A great article on pairing wine with your BBQ dishes.
With shrimp and certain fish, for example, there is a natural saltiness that can emerge with a basting with olive oil. It calls for a crisp white, such as a sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. If you marinate that same fish with garlic, herbs and red pepper flakes, you’ll need a white with crispness along with some fruit to balance out the seasonings. We opened a pinot gris from Oregon over the weekend that matched well with a well-seasoned white cod.
With salmon, consider a pinot noir, especially if you include smoking in the cooking process. The fish’s richness and the grill’s smoke matches well with most styles of pinot noirs. Find one from the Sonoma Coast that has a good balance and a hint of spice.
When it comes to beef, a lot of reds step up to take on the task. Once again, it depends on the nature of the meat, how you season it and mode of heat. Charcoal or mesquite can get hotter than most gas grills and also gives off enticing smoke flavoring. The fatter the meat cut, the more the meat caramelizes. Wines with tannins stand up to smoky, caramelized meat fats.
Time to break out a cabernet with your rib-eye or Porterhouse steak.
Tri tip is popular for a crowd. It tends to be marinated and cooked longer on the grill, usually showing up with a blackened effect. You might want to try a syrah or tempranillo with this cut.
If you are considering doing slow-cooked ribs, there are number of zinfandels that could pair nicely with the barbecued flavors that usually show up with ribs. A medium-bodied Sierra foothill zin seems to do the job. But be selective. I find that high-alcohol, over-ripe styles tend to be too much for the ribs.
For dessert, throw sliced peaches or pineapple on the grill and serve with a dessert viognier or muscat.
