Summer is in full swing, which means it’s the season for outdoor cooking! There’s nothing like gathering family and friends, firing up the barbecue, and enjoying the delicious flavors of grilled food.

But wait, there’s more!

To make your BBQ even better, what if you paired the perfect wines with your grilled favorites?

While wine pairing is subjective and it all depends on your tastes, we’ve put together a couple of great wines to try with some of your favorite grilled foods. These wines can help enhance the flavor of your food while also bringing out some of the different elements of the wine you may not have tasted otherwise.

Once you choose a wine to go with your BBQ, use the handy “wine type” filter to narrow down your Paso winery options.

Pairing Wines with Grilled Food

Wines to Pair with Grilled Steak

Red Wines:

Cabernet Sauvignon: If you’re grilling a juicy steak, Cabernet Sauvignon is your best friend. This wine has bold flavors of dark fruits like blackberry and plum, with a hint of spice. Its strong tannins match the richness of the steak, creating a perfect balance. It’s a match made in heaven!

Zinfandel: Another great red wine for steak is Zinfandel. It’s known for its fruity and spicy flavors, which complement the smoky taste of grilled red meat. Zinfandel’s boldness and complexity stand up to the hearty flavors, making each bite and sip more enjoyable.

White Wine:

Chardonnay: Prefer white wine with your steak? Go for an oaked Chardonnay. Its creamy texture and subtle oak flavors blend well with the rich taste of the steak. The wine’s buttery notes add a smooth touch that enhances the overall dining experience.

Wines to Pair with Grilled Hamburgers

Red Wines:

Merlot: Grilled hamburgers are a classic BBQ treat, and Merlot is a fantastic wine to pair with them. Merlot has soft tannins and a fruit-forward profile, making it easy to drink. Its flavors of cherry, plum, and a hint of chocolate match well with the savory taste of grilled burgers.

Syrah/Shiraz: For a spicier option, try Syrah. This wine has a peppery kick and dark fruit flavors that go great with the smoky, charred taste of grilled burgers. It’s a fun and bold choice that will impress your guests.

White Wine:

Sauvignon Blanc: If you’re looking for a white wine to pair with your burger, Sauvignon Blanc is a refreshing choice. Its crisp acidity and citrusy notes cut through the richness of the meat, especially if you have lighter toppings like lettuce and tomato. It’s a great match that adds a refreshing touch to your meal.

Wines to Pair with Grilled Chicken

Red Wine:

Pinot Noir: Grilled chicken is a versatile dish that pairs wonderfully with Pinot Noir. This light-bodied red wine has bright acidity and flavors of red berries, making it a great match for the versatile taste of chicken. Whether you’re grilling chicken breasts or thighs, Pinot Noir’s elegance enhances the flavors without overpowering them.

White Wine:

Chenin Blanc: Chenin Blanc is a versatile white wine that pairs well with both white and dark meat chicken. Its flavors of apple, pear, and honey complement the chicken’s natural flavors, while its acidity keeps the pairing lively and refreshing.

Wines to Pair with BBQ Ribs

Red Wines:

Malbec: If you’re grilling ribs, Malbec is an excellent choice. This wine has rich, velvety flavors of blackberries, plums, and a hint of chocolate. Its boldness complements the smoky and saucy taste of barbecued ribs, creating a delicious and indulgent pairing.

Zinfandel: Zinfandel also pairs wonderfully with ribs. Its fruity and spicy profile matches the strong flavors of the barbecue sauce, enhancing each bite. The wine’s robust body stands up to the rich taste of the ribs, making it a favorite for BBQ lovers.

White Wines:

Gewürztraminer: For white wine lovers, Gewürztraminer is a unique and aromatic choice. Its floral and spicy notes can handle the strong flavors of barbecue sauce, making it an unexpected but delightful pairing. The wine’s sweetness balances the tangy and smoky taste of the ribs.

Pinot Gris/Grigio: Most notably a Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio that has some skin contact to complement rich meats like pork ribs. The heartier tannins help to enhance the natural sweetness of the meat and elevate the smoky taste.

