Celebrate Non-GMO Month with Non-GMO Wines
Organic Wine & BBQ Pairing
Organic wine & BBQ are natural and delicious partners! Guest blogger Jack Thompson of BroBBQ gives us his take on favorite Organic wine & BBQ pairings.
There is nothing as wonderful as enjoying a sizzling barbecue with well-matched organic wine, adding to the beauty of even barbecuing in the first place.
Just so we don’t leave you making the mistake of eating dry barbecues like a burger with no drink to wash the tasty bites down, we excellently put this food and wine pairing chart together to make your barbecue all the better.
Choosing the right Organic wine for your foods in itself is a cherished art and without guidance, you may match up the wrong foods and drinks which will not give you the best tastes that you should have.
So, come with us as we make you well in the know of this space in a simplified manner to also not confuse you in the process.
Have fun and cheers to Organic wine & BBQ!
A Delve into a Wine Pairing Chart
You’re probably like one of us that can’t have a good barbecue without a good Organic wine to wash it down. So, you spend a ton of time figuring out which wine is best for what and so on. That’s a good thing friend, and right here, we make your life easier.
Barbecues often come with a blend of spices, aromas, and some texture and often require that liquid power to balance things out from the tip of the tongue and down the throat. To many, water does an amazing job at that but thanks to the skillful vintners who contribute to the overall flavor and taste of barbecues through their wide range of products.
Choosing a wine for your barbecue comes with a bit of skill and knowledge just like you will when choosing your best smoker hence this guide for you. Different drinks work well with different barbecues and some wines (a few) work well with everything. We like to call these kinds the BOOMERS!!
Understanding Organic Wine & BBQ Pairing
We won’t act like we don’t know that understanding the different names of wines can be daunting. Mostly, you just run with either red wine for meats because they are stronger in aroma and taste, and white wine for fish because they are lighter in aroma and taste.
So you ought to be in the know and be conversant with the categories so if anybody puts you on the spot, you have your hat on like a pro.
The infographic below shares five (5) main wines that are the standards for pairing BBQs, followed by a more detailed explanation of each wine and pairing ideas.
Cabernet Sauvignon – Such as Cantina Pizzolato NSA Cabernet
Being one of the best wines in the red wine category, there have come to be a strong likeness for its breed of grapes for their high level of tannin. This means that the Cabernet Sauvignon has the tendency of staying longer for many years with proven improved taste over the years.
It is a dry wine and not sweet usually leaving an effect of dryness in the mouth after taking. Therefore, the Cabernet Sauvignon should be taken with food for its alcohol content range of 13.5% to 15% per bottle plus its acidity and healthy tannin levels.
What type of food then fits a Cabernet Sauvignon?
All red meats are perfect for it. Cabernet is the safest option to have with all grilled steaks because if its rich fruit content and strong flavor. Spicy BBQs may not be the best option for the wines dryness.
Don’t limit yourself, however, it might work for you. Best thing, do a tasting first with the barbecue you’re about to have before serving.
Malbec – Such as Inkarri Estate Bottled Malbec
Trying to cut down some cost of a Cabernet Sauvignon? Go for Malbec. As a selected mix of blackberry, pomegranate, plum, blueberry, raspberry, raisin, and black cherry, it is a highly fruity flavored wine with lesser acidity levels than the Cabernet Sauvignon.
You can find a wide range of flavors for a Malbec giving you the option to explore different recipes with it. They come with a sweet tobacco finish in milk chocolate, violet flower, cocoa powder, and leather.
The tannin level is also lesser than the Cabernet making it an excellent option for leaner meats.
What should you take with Malbec?
Leaner red meats, all kinds of poultry, sole, root & green vegetables and a variety of cheese work perfectly. Focus on foods with spices that have a smoky or earthy flavor to create pleasant aromas in your mouth as you eat.
Spices like sumac, parsley, porcini mushroom powder, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, smoked paprika, green onion, shallot, juniper berry, cumin, clove, coriander, garlic, barbecue sauce, and garlic are great options.
Bordeaux – Such as Les Hauts de Lagarde Bordeaux Rouge
Bordeaux is simply any kind of wine made in Bordeaux, France but that’s not all there is to it, this range has some pretty good qualities that will turn your bbq into something amazing.
Bordeaux wine is a two range production of wines falling into the Left Bank which is dominated by the Cabernet Sauvignon being red wine and the Right Bank with Merlot taken charge as its white wine range.
The Merlot could be dry or sweet and really depends on what you are making, your wine option can be decided.
Which should go with Bordeaux?
Like mentioned earlier, the Cabernet Sauvignon works best with red meats because of its strong flavor and taste. Pretty much, the red wine collection under the Bordeaux works equally in this manner.
On the other hand, the Bordeaux white wine collection like the Merlot works perfectly for light foods; vegetables, fish, leaner meats, poultry, and cheese. Get these worked up on your best gas grill and you will be up for fabulous times.
Cava – Such as Tarantas Brut Cava
Cava is a sparkling wine originating from Spain and could be easily be mistaken with champagne. Although pretty close, the difference simply lies in the types of grapes used which do not make Cava sweet.
These three (3) main grapes are Macabeu (white grape), Xarel-lo (white grape), and Parellada (white grape) which get blended with other types of grapes for the white or rose colors and difference in flavor and taste that you get. Cava is simply a mid-affordable wine that goes well with every light food.
Some lighter foods to pair with Cava
Pair with burgers, sausages, all types of poultry, fish, seafood, and root vegetables. Also, work with mild flavoring when barbecuing to give you a subtle blend of flavor.
Rosé – Such as Tarantas Bobal Rosé
This pink wine is unique for its production method which is very different from the way red wine or white wine is made. Red or white wine is simply juiced out of the grapes and fermented over a period of time. This means red grapes produce red wine and white grapes produce white wine.
On the other hand, Rose goes through a process called maceration which produces the pretty pink color that is seen. Red wine is juiced out of red grapes and the grapes’ skin is allowed to sit with the juice for anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Just when the juice begins to take on the beautiful pink color as the winemaker desires, then the skin is immediately removed.
The juice is then allowed to ferment and voila, pretty pink Rosé.Rosé ranges from affordable to expensive due to its wide range of products.
What should you pair with a Rosé?
Like with Cava, you can’t go wrong when you have Rosé with burgers, sausages, poultry, fish, seafood and then all types of vegetables and cheeses.
Which is the Very Best Organic Wine & BBQ Pairing?
With so many great options, there are no right or wrong choices. Ultimately, the best Organic wine & BBQ pairing is the one that you like best!
About BroBBQ
To us, every BBQ attempt is a learning experience. It teaches us to be patient, humble, spontaneous, and sociable.
Lack of patience? Your BBQ is burnt and raw.
Can’t have a nice BBQ dinner without premium cuts? Every humble cut of meat can be made into something extraordinary. Don’t own any silverware? Use your bare hands.
And everyone knows BBQ doesn’t taste as good without company.
Related posts
