Grilling Season

Since we’re in the midst of grilling everything from appetizers to desserts I like to try new flavors on the not not so new foods we grill. These flavors sometimes don’t always pair up with the usual wines we drink.

I haven’t had much down time (life’s unexpected twists and turns hijacked me) this summer so I gave a list to the guys to purchase a few new wines we don’t usually keep on hand. They weren’t too excited about my selections but they decided to play along — they didn’t want to upset grammy.

Salmon is one of my favorite foods to grill. I love its flavors and texture and of course it is so very good for us. The rich and healthy fattiness with its oily quality needs a rich wine like a buttery chardonnay.

Chardonnay is not a white we usually keep in our wine rack but I needed to find one to go with the salmon. I am trying to convince the guys that when you find the right wine pairing you will certainly enjoy what you are drinking even if it is not your favorite wine. Sometimes we need a little nudge to try something new.

Chateau Sainte Michelle 2008 Chardonnay was a very nice pairing with our grilled salmon. It is lightly oaked and it had a bit of a butter taste with my first sip. It has the characteristic citrus notes of a chardonnay with some pineapple and pear. This is a nice food friendly barbecue wine for the grilled salmon and also good with scallops and chicken.

Pork chops are easy to grill. They cook up tender and there are lots of different flavors you can add to them. We use a basic marinade of chopped garlic, white wine and olive oil with lots of parsley and some cilantro — it tenderizes the chops and gives them great flavor.

Torres 2006 Celeste – Tempranillo has the perfect balance of acidity and tannins which makes it a nice pairing with the grilled pork chops.

Grilled chicken breast is another grilling staple. The bone-in breasts take longer to cook and will have a char flavor that can leave your palate feeling dry. All you will need is a refreshing crisp white wine.

Chateau Sainte Michelle 2008 Horse Heaven Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc is a nice compliment to the grilled chicken. You will find this wine has crisp citrus and herb spice aromas and ripe fruit with a little hint of spice flavors. This white will go well with the grilled vegetable side dishes.

For me, summer is a time for celebration and a sparkling wine should be on hand. For an inexpensive, fun and festive sparkling wine I like a prosecco. Caposaldo Prosecco is light and versatile and excellent as an aperitif, served with appetizers or dinner. You can also serve it with a light cheese plate, fish, chicken and pork, light pastas and desserts. Great for a relaxing summer evening on the patio with friends while counting the stars.

You can find these wines in most wine shops or if you are planning a gathering and want to save time and money use this link for your discount at wine.com Save $5 off orders of $75 or more with code FIVEAUG and have them shipped directly to you. I’ve ordered from them several times and it was definitely a time-saver.

Salute! & Happy Grilling
Winelady Cooks