By Erin Henderson

Founder and Chief Sommelier at The Wine Sisters

Prevailing wisdom suggests red meat and red wine. All together not a bad maxim, but not one that will really allow you to maximize your grilling potential. Throwing another steak on the barbie and grabbing the nearest Cab will get you by in a pinch, but for an elevated dining experience (and the start of summer warrants a bit of aggrandizing, don’t you think?) there are a few guidelines to keep in mind.

As we discuss in The Wine Sisters’ popular tasting, The Principles of Food and Wine Pairing, when you are looking to pair food and wine, the star of the show, which is usually the protein, is not what you need to consider. Instead, think about the dominant flavour of the dish, which is usually the spice or sauce. Think about it: are you grilling peppercorn-crusted rib eyes, or bacon wrapped filet mignon? Sure, both are beef, but very different flavours, fat content, and structure.

If you want to maximize your dining experience (and potentially the dollars you spend on dinner), it’s important to understand why different wines pair with different foods. Keep this guide handy throughout BBQ season so you can make the most of your grilling, eating and sipping.

Seafood or hearty white fish

If buttery lobster, grilled calamari, charred shrimp or rich fish tacos are in your long weekend plans, keep the long-awaited outdoors celebration going by popping some bubbly. Dry sparkling wine is amongst the most food friendly of wines thanks to its bright, palate cleansing acidity. And fruit-forward Prosecco can also mop up some of the potential heat that may come from added spice.

Pair: Masi “Modello” Brut Prosecco, Veneto, Italy $18.95 LCBO #16297

A terrific party starter for back yard celebrations, this prosecco is a deliciously dry solo sipper, or a great base for sparkling cocktails like Veneto’s famous Bellini (you can see a recipe for that on The Wine Sisters’ You Tube channel.) But it makes an elegant a festive pairing for your spring and summer seafood fare.

Chicken and pork

Whole roasted chicken, pork chops or pork loin are naturally suited to white wines, even if there is a lot of saucy goodness slathered on the meat. But especially when we’re talking about lighter preparations that involve ingredients like lemon, herbs and garlic, a crisp white wine can match the flavour and the weight of the dish. Plus, the bright acidity in the wine can help cleanse the palate, while the food boosts the fruit flavour in the wine.

Pair: Fresco di Masi Bianco Veneto, Italy $18.95 LCBO #22195

This is fruit-forward blend of indigenous Garganega (the white grape of Soave), Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio, is bright and fresh and brilliant for grilled light meats. From Italy’s esteemed Masi family, who have been making wine since the 1770’s, this is an exciting new wine concept. Organically grown grapes from higher slopes, fermented with natural, wild yeasts, and bottled unfiltered, this is a lighter alcohol wine, with plastic-free and light weight bottling. It’s also vegan friendly. This could be the wine style of the future.

Lean beef, salmon and hearty vegetarian fare black bean burgers or grilled mushrooms

Leaner red meats and richer fish and plant-based dishes all pair nicely with light red wines that have lower tannin and juicy acidity. Go too big with your wine and you will overwhelm the flavours of the food. But a red wine that offers easy going elegance has similar weight to the dish being served, and the wine’s bright fruit notes compliment the smoky char flavour of the grill.

Pair: Fresco di Masi Rosso, Veneto, Italy $18.95 LCBO #22196

The red option for Masi’s new lower-alcohol, organic wine is a blend of Corvina (one of the grapes that goes into Valpolicella and Amarone) and Merlot. Hand-harvested and aged in stainless steel for a brighter, fruit forward drinking style, serve with a slight chill for warm weather sipping.

Beef burgers, smoked ribs, sausage

These popular go-to grilling items have loads of fat and protein, so red wine with some weight and tannic structure is what you want to help cut through that richness. But these dishes are also generally served with a generous smearing of sweet, spicy, tangy sauces. So, in this case, you also want a wine that’s both fruity and smoky to balance and compliment the flavours of the dish.

Pair: Anciano 7 Year Grand Reserva Tempranillo, Valdepenas, Spain $16.05 LCBO #464214

Valdepenas is a historic wine growing area located in the Castilla-La Mancha region of central Spain, not far from Madrid and Valencia. Tempranillo is the main red grape of Spain, with intriguing flavours that range from fresh cherry to dried fig, spice, and cedar notes. Anciano sources grapes from 30-year-old vines and then, as stated, ages for another seven years in oak barrels, resulting in a rich and intriguing wine.

Leg of lamb, ribeye steaks, bone-in prime rib

Here we break out the big guns. These big boys of summer grilling are rich, decadent, and powerful and need an equally muscular wine to match. With the high fat content and deep umami flavour, a full-bodied red with solid tannins will help cut the buttery richness of well-marbled meat. And bonus points if there’s an herb crust, or rosemary in the preparation – Cabs will go especially well.

Pair: Wines of Substance Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Washington State $20.95 (reg. $23.95) Vintages #419770

This is strapping lass made for all your grilling dreams. Weighing in at 14.5% alcohol, this is a full bodied and full throttled red that gives exactly what Cab lovers want: ripe cassis, black cherry, tobacco leaf and forest notes. Despite the power, there’s a plushness to this wine – the proverbial iron first in the velvet glove. Made by rocker-turned-winemaker Charles Smith, the focus on this wine is to focus on best quality and best value.