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    Urban Bliss Life » Blog » Summer Wine and Food Pairings

    Published: April 29, 2020 / Updated: May 19, 2022 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Summer Wine and Food Pairings

    27 shares
    summer wine and food pairings 2020
    summer wine and food pairings

    Warmer weather means summer BBQs, picnics, and the season's fresh bounty of berries! Serve summer's best dishes with these summer wine and food pairings.

    Peach Bourbon Grilled Chicken recipe on UrbanBlissLife.com

    When the weather heats up, it's time to uncover your outdoor furniture and release the grill from its cold weather slumber. Now is the time when we collectively move from stick-to-your-ribs soup season to grilled meats, vibrant summer salads, and a bounty of light-as-air fresh fruit desserts.

    Now is also a great time to stock up on the best wines that pair beautifully with summer recipes!

    Summer wine and food pairings

    sunny summer soiree

    When we talk about summer wine, we're talking about so much more than just rosé all day. I mean, I LOVE rosé wine, and feel there's a rosé to pair with almost any dish you can eat. But we can say "yes way" to more than just rosé during the summer.

    And summer is also much more than just white wine, too. I remember once I started drinking wine, it seemed to be a popular declaration of the change of seasons: red wine was for cooler months, and white wine for warmer months.

    That old adage is just that: old, tired, and quite frankly, wrong.

    Simple Lemon Herb Grilled Chicken

    From reds to whites, from bubbly to orange wine, and everything in between; there is a variety of wine that drinks beautifully in the summer.

    Here's your 2020 Guide to Summer Wine and Food Pairings.

    What wine pairs well with grilled steaks and ribs?

    Let's start with tackling your summer BBQs. In general, medium- to full-bodied red wines pair best with meaty, rich steaks and BBQ ribs.

    Steak

    • Garlic Butter Brazilian Steak family-friendly 30-minute meals
    • Walla Walla Wine Country: Va Piano, on UrbanBlissLife.com
    • beef BBQ kabobs

    Depending on how you prepare them, Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon tend to go well with grilled steaks.

    BBQ Ribs

    • Instant Pot BBQ Ribs
      Instant Pot Ribs
    • Dama wines cabernet sauvignon

    BBQ ribs are a summer gathering staple at our house, and we'll often make them on the grill when the sun is shining. Or, we make these super easy Instant Pot BBQ Ribs. Either way, pairing BBQ ribs with a medium- to full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon is the way to go.

    My pick: Dama 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon ($55, Walla Walla, WA). This is one of my favorite Cabernet Sauvignons from the Pacific Northwest. Rich dark bing cherry, elegant tannins, this pairs perfectly with summer's hearty BBQ dishes, pastas, and is a gorgeous wine to enjoy on its own.

    What wines pair well with hamburgers

    There are a million and one ways to make a hamburger, so the wine you select depends on how you prepare your burger.

    • Teriyaki Turkey Burger With Pineapple Asian Slaw
      Teriyaki Turkey Burgers
    • Brooks Winery 2015 Extended Tirage Sparkling Riesling

    Lighter burgers like this Teriyaki Turkey Burger with pineapple slaw would actually go really well with a sweet white Sauterne or an off-dry Riesling.

    • burger and curly fries at Suttle Lodge in Sisters, Oregon
    • wine by joe pinot noir

    For your average burger or cheeseburger, a light- to medium-bodied red wine balances out the meat. Try an Oregon Pinot Noir or a fruit-forward Gamay.

    • YardHouse Burger
    • Catena Malbec

    Big, beefy, hefty burgers with all the fixings call for Malbec. The strong black fruit profile of Malbecs, along with the bigger tannins, help this wine stand up to big burger fixings.

    My pick: Catena Malbec ($16). This full-bodied red wine from Argentina has rich dark plum fruit flavors and a smooth silky finish. Learn more about Catena Malbec in my past article on Malