Wine and Cook-outs on the 4th of July!
July 4, 2010
06:38:31Today is the 4th of July. Besides the fact that I am actually taking the time to write here on this day, which is incriminating enough, the special day reminds me of summer. Since we were kids the 4th of July meant something special. Family, friends, fireworks and cookouts! This is where my dilemma comes in.
As a wine advocate, someone who expounds the virtues of wine at any given opportunity, I would be remiss if I did not comment on the subject of which wines to pair with a cookout menu. If you were invited to a cookout which wines would you bring? Being rather warm in this part of the country around this time, one might typically think that this would be more of a cold beer or ice tea type of function. Nothing wrong with that! I too love beer and especially on a hot, beat down hot, type of day. So if you were so inclined, beer would be a good answer. The problem lies in the fact that I am “the Wine Guy”. You know that guy. Everyone knows that guy. He is the guy that shows up with wine at EVERY occasion. Weddings, funerals, holidays, birthdays, frankly any days.
So which WINE would you bring? Well you might start by trying to find out the menu. Call the host and ask what they are making, a simple question but sometimes hard to ask.
All cookouts are not alike. Gone are the days of just Hamburgers and hot dogs, replaced by skewers of chicken satay, grilled seabass, roasted corn cakes and more.
So I guess you might say that the same intriguing wine parings you normally are drawn to are applied here exactly the same way. Recently I went to a cookout with friends and found out the menu consisted of grilled flank steak, brats and lots of cold salads, some dressed in mayonnaise based dressings. Lots of choices here! Grilled flank steak usually means a marinade of some sort, so I picked a wine that could with stand the acidic nature of marinades and still balance the meat. Pinots can be overwhelmed, cabs can be to bold, so this time I picked out a Merlot. Not my favorite as you know, but the fruit and tannic base can stand with the acid and complement a brat also. I also brought a wonderful rose, with a great blend of fruit and mineral components that can crisp out mayo based dressings. Plus doesn’t summer just scream for rose?
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