynez Valley, U.S.) $30

Comments

  • June 24, 2008

    4:36 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    josh59 writes:

    I really am enjoying this new column. My wife and I tried one of the Reislings Mr. Weinberg recommended last week to our delight.

    Thanks RMN and Mr. Weinberg

  • June 25, 2008

    9:36 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Corky1 writes:

    Great new column! Mr Weinberg has me excited to branch out in my wine experiences. I'm looking forward to more!

    Jeff