In Europe and North America, this weekend kicks off summer, so it’s time to start thinking about BBQ wine! Did you know BBQ is a perfect barbera pairing?
Barbera pairing:
As we’ve talked about in our recent posts, the barbera grape has high acidity levels and low tannins for bright, freshness and ripe, vibrant fruits on the palate. With that mouth watering acidity and fruit flavors, barbera is great BBQ wine.
Consider the variation in the taste profile of Piedmont’s prominent barbera styles:
- More rustic Barbera d’Asti wines show lively femininity, intensity, complexity, and dark fruits. These wines benefit from cellaring, particularly when aged in wood, which builds up structure and tannins.
- From the Langhe, Barbera d’Alba wines show lower acidity with more finesse and elegance with floral notes of violet and darker fruits.
BBQ wine pairing:
For a magical barbera pairing, get some smoke and char going. That palate-cleansing acidity we mentioned matches perfectly with heat, fat, and complex flavors of a good barbecue sauce or dry rub.
For a younger drinking, steel-aged barbera pairing, go with lighter grilled foods like:
- chicken
- rabbit (traditional in Piedmont)
- sausage
For more complex, aged barbera wines and / or ones with wood aging, those are great BBQ wines to pair with richer red meats.
Don’t forget grilled fish! Give salmon or a cod a try on the grill. Fatty fish make great a barbera pairing and add in a little roast pepper for texture and complexity – skip the fish all together for a vegetarian BBQ pairing!
Check out our recent piece with a BBQ lamb recipe from our friends at Trattoria Bercau in the Barolo wine making area of Verduno!
BONUS BBQ WINE PAIRING: PELAVERGA!
We love Pelaverga di Verduno and it also makes for a great BBQ wine pairing. A light red that is indigenous to the Barolo winemaking area of Verduno, the grape is only grown in its place of origin.
Pelaverga is a light red with bright red fruits and white pepper notes, making it a great meats and BBQ match. Scarpa is excited to announce the launch of it’s first pelaverga bottling with the 2020 vintage.
If you are ready for a trip Barolo (and, who isn’t?), see the grapes in living color when you stay at our holiday villa, Scarpa Villas. Each of the our villas is equipped with a BBQ and indoor, find a fully stocked temperature-controlled wine cabinet to try various BBQ wine pairings.
And, share your favorite bbq pairing recipes below!