Wines to drink with BBQ meats and fish

Sommelier Alain Gousse suggests wines to drink with barbecued pork, beef, sausages, veal, and fish.

We’re fast entering BBQ season, hurrah! But for a perfect barbie you need more than just meat and a few bread rolls. To really get it right, try serving wine that suits what’s on the grill. Here’s what sommelier Alain Gousse (pictured left above) suggests. 

Pork

Pork is a dry meat that matches light and fruity wines. When it’s grilled, choose young wines in order not to crush your meat. In addition, accompany your meat with neutral side dishes such as rice or quinoa to keep the aromas of the wine. Select light red wines, such as a wine from Burgundy, or a Côtes du Rhône. 

Try these grilled pork chops with Wensleydale on your BBQ

Beef

When grilled, beef is creamier but drier than when it is rare. Choose a full-bodied red wine, powerful, structured, with woody hints. Indeed, the bitterness coming from the cooking requires very tannic, robust and round wines. Choose a young wine from Bordeaux (like a Médoc), a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Syrah from the Rhône Valley. 

Try these beef chilli burgers on your BBQ

Sausages

You can’t have a barbecue without sausages! The flesh of sausages perfectly matches powerful rosé wines such as a Clairet produced in the Bordeaux region. You can also choose wines from Pays d’Oc (from the South of France) as their spice will nicely match with the smoky sausage aromas. As a side dish, choose a salad with fresh tomatoes and basil. 

Try these lamb sausage kebab recipe on your BBQ

Veal

Veal is tenderer in the mouth than beef. If you want to drink white wine, choose a wine both fatty and rich like a Viognier from the Rhône Valley. If you prefer red wine, choose it light, with a lot of aromas and few tannins such as a Pinot noir from Alsace or red wines from Provence. 

Fish

For those who prefer grilled fish, choose a vivacious wine. White wines, fresh and dry, such as a Côtes de Gascogne would be perfect. Accompany your fish with sautéed vegetables and a drizzle of olive oil. 

Try these grilled mackerel fillets with anchovy sauce on your BBQ

Have you any drink suggestions for a BBQ? Please do share your thoughts in the Comments box below. 

Alain Gousse is the sommelier for My VitiBox, a start-up offering wine subscriptions in the UK. See www.myvitibox.co.uk

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