Wines to Pair with Bratwurst

Red Wine:

Grenache: Grilled bratwurst is a crowd-pleaser, and Grenache is a fantastic wine to pair with it. This red wine has a fruit-forward profile with notes of red berries and a hint of spice. Its low tannins and acidity match well with the savory and slightly spicy taste of bratwurst.

White Wines:

Riesling: A crisp, dry Riesling is a great option. Its off-dry style can balance the spicy or sweet spices found in bratwurst. The wine’s bright acidity and flavors of peach and apricot make each bite of chicken even more enjoyable. It’s a refreshing and flavorful pairing that you’ll love.

Grenache Blanc: This crisp white wine is typically high in acidity with notes of honeydew, green apple, and lemon. All of which can help cut through the spice of bratwurst but also enhance the sweet flavors in your favorite sausage.

Wines to Pair with Grilled Seafood

Red Wine:

Pinot Noir: Grilled seafood like salmon and tuna steaks pair beautifully with Pinot Noir. This light-bodied red wine has flavors of red berries and a hint of earthiness, which complement the rich taste of grilled seafood. The wine’s bright acidity enhances the flavors without overpowering the fish.

White Wines:

Pinot Grigio: For lighter, flaky fish like mahi mahi, Pinot Grigio is an excellent choice. Its crisp acidity and flavors of lime and green apple match the freshness of the fish.

Albariño: Another great choice is Albariño since it goes with just about anything from the sea. Especially white meat fish, its high acidity and citrus notes and vibrance match the many ways fish can be prepared, delicate or robust.

Chardonnay: Chardonnay, pairs wonderfully with lobster and other shellfish. Its minerality and bright acidity enhance the sweet and briny flavors of the seafood, creating a harmonious pairing.

Wines to Pair with Grilled Vegetables

Red Wines:

Rosé: Grilled vegetables are a healthy and delicious addition to any BBQ, and Rosé is a perfect wine to pair with them. Rosé’s bright acidity and fruity flavors of strawberries and watermelon enhance the natural flavors of the vegetables. It’s a versatile wine that works well with a variety of grilled veggies.

White Wines:

Vermentino: Vermentino is a light and zesty white wine that pairs well with grilled vegetables. Its flavors of citrus and herbs complement the veggies, while its crisp acidity keeps the pairing lively and refreshing.

Viognier: This richer, more viscous white wine brings a lot of depth to vegetable dishes, much like Cabernet to steak. Depending on the style, a Viognier can bring tropical flavors to the pairing, enhancing the natural sweetness of some vegetables. Or lean, citrus qualities that can punch up the char and smokey qualities.

Pairing Wines with Hot Dogs

Red Wines:

Pinot Noir: Hot dogs are a classic and fun BBQ food, and Pinot Noir pairs great with them. This light-bodied red wine with berry notes and subtle smokey flavors makes it a solid match for hot dogs, especially with classic toppings like ketchup and mustard.

GSM: Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, is a red wine blend that pairs well with rich, flavorful foods but is also approachable and easy to drink, so it’s perfect for any backyard barbecue featuring hot dogs. Typically showcasing a blend of bright red fruit, with peppery notes, and hints of blackberry or roasted meats, this wine adds a little panache to your BBQ.

White Wines:

Sauvignon Blanc: Sauvignon Blanc is an excellent choice to pair with hotdogs. Its crisp acidity cuts through the richness of the hot dogs, making each bite refreshing.

Beer:

Pale Ale: Along with incredible wineries, Paso Robles wine country is also home to world-class breweries including Firestone Walker and BarrelHouse Brewing Company – both of which offer a selection of light, refreshing beer options should you crave a more “traditional” pairing for your hotdogs or other grilled favorites.

Choosing Wines for Your Next Barbecue

Summer BBQs are all about good food, great company, and the perfect wine pairings. Whether you’re grilling steak, chicken, ribs, or vegetables, there’s a wine out there that will make your meal even more enjoyable.

So next time you fire up the grill, try one of these Paso wine pairings and see how it enhances your BBQ experience. Cheers to a delicious summer filled with fantastic food and wine!