Summer Smoke, Spice & Sips

Summer Grilling Time is Here!

Let’s be honest  - summer doesn’t really begin until something hits the grill. Maybe its ribs lacquered in sauce, corn charred just enough to count as intentional, or cedar-planked salmon sending up that telltale aromatic smoke. This isn’t just a meal - it’s a ritual. A mood. While beer and bourbon usually show up first, don't miss out on wine pairing opportunities that taste even better as you sit in someone's backyard on a summer evening!

When chosen well, wine doesn’t just keep up with grilled and smoked fare - it elevates it. Acidity cuts through richness. Aromatics play with spice. And tannins? They’re surprisingly well-behaved around a little salt and smoke. In fact, salt has a magical way of softening tannins, making bold reds feel silkier and more integrated. If that’s not summer synergy, I don’t know what is.

Let’s talk ribs - those glorious, fall-off-the-bone slabs of summer ambition. Zinfandel is a natural here. Its ripe blackberry, pepper spice, and smoky tobacco notes stand up to sticky, smoky ribs with ease. Just don’t go too high on the alcohol if your sauce leans sweet; the sugar-plus-heat combo can make things feel a little combustible. Zin may have Croatian roots, but it found its swagger in California. It’s bold, generous, and a little unruly - which is exactly what ribs want in a date. If you’re feeling playful, try a dry Lambrusco. Slightly chilled, fizzy, and full of brambly fruit, it’s a dark horse pairing that might just steal the show.

Now, BBQ is passionately diverse and deeply regional. Sharp, vinegar-based sauces that are unapologetically tangy ask for acidity. Here, you want a wine that can keep up without clashing. Dry rosé is a slam dunk, but Albariño, Vermentino, or even a brisk, chillable red like Gamay or Frappato would be right at home. That vinegar demands acid, not oak. Acidity in food amplifies fruit and body in wine while softening the perception of sharpness. A zippy Albariño, or lean rosé can feel rounder and more generous alongside tangy sauces or pickled slaws. A well-matched acid-on-acid pairing makes everything feel brighter and better balanced.

Add some tomato to that vinegar-based sauce and - though still zippy - it gains a little more sweetness and body. That shift opens the door to wines with a bit more plushness. A juicy Grenache, a softer Syrah, or a more restrained Zinfandel (not the jam-bomb kind) all work beautifully with this style. The sweetness in the sauce finds its match in red fruit and spice, while the acidity in both food and wine keeps things from getting cloying.

Grilled chicken, depending on the prep, gives you plenty of room to play. If you’re doing lemon-herb marinades or anything lighter, reach for a clean, unoaked Chardonnay - Chablis or coastal California come to mind. For richer, smokier preparations, go for something creamier, like a Sonoma Coast or Mâcon bottling with a touch of oak. Chardonnay is a shapeshifter, reflecting both place and winemaking style. Know your chicken, then pick your bottle.

A good burger, meanwhile, wants something fruit-forward, peppery, and plush. Grenache - whether from Spain, the Rhône, or Paso Robles - hits all the right notes. High alcohol, low color, red fruit, and just enough spice to flirt with the grill marks. Add sharp cheddar or bacon, and it’s a done deal for me. This is my summer happy place. Between the char of the grilling and the salt, the pairing becomes seamless - the tannins melt, the wine shines, and all is right in the world.

Cedar-planked salmon is practically a rite of passage in summer grilling, and Pinot Noir is its most faithful companion. The oiliness of the fish, the smoky depth from the wood, and Pinot’s bright acid and red berry fruit are a match worth writing home about. Oregon’s Willamette Valley is a goldmine here - elegant, earthy, and often with that faint forest-floor note that sings alongside salmon skin crisped on the grill.

And if dessert is headed to the grill - say, halved peaches caramelizing over the embers - lean into wines that highlight the fruit without stealing the spotlight. A late-harvest Riesling or Moscato d’Asti offers a touch of sweetness, vibrant acidity, and those beautiful stone fruit and floral notes that echo the peaches themselves. For something less obvious, try a lightly chilled Vin Santo or a demi-sec Chenin Blanc - wines with texture, elegance, and just enough sugar to keep up with dessert without turning syrupy. Add a scoop of vanilla gelato and you’ve got yourself a back-porch finale worth lingering over.

One last tip: chill your reds. Not just the rosé and whites. A slight chill - fifteen to twenty minutes in the fridge - wakes up the fruit, tones down the heat, and brings a snap of freshness that’s perfect for summer. Pinot, Gamay, Grenache, even lighter Syrah or Tempranillo—they all love a bit of a cool-down when the grill is hot, and the ice bucket is full.

At the end of the day, pairing wine with BBQ and grilled foods isn’t about strict rules. You don’t need a glossary or a certification - just a little curiosity and a corkscrew. And if you remember nothing else, let it be this: salt makes tannins behave, vinegar needs acid, and grilled peaches deserve a proper pairing, too.

Here’s to summer sunshine, good food, and great times with family and friends!