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Perfect Wine Pairings For Your Barbecue

Beer and barbecue are just fine. But wine and barbecue will blow your mind. Wine lends itself perfectly to the sweet and smoky flavour of classics, such as pulled pork and baby back ribs. A report indicates that 80% of Canadians own a barbecue - that’s a lot of delicious wine to be drunk with dinner. Here are some great wine pairings to go with your grilled and smoked food. 

Classic barbecue sauce

There is a strong tradition of great barbecue in Canada. It’s not only a clean and healthy way to cook, but it packs lots of flavour into the food. If you are cooking and marinating your meat in a classic barbecue sauce, you need to consider the taste profiles. Canadian consumers were asked what they would like their perfect barbecue sauce to be. The majority said that they prefer a sauce with a kick of heat and a taste that is both sweet and sour. To go with pork cooked in a barbecue sauce, try a Zinfandel, the tannin in the wine will balance out the high-fat content of the meat. This wine has a spicy and smoky flavor profile that will complement the without overwhelming it. Other good pairings are an oak-aged Merlot or a Cabernet-Franc - Between the Lines Winery does an excellent 2016 vintage. 

Jerk chicken

Jerk chicken is a Caribbean classic, and perfect for the barbecue. The jerk sauce is made by combining garlic, scotch bonnet peppers, olive oil, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and coriander, sometimes green bell peppers too. This is a strongly flavored sauce, for quite a delicate tasting meat, so the wine needs to match the herbs and spices. A herbal and slightly sweet white wine is perfect for jerk chicken. Try a beautiful Sauvignon Blanc or an off-dry Riesling - Cattail Creek Estate Winery has some excellent bottles. The wine will help to act as a palate cleanser too, against the stronger spices in the jerk sauces, even cooling down a little of that chilli heat. 

Barbecued beef and burgers

You can’t say the word barbecue without thinking of a delicious and hearty beef burger, with all the sides. Cooking beef on the grill only adds to the peppery flavor, especially if cooking over charcoal. A full-bodied red wine is a perfect option to drink with a burger - a lot more sophisticated than a milkshake! A Sangiovese or a Tempranillo are definitely able to hold their own against the strong taste of beef. The meat is softened by the tannins in the wine, and these will serve to enhance the flavor. In turn, the fat content of a burger helps to mellow the astringency of the wine, bringing out the fruity flavours even better. They complement each other in a perfect way - a natural pairing. 

Barbecue season brings you the perfect opportunity to expand your wine tasting and go for different varieties to bring out the taste profiles in your food. Get together with family and friends, and you can enjoy new wine pairings with your meals.