A BBQ isn't just about sausages and burgers... think WINE!

Plastic cup full of warm white wine and a paper plate of charred-beyond-recognition whatever? No, that’s not our idea of a BBQ either. Here are a few top tips for wine pairing for your Summer of grilling fun…

Big, bold and beefy, applies to both food and wine. Meaty burgers require a bold wine to match up to the flavours and with some tannin to cut through the fatty elements. Think of all the beef they consume in Argentina and which grape is synonymous with Argentina? Malbec of course.

We are especially enjoying Nieto Malbec at present. Silky and warming with blackberry plum and cherries… this will stand up to the bigger charred steaks!

 

All-rounders. There are so many foods on offer at a BBQ it would be impossible to supply a wine for everything so look for good wines that will match a variety of foods such as a new world Pinot Noir, great chilled but enough flavour to meet the char-grill head on or Zinfandel for a fruitier profile.

Cline Cellars Lodi Zinfandel from California is offering great value for money at present, a real winner! It has fantastic dark berry fruit and supple tannins all wrapped together with a lasting finish of vanilla from oak aging.

We are big fans of Cline Cellars, and love not only their wines but how they operate. To understand more about Cline and imparticular their Wolly Weeders click here.   

Rosé- an essential at any outside summer event. Try a dry pale rosé with simply marinated salmon (most of our Provence Rosé's will tick boxes here) or a deeper coloured more flavoursome rosé if you have a sweeter style marinade. The Nube Rioja Semidulce Rosado has just the right balance of acidity and soft sweetness. Especially good with prawns on the BBQ.

Bubbles, of course, it's a party after all and we can all have a glass to get things started but there are some good food matches there too. They can act as a palate cleanser but a good fizz will sit well with grilled chicken, halloumi and all the array of salads on offer. Many of you may know we can't get enough of Durello at the moment. A lesser-known, great tasting, better value alternative to Prosecco. Honestly try it! 

Even whites are welcome! Fuller flavoured whites with ripe fruit flavours and good acidity will go with everything from chicken to pork sausages, just make sure they are chilled to perfection. The Tabali Viognier Pedregoso Gran Reserva Viognier presents rich aromas of peaches plus candied fruit. Also one to try with a little spice!  

Chill your reds! Yes, stick then in the bucket of ice too. It brings forward their fruity profile and allows them to punch through other highly flavoured foods and they become much more refreshing. A great match with marinated ribs or big grilled mushrooms. A chilled Rioja anyone? Why not! The Valdepalacios Rioja Tinto with a slight chill is one worth trying.

Upgrade? Obviously this depends on your budget and how many people you're catering for but we suggest NOT going over the top as BBQ's are meant to be enjoyable casual do's. There are so many great value wines on offer for less than £8 all suited to a fun afternoon in the garden. As well as the case offers and single bottle discounts we have in the shop there are some great case deals on the web too to have a look at.

Experiment! You do with the food adding spices and flavouring to the heady mix of char and smoke so why not with the wines? You could even prepare your food a little more simply and think of the wine as your ‘marinade'. Think simple grilled fish with a grind of salt & pepper, the zesty bright notes of a glass of Vinho Verde serve as your twist of citrus to bring it to life. A simple steak with a touch of garlic oil alongside a spicy Shiraz which acts as the twist of pepper.

You get the idea – if not ‘grill us' for the answers!!