HAVING A HEATWAVE: THE BEST WINE AND BBQ PAIRINGS FOR SUMMER COOKOUTS

There’s something incredibly primal about barbecue. This makes sense, considering barbecue has been around since the dawn of time and literally involves cooking meat over an open flame.

For me the most interesting thing about barbecue is the fact that every culture in the world has its own specific form of it, making it arguably one of the most universal cuisines.

Since we’re smack in the middle of summer, I wanted to do a post featuring barbecue dishes from all around the world, and equally globally-inspired wine pairings to feature with them. These dishes all involve some form of open flame and of course, well, meat. Let’s get into it.

PAIRING ONE - U.S.A : BBQ RIBS & CHILEAN CARMÉNÈRE

There are many different variations of ribs throughout the United States. Chicago has its own style of ribs, and other states like Texas and Tennessee have their own variations on the dish. Regardless, this sweet, slightly-smoky dish with origins dating back to the Antebellum South, pairs beautifully with Chilean Carménère. This medium-bodied, bargain-friendly red wine hailing from the Southern Hemisphere has plenty of red berry aromas, coupled with green, peppery qualities that are present in the wine due to aromatic compounds called pyrazines. The high acidity from the Chilean Carménère cuts beautifully through the fattier texture of the ribs and interplays with the glossy, sugary-sweet components of the sauce. Chilean Carménère is medium-bodied, so it won’t overwhelm with the heavy nature of the dish.

PAIRING TWO - THE MIDDLE EAST: BEEF KEBABS WITH ROSATO FROM MT ETNA

Middle Eastern Kebabs have gamey, savory characteristics, with plenty of herbal components as well. A rosato from Sicily’s volcanic island, Mt. Etna, is a great pairing for this very reason. Brightly crisp and refreshing with plenty of minerality, Etna’s rosatos (rosés) are refreshing and the perfect complement to any Middle Eastern Kebab dish partially due to their savory nature. These pink wines have plenty of floral-driven, herb qualities as well. Etna rosatos are typically made with indigenous grapes to the region, Nerello Mascalese or Nerello Capuccio. These grapes tend to produce medium-bodied rosés, similar to the rosés from the Côtes du Rhône in France, and will be refreshing enough to enjoy all summer long.

PAIRING THREE - MEXICO: PORK AL PASTOR WITH SEMILLON FROM BORDEAUX

Interestingly enough, the roots of Al Pastor - which translates to meat cooked “shepherd’s style,” trace back to Lebanon. Al Pastor is a pork dish that is marinated in a combination of spices and roasted pineapple cooked on a spit. The resulting dish is a heavenly concoction of equal parts smoky, spicy, savory and sweet. As far as pairings go, look no further than a Semillon from Bordeaux. This underappreciated little white grape has loads of honey and chamomile aromas, with a mineral-driven throughline. Because Semillon usually gets the short end of the stick as far as Bordeaux’s wine scene goes, you can find some great value bottles of the stuff. The honeyed components of this wine interplay beautifully with the fruitier components of the dish and also tone down some of the spice.

PAIRING FOUR - JAPAN: CHICKEN YAKITORI AND SOUTH AFRICAN PINOTAGE

A little sweet, a little smoky, with just a bit of saltiness for good measure, chicken yakitori’s roots date back to Japan’s Meiji period in the 1880s-1900s. With loads of complexity, it can be tough to find a wine to pair with this dish that will play upon all these flavors without overwhelming the delicate nature of poultry. Though it’s probably fine to pair chicken yakitori with Pinot Noir, there’s something about pairing this Japanese BBQ dish with South African Pinotage that has the “wow” factor. Pinotage is a hybrid variety that was created in South Africa and is basically Pinot Noir with a little bit more smoky, meaty “oomph.” Though Pinotage has its fair share of haters, the grape has definitely been at the forefront of quite the renaissance over the years, as growers have spent a lot of time trying to understand it, so you’re bound to find a good bottle of the stuff out in the wild.

PAIRING FIVE - ARGENTINA: ARGENTINIAN ASADO AND GREEK XINOMAVRO

The Greek name “Xinomavro” translates to “acid black.” With loads of leather and olive aromas, coupled with plenty of herbaceous characteristics, Xinomavro is the quintessential red wine pairing for smoky and savory Argentinian asada. This red wine from Greece is lighter-bodied but has loads of sharp tannins, which definitely provide a great backbone for Argentinian Asada. Best of all, you can find some reasonably affordable expressions of Xinomavro that can age for a hell of a long time out in the market today. Consider serving Xinomavro with a slight chill, as this inky, high acid wine definitely takes well to it.

PAIRING SIX - KOREA: BULGOGI AND GERMAN SEKT

Bulgogi translates to “fire meat,” and this Korean BBQ dish consists of thinly sliced beef marinated in sesame oil, soy sauce, and fruit juices cooked over an open flame. Bulgogi has a sweetness, coupled with a soy quality that pairs beautifully with German Sekt. Sekt is a sparkling wine that hails from Germany and - interestingly enough - Austria. You’re more likely to find German Sekt in the American marketplace however, as a lot of the Austrian stuff (though really good) is less likely to get imported to the U.S. This bubbly bevvie can be composed of grapes like Riesling and Gewurtztraminer, making it taste like a grown-up, higher-alcohol version of Sprite, with loads of racy acidity. Those palate-cleansing bubbles make it the ultimate KBBQ-friendly wine.