Wines for Barbecuing
From WineStyle's Jill Stacey
BBQ season kicks into high gear on Memorial Day so clean those grills, stock up on the grilling sauces and don’t forget the wine. Yes, wine with BBQ is a great idea. And don’t just get into the stereotypical Merlots and Cabernets, open the door to so many more varietals.
 Nero d’Avola ~ A Sicilian Italy varietal from the southern most island in Italy. It’s light to medium bodied, very similar to Pinot Noir, but it has such great smoke and spice that it really stands up to the strong spice you find in most BBQ sauces. Pair it with spicy sauces on either chicken or beef or even a juicy burger! I highly recommend: Dievole’s Pinocchio or Maretima Nero d’Avola.
Tempranillo ~ A Spanish varietal that can be vinted in so many different ways, depending on the winemaker. But with BBQ I would look for the bolder, deeper in color and more flavors to stand up to all the flavors and smoke that is found in the sauces. And though they are Spanish wines, you sometimes can find the flavors to pair with soy type sauces. Typically you will find flavors of cherries, blueberries, Chinese spices and soy and finishing flavors of leather and smoke. Try these great Tempranillo’s: Twisted Oak Tempranillo; Coral Mustang Tempranillo.
 Malbecs ~ Argentina has really made a tremendous effort with this varietal. Again, big, bold with lots of flavors. Typically you will find aromas and flavors of blackberry and plum layered with chocolate, coffee and spice. You would do well with pairing this wine with a big chipotle flavored sauce! And very reasonable priced usually $10 - $15 for good quality Malbecs. Look for these labels ~ Alamos Malbec and Budini Malbec out of Mendoza, Argentina.
And let’s not forget those White Wines ~ Especially with fruity sauces on pork and chicken.
 Sauvignon Blanc ~ Having citrus and tropical sauces? Look for a good fruity sauvignon blanc especially from New Zealand or California. They are crisp, mouth watering and clean finishing so they don’t get in the way of the fruit of the sauces. Labels to look for: Huntington Sauvignon Blanc; Maven Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand. Christopher Creek Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand.
 Vinho Verde ~ from Portugal is a fun wine with light bubbles and a crisp citrus flavors. And it’s perfect with any type of Spanish green Chile grilling. A Vinho Verde is just like squeezing a lime on your food and puts the fire out in your mouth. Vinho’s are greatly priced and always refreshing! Look for these labels ~ Broadbent Vinho Verde ~ Portugal; Famega Vinho Verde ~ Portugal.
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