Fantastic Barbecue Wines Part 2

27th June 2013

And now for the BBQ reds! The main event for some as traditionally after all the main ingredient of a barbecue is red meat & a smooth, fruity red (even a lightly chilled one!), is the perfect wine partner for the smoky chargrilled flavours of barbecue fayre.

For the lighter red fans a Beaujolais or Bardolino are both great choices for summer & can even be lightly chilled for maximum refreshment. Beaujolais, situated just north of Lyon & produced from the Gamay grape, is a long established French wine favourite & with good reason; Beaujolais wines are a delectable blend of perfumed red & black fruits combined with light tannins resulting in eminently quaffable wines that are also capable of delivering finesse & complexity, especially at Cru level. Each of the Cru (distinct wine communes within Beaujolais & the highest category of Beaujolais wines) has its own particular characteristics, from the silky, floral Fleurie to the robust spicy Morgon, trying a selection is a great way to compare the differences while finding your favourite styles at the same time.

Bardolino, located within the Veneto wine region of Italy produces a deliciously fruity & generally even lighter style of wine to Beaujolais. The wine here is produced from a blend of grapes including Corvina, Rondinella & Molinara; the same grapes which are used to make Valpolicella, however the proportions are significantly different. Fresh & light bodied with a soft, spicy palate of red fruits sprinkled with delicate herbal notes we find the Monte del Fra Bardolino a perfect example of this delicate Italian wine. As an added bonus both Beaujolais & Bardolino are extremely food friendly wines & will pair wonderfully with charcuterie, white & red meats, meatier styles of fish or fish prepared in a tomato based sauce & a vast array of vegetable based dishes.

For fuller flavoured barbecue meat dishes, including beef, lamb & also marinated dishes, a deeper more substantial red will make a better partner. There is no shortage of options here for a delicious food and wine pairing but three great choices for a barbecue are; Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz & Zinfandel.

First on the list is the noble Cabernet Sauvignon, many would argue this is THE red wine for steak, in fact it is true that Cabernet works particularly well with meats that are higher in fat as this make a perfect match for the firm tannins. A glass of Cousino Macul Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile, packed with juicy blackcurrant fruit & fragrant cedar tannin or alternatively for Old World Bordeaux Classicists a drop of the elegant Chateau Bernadotte brimming with rich cassis & plum fruit framed by a firm, elegant structure paired with a simply grilled steak, a drizzle of oil, grind of black pepper & some juicy skewered mushrooms will make for a heavenly combination!

Shiraz is a natural barbecue partner, especially those wines produced in Australia, the spiritual home of the barbecue! Both the Firefly Shiraz & the Magpie Estate Knock Knock Shiraz are excellent examples of a great Aussie Shiraz, jam packed with sun ripened dark glossy fruit, layered with soft spices, hints of pepper, mocha & liquorice, Shiraz makes a stunning match for barbecued lamb as well as for sausages & beef burgers smothered in barbecue sauce.

The left field suggestion, for those who are not yet familiar with this grape, is Zinfandel. This well-travelled grape is known as Primitivo in Italy and its origins have been traced back to Croatia. Zinfandel most likely arrived as part of a horticultural vine shipment to the USA from Austria in the 1820's before heading west in the 1850's with the California Gold Rush.

The climate in California was much better suited for growing Zinfandel and the grape flourished until the Prohibition years, fortunately however some vines survived and by the 1970's Zinfandel was experiencing a surge of interest having been cited as, "California's own red grape". For many years the medium & often sweeter style White Zinfandel (rose) had been the main incarnation of the Zinfandel grape, a wine that remains popular to this day both in the USA & abroad. However happily for red wine lovers growers of red Zinfandel persevered & this revival ultimately led to an increase in the production of superior quality Zinfandel wines, perhaps most prized of all those produced from the remaining & scarce old vines.

Loaded with jammy, brambly berry & cherry fruit the Frog's Leap Zinfandel really delivers in terms of depth & intensity of flavour while the lively acidity gives backbone & a bright fresh quality to the wine. Notes of spice, caramel & dark chocolate are present in the bouquet & linger in the finish combined with notes of earth & soft leather, absolutely delicious when paired with marinated dishes & those with a hint of sweetness such as glazed ribs or caramelized vegetables. What's more a glassful of lush, raspberry & blackberry flavours in the form of a juicy Zinfandel such as the Burlesque Zinfandel sourced from old vines in the Lodi region of California is an ideal barbecue dessert to have in your hand as the sun slips away & the embers start to glow.

Cheers & happy barbecue-ing!