Wines To Barbecue With

By TOM MARQUARDT And PATRICK DARR

There is nothing like starting a weekend with a Friday barbecue – then continuing it behind the grill all weekend. The smell of a sizzling steak or a slow-cooked pork butt excites the senses and puts some needed distance between work and play.

Our new go-to weekend dinner is smash burgers, which seem to be in vogue. These two-patty delights can be made in a cast-iron pan on the stove, but we prefer to make them on a griddle insert on the grill. We have a press that gets the meat as flat as possible so that it caramelizes – the advantage the technique has over a regular hamburger. Add some grilled onions, maybe a jalapeno, and a special sauce ala McDonald’s, and you have a juicy, mouth-watering combination.

Choosing the right wine depends on the fare but also the crowd. If you have invited an undiscerning crowd, don’t waste your money on expensive wine. Choose a wine to get them started and choices that will warm them up for the entree.

Anxious to get started before food is on the table? Sip a glass of Whispering Angel rosé or Priest Ranch sauvignon blanc. Best enjoyed chilled, they have bright acidity to pair with crudites, cheese and other appetizers.  A glass of prosecco delivers bubbles to raise the excitement.

Is a burger with friends or family on the menu? Look for a fruity red wine, such as an inexpensive and chillable Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Villages. We also love the inexpensive wines from Cotes du Rhone. Look for Perrin, Saint Cosme, or E. Guigal.

Alternative wines for ribs, burgers and kabobs are Rioja tempranillo and syrah.

We like pinot noir, but prices for this wine are ridiculously high for simple summer fare unless it is an elegant dinner you have planned. Cabernet sauvignon goes well with beef, but you need to keep in slightly chilled to enjoy it on the deck.

If fish is on the menu, chardonnay is always a good choice. But there are alternatives, such as chenin blanc or albarino.

Sauvignon blanc’s crisp acidity and fresh fruit character make it a nice match to a vegetable or cheese platter and the wine pair beautifully with grilled chicken.

Get your grill on!

Here are a few wines to make the occasion special:

Frescobaldi Nipozzano Riserva Chianti Rufina DOCG 2021 ($19). Chianti is an excellent choice for barbecue fare, whether it be chicken or hamburgers. Usually light in style, it complements rather than competes with food.  This one made primarily from sangiovese grapes is simple yet fruity with notes of blueberries and raspberries. Hints of black pepper and spice make it a well-rounded wine that won’t disappoint.

Tenuta Regaleali Nero d’Avola Sicily DOC 2021 ($17).  This is a rewarding wine for the price because of its versatility. You will enjoy just sipping it after giving it a slight chill or serving it alongside ribs, hamburgers and the like. Lots of red fruit character, it is made entirely of nero d’avola grapes.

Boomtown Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2021 ($19).  This soft, luscious wine is an idea match for barbecued foods accompanied by a tomato-based sauce. Oodles of plum and blackberry flavors.

Dutcher Crossing Brothers’ Reserrve Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2021 ($46). Smoked ribs cry out for zinfandel and this is exactly what we served on July 4. It has effusive plum and blackberry aromas, ripe red fruit flavors with hints of spice, pepper and vanilla.

Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2022 ($38). We loved the spicy component to this juicy wine with raspberry and black pepper notes.

Truth Myth Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2022 ($24). This juicy cabernet sauvignon is loaded with ripe blueberry, vanilla and cherry flavors. Another wine to serve with ribs, sausage and even steak.

Pasqua Passione Sentimento Romeo & Juliet Bianco IGT 2023 ($18).  Made from garganega grapes, this white wine from Veneto has a buttery texture to match with a sweet sauce for grilled pork or chicken.

Trapiche Medalla Chardonnay 2023 ($20). This is an incredible value for chardonnay fans. Very fruity with tropical fruit notes and a dollop of spice.

Sparkling wines

Why does it take a celebration to bring out a sparkling wine or champagne? Any day is a good day to pour some bubbly.  Sitting on the deck or a boat seems to be the right environment to pop a cork and enjoy life.  Here are a few sparkling wines we have recently tried:

Dutcher Crossing Grace Reserve Sparkling Brut Rose Russian River Valley ($59). A blend of pinot noir and chardonnay, this delightful sparkling wine exudes red fruit aromas and tart cherry, strawberry flavors with hints of apples and citrus.

Argyle Extended Tirage Brut 2014 ($85). Rollin Soles established Argyle as the state’s first sparkling wine house. Today, 94 out of Oregon’s 240 wine producers make sparkling wine. The extended tirage program was an early innovation inspired by Bollinger’s Christian Bizot. This is a real treat because it is made by aging reserve 2014 brut for seven years on the lees and then disgorged. This process adds complexity and a rich texture that reminded us of an aged champagne. The blend includes pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier.

Rhys Perpetual Reserve ($58). This exquisite sparkling wine from multiple vintages sets a new bar. Known for its pinot noirs, Rhys is a reliable producer who puts a lot of thought and quality into its sparkling wine program. This version, a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir, is aged two years on the lees to preserve the freshness of the current vintage while the reserve wine gives it complexity. White peach and citrus notes with crisp acidity.

Wine picks

Vina Santa Rita Pewen de Apalta 2021 ($70). If you think carmenère doesn’t command respect, you need to try this dynamite version from Chile. Dense and full bodied, it shows off complex plum and blackberry flavors with hints of tobacco and mineral. Juicy but bold.

Vina Santa Rita Floresta Carmenère 2022 ($25). This version of carmenère may not have the body or structure of its more expensive version above, but it is nonetheless notable for its approachability and youth. Sourcing grapes from 80-year-old vines grown on a slope, the wine shows off freshness.