As we approach the Memorial Day weekend, I am frequently asked about which foods to cook and which wines to pair with them. Coming into the warmer months, we often naturally push the heavier reds to the back of the wine stash and bring the white and rosé wines forward. However, chillable lighter reds are great options for warmer temperatures and grilled foods during a holiday weekend.
I love to drink my red wines on the cooler side, and even more so in the summer. Does that mean that all red wines should be chilled? Well, they should be served on the cooler side in general, and never warm. Reds that are best served chilled are those with lower tannins, the natural components in wine that also give you that gripping, drying sensation in the mouth. Higher tannins are found in the wines made from the grapes cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese and nebbiolo. Lighter-style red wines with low tannins – pinot noir, grenache, gamay noir, barbera, lambrusco – are best served chilled and can be enjoyed cool all year.
Here are some of my chillable red picks that are great partners for beef and seafood from the grill.
Wonderwerk Marinara, California. Aside from the very fun label that reminds me of checkered tablecloths in Italy, this wine is great for chilling. It is a red field blend comprised mostly of montepulciano, teroldego, zinfandel and grenache from four different vineyard sites in California. The unique blend brings forth many different flavors – plum, ripe tomato, sour cherry and strawberry with a hint of earthiness at the end. It’s a small production, with less than 900 cases made. The wine aged for six months in neutral oak barrels, which adds body and depth. It was also produced without any fining or filtering; therefore, some sediment may occur in the bottle. Vegan friendly, it pairs naturally with pasta, pizza and veggie burgers topped with caramelized onions. Less than $30.
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KEEP IT COOL: Four affordable wines that pair well with grilled food, particularly if chilled before serving.
COURTESY JESSICA NORRIS GRANATIERO[/caption]
Field Recordings Kitties Red Blend, California. This is such a light red that you might even call it a rosé wine. This is a big blend of 11 different white and red grape varietals, including pinot gris, chardonnay, merlot, cabernet franc, zinfandel, syrah and others sourced from nine different vineyard sites. It is a beautiful dark pink, light red hue. It has a nose of cherry cola, vanilla, white plum and orange rind. The palate consists of flavors of strawberries, red plums and raspberries. Quite quaffable, it pairs with watermelon salads with feta cheese, grilled and blackened shrimp, and ceviche. This wine is also unfined, unfiltered and vegan friendly. Less than $25.
Tre Monti Barbera Frizzante, Emilia Romagna, Italy. Barbera is a grape that produces a red wine lower in tannins. Tre Monti’s is lightly sparkling, also known as frizzante in Italy. You will get beautiful cherry and raspberry frothiness upon the first sip, as if you are enjoying a rich bowlful of candied cherries. It has a fruity mouthfeel (not sweet) that makes it a great partner for dried or cured meats or fresh summer strawberries with homemade whipped cream. Less than $20.
Primitivus Primitivo, Puglia, Italy. Primitivo is a dark-skinned grape that can produce a medium-bodied wine with lower tannins. Organic, Primitivus has a light-medium body and fresh, crisp mouthfeel of raspberry, plum and black-cherry notes. It has a hint of spice on the back palate. Primitivus is a great partner for cheese and meat boards, grilled lamb lollipops, and turkey burgers with fontina cheese. Less than $25.
Jessica Norris Granatiero is the founder of The Savory Grape, a wine, beer and spirits shop in East Greenwich. She can be reached through her website, www.jessicagranatiero.com or by email at jessica@thesavorygrape.com.
