Wine for barbecue and grilling means a fruit-forward, full-bodied red that stands up to the smokiness of the coals and the sweet-savory sauces. Outdoors in summer, in front of a grill sending up smoke, it is not only ice-cold beer that shines. A lightly chilled red lifts the whole feast of charred meat.
Common misconceptions: red wine is too heavy in summer, and BBQ needs an expensive red
People assume red wine does not suit summer or barbecue. But that is a question of temperature: chill it well and red is exactly what hot-weather grilling calls for. The other misconception is that BBQ needs a fancy red. The opposite is true: with the fat and smoke of the meat and sweet-savory sauces, an unpretentious, fruit-packed red is best. A juicy, friendly red suits a noisy, happy table better than a flawless, expensive bottle.
Choosing BBQ wine: three axes
Think about these three points and you will rarely miss.
| Axis | Point |
|---|---|
| Char | Choose a red with fruit and body that stands up to the smoky aroma of the coals |
| Seasoning (sauce) | Sweet-savory or miso-based sauces love a rich red with a hint of sweetness |
| Temperature | Chill reds a little in summer (14 to 16C); the fruit tightens and it drinks more easily |
Styles by ingredient, and Puglia's butcher-grill culture
| Ingredient | Recommended style |
|---|---|
| Beef and lamb (lean or fatty) | Full-bodied, rich red (Primitivo, Cabernet-based blends) |
| Pork and sausages | Fruit-forward red with a touch of sweetness |
| Chicken and grilled vegetables | Lighter red, or a fuller rose |
| Seafood and scallops | Dry rose, or a chilled light red |
Southern Italy's Primitivo is a red made for the grill. Born from grapes fully ripened under intense sun, it has firm alcohol, gentle acidity, concentrated blackberry and plum fruit, and a faintly sweet finish. That mellow richness sits perfectly with the smokiness of charred meat and sweet-savory sauces.
In Primitivo's home of Puglia, in the inland Itria Valley towns of Cisternino and Martina Franca, there is a food culture found almost nowhere else. Come evening, butcher shops turn into charcoal grill houses. Known as fornello pronto (the ready grill), the shop lets you pick raw cuts from the counter, has them grilled on the spot, and you eat at a table set out front. The signature is bombette, little rolls of thin pork wrapped around cheese. Locals devour them with the local red. It is like the happiest original form of what we call a barbecue.
How to enjoy it in Japan, and what to pair
Japanese barbecue and yakiniku are rich in seasoning: sweet-savory soy-based tare, miso sauces, salt sauces. Match a rich Primitivo here and the sweetness of the sauce and the fruit of the wine echo each other, gently rinsing the fat from the meat. It is superb with karubi (short rib), harami (skirt), spare ribs, and teriyaki chicken.
The trick is temperature. In summer, chill your red a little. Put it in the fridge about 30 minutes before drinking to bring it to around 14 to 16C, and the fruit tightens up so it drinks remarkably easily. Outdoors, five to ten minutes in a bucket of iced water is enough. No wine cellar needed. This is a bottle you can enjoy without ceremony, even from a paper cup.
Federico's picks
The bottle I most often pour for summer grilling is Doppio Passo Primitivo. Concentrated blackberry and plum fruit with a faint toasty vanilla from oak. Easy on the wallet, and lightly chilled it drinks beautifully even on a hot day. With this one bottle, your BBQ has its star.
For beef and lamb that want a little more power, Napa's Bon Ton Red is a great choice. On days built around grilled vegetables and seafood, serve the dry Bon Ton Rose well chilled to add color to the table.
Choosing, serving, and similar styles
To choose for BBQ, look for full-bodied and fruit-forward on the label. If you like Primitivo, its American cousin Zinfandel (the same grape) and the spicy Syrah (Shiraz) run in a similar direction. Chill any of them a little in summer.
To learn more, see What is Primitivo, the Puglia wine guide, and for sweet-savory seasonings, how to pair wine with gyoza and Chinese food.
FAQ
Q. Isn't red wine too heavy for a summer BBQ?
A. A common misconception. Chilled a little (14 to 16C), even a rich red turns remarkably refreshing and suits charcoal cooking perfectly.
Q. What goes with sweet-savory sauced yakiniku?
A. A rich red with ripe fruit and a hint of sweetness, like Primitivo, pairs beautifully. It does not fight the sweetness of the sauce.
Q. Is it okay to chill red wine?
A. Yes. Lightly chilling red is a pro standard for summer grilling. If it gets too cold, just let it sit a moment and it comes back.
Q. What about grilled vegetables and seafood?
A. A dry rose or a chilled light red is ideal. The fruit of a rose sits beautifully with the char of grilled vegetables.
This summer, keep a well-chilled red by the grill. A fruit-forward glass suits the scent of smoke and sauce wonderfully.
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