How To Pair Wine With Your Favorite Grilled Meats

There's nothing like firing up the grill to enjoy one of the last warm days of summer, whether you're making grilled pork chops, grilled ribs, or something else entirely. And, to complete the meal, a glass of wine can make the perfect accompaniment. The only catch is knowing which wine to pair with which meat can be a bit of a challenge.

Daily Meal spoke with Andrew Elder, sommelier of Washington, D.C.-based Jônt, to provide some essential wine pairing tips and insight into which wine to pair with grilled meats. Elder explained that even if you're using all barbecue-style meats, the wines you pair with them can differ quite a bit. He notes that red wines can work particularly well with pork and beef flavors, while if it's white meat you've whipped up on the grill, a rosé might be a better pick.

One succulent choice to cook on the grill is barbecue ribs, a meat with an unexpectedly recent history in the United States. Andrew Elder says that a zinfandel can work well if this is your meat of choice. Zinfandels are red wines with fruity and smoky tasting notes that can bring out the smoke from the grill and the sweet taste of the pork. They also have prominent black fruit flavors, such as plums, blackberries, and cherries, among other fruity flavors. 

Elder notes that when choosing a zinfandel, you'll want to pay attention not just to the tasting notes but also to the age of the wine, suggesting you look for one that's 3-5 years old as it "allows for the tannins to be slightly mellowed and guarantees the classic black-fruit notes are still intact." The mellow tannins let the flavors of the sauce shine through, and the fruit notes bring out its sweetness. 

If you're not such a fan of pork and prefer to go with something like beef brisket, red wine will still be your best choice. However, Elder suggests either a syrah or a shiraz in this case. "The wine's naturally smoky, earthy, and sometimes meaty flavors would complement the beef very well," he explains. These wines come from the same grape, giving them a full-bodied flavor with tasting notes that pair well with red meat.

For those who aren't fans of red meat and prefer to go with a grilled chicken recipe, there are still wine pairings out there for you too. In this case, Andrew Elder suggests, "It can be fun to discover a heftier style of rosé, like a wine from Bandol or around that area of Provençe." He likes these wines because they "tend to have wonderful herbaceousness and acidity that can match the tang [of your barbecue]."

Provençe rosés can have a variety of tasting notes, but what sets them apart is their crisp and refreshing acidity and slight spiciness. You'll also pick up on a soft mineral flavor and may find notes of citrus as well as other fruits ranging from berries to yellow fruits and more. These flavors help to balance the barbecue sauce and other seasonings you use while also giving your dish some brightness. Next time you get ready to fire up the grill, no matter what kind of meat you're preparing, you'll be able to perfectly pair it with a bottle of wine.