Just because summer is almost over doesn’t necessarily mean that barbecues are too! As with wine, there are precepts and trends, but there is no season for a good barbecue. Do as you wish and the best will always be to do it with people with whom the feeling goes well. And speaking of feeling, what wines should we drink during a barbecue? Here are our top 3!
Wine and barbecue, the basics
Here are some guidelines to lead you to the best possible association, but it must match your tastes!
Strong food, strong wines accordingly
Balance! This is perhaps the most important thing at all levels. The wine must be able to compete, to complement, to rise to the level of the flavors of the dish. Without it, the wine may seem flat, empty, and remain in the shadows throughout the meal. If your dish is light, you can choose a more delicate wine. If your dish is powerful, choose a wine that can stand up to the comparison!
Spicy dishes, choose similar spicy and woody wines
Continuity! As well as the balance in power, many like to find similarities between the dish and the wine. Of course, all tastes are in nature and you will find completely opposite examples that also work very well. But in the idea of a common thread and a search for coherence, when your dish is spicy, for example, complementing it with a wine that has spicy or woody notes is often a relevant choice.
Choose good value for money!
Yes, we want to save you money! In fact, we want you to avoid feeling frustrated after opening a great bottle that you were looking forward to…and then finding yourself disappointed and frustrated.
Why? Because generally the conditions of tasting during a barbecue are not the most optimal. There is smoke, you are in the open air, it can also be hot… all parameters that make tasting more delicate and that are likely to make you miss the different subtleties of a great wine. Moreover, these moments are often extremely festive, and opening a great bottle after having drunk a certain number of them is generally… not a good idea! And we speak with knowledge! Of course, if for you super premium wines turn out to be an everyday thing, don’t change anything… and invite us!
Wine and barbecue: Aveine’s top 3!
Here are the top 3 wines we love to serve during a barbecue. A guaranteed success!
The “stars” of the barbecue paired with Shiraz wine from Australia
Sausages of all kinds with a Shiraz from Australia! For their complementarity and for the desire to travel! The spicy notes of sausages will not scare this Australian red wine whose grape variety is well known in France! This red grape variety has the particularity to have naturally spicy notes. It’s a beautiful complementarity, as Australian wines are generally powerful wines. Any Shiraz from the Barossa Valley which is a very famous region for the Shiraz it produces would be a very good choice.
A barbecue with the flavors of the South of France with a Côtes de Provence
Some veal chops with thyme and rosemary, accompanied by grilled eggplant and tomato slices with a Côtes de Provence. Because the sunshine on the plate must also be reflected in the glass, we opt for a red wine from the south of France! Some of these wines also have beautiful notes of thyme, while at the same time expressing delicate red fruits that will blend perfectly with the tenderness of a well-seared veal cut. The Baux de Provence appellation is full of beautiful wines of this type. Take your time and enjoy! You may even hear the cicadas!
A beautiful piece of beef with a Médoc
A beef rib cooked with vine shoots with a Médoc wine! Meats of character deserve wines of character too! So we suggest you to go and meet authentic winegrowers from the Médoc region. A region known for its powerful wines. We recommend that you focus on the Médoc and Haut-Médoc appellations, which are full of wines at good prices. You will find in these wines peppery, spicy notes, with a beautiful set of red and black fruits. Powerful, they can be paired with all types of game, and will be wonderful with a good beef rib. Choose a wine that is at least 4 years old and do not hesitate to use your Aveine aerator. Médoc wines, although more accessible than in the past, can take years to open up and a good aeration is often very beneficial.
Wine and barbecue, treat yourself!
There are many other combinations that work with barbecue, and why not go for white or sparkling wines? The most important rule will always be to enjoy yourself. For the rest, balance and the search (or not) for continuity should guide you in your quest for the ultimate barbecue!
