Summer Grilling Guide

Fire up your grill and invite some friends because it is officially backyard cookout season. While the food selections for a summer cookout are easy to develop, choosing the wines to go with them can seem a bit more difficult. With all the different meats, salads and sides, picking just one or two wines can appear to be impossible but it’s not.

Using some of my favorite cookout menu items, shown below, I’ve given you some ideas on the wines that pair wonderfully with each. This way you can mix and match what to include on your menu and know EXACTLY what wines to have on hand. For each of these types of wine, I’ve shared with you one of my favorites to look for at your local wine store.

Don’t forget to enlist the help of your guests, too. Invite everyone over and ask them to bring a side dish and a bottle of wine while you provide the main course. It will take some of the burden off of you and make it seem more like a community event. So start your grills, uncork your wines and enjoy!

Deviled Eggs

Shrimp Cocktail

Grilled Burgers

Hot Dogs

Grilled Chicken

Barbequed Ribs

Corn on the Cob

Potato Salad

Baked Beans:

Made in the Penedès region of northeastern Spain from a blend of three grape varieties that are native to Spain, Cava is made using the same process used in Champagne. Dry and crisp with wonderful citrus flavors along with subtle aromas of red apples, this makes a great starter wine for any cookout. Perfect with appetizers like deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail or crab dip. Retails for $14

One of the most renowned winemakers in Germany, Dr. Loosen’s “Dr. L” Riesling was one of the Top 100 wines of 2009 as awarded by Wine Spectator. This is the perfect white to have on hand for your next grill fest because it can pair with a wide range of cookout foods, including salads, hot dogs and seafood. The secret to its food friendly abilities is its perfect balance of fruit and acidity with just a touch of sweetness. Retails for $13

OK, I know this sounds quirky – Pink Floyd and all – but this is a great dry Rose! Back in the day,  there was a recording studio on the property where Pink Floyd, Sting, Sade and others recorded albums. Made from a blend of Grenaches and Cinsault grapes, this crisp Rose has flavors of green apple and pear. The Pink Floyd Rose is perfect for backyard favorites like salads, seafood and even pork. Retails for $16

Once the most planted grape in Italy, Barbera continues to flourish in the northwest wine region of Piedmont. This red grape is full of red fruit, relatively high in acid, but low in tannin, making Barbera popular with a wide variety of wine lovers. Due to its acidity, Barbera pairs well with grilled hot dogs, hamburgers and ribs as well as other dishes like tomato based salads and sauces. Retails for $10

Made at a cooperative of small artisanal producers, this Cotes du Rhone uses a traditional southern Rhone blend made up predominantly of Grenache and Syrah. You’ll find blackberry fruit flavors along with spice, balanced out with a smooth finish. A great wine to sip after the grilling is done and you’re enjoying burgers, ribs or chicken. Retails for $15

If there is one all-American wine to have at a cookout, it is Zinfandel. The Zen of Zin is without pretense but full of blackberry fruit flavors with a touch of vanilla and coffee. Bold in flavor but more medium in body, this Zinfandel is a great pairing for burgers, ribs, hot dogs and grilled chicken. Retails for $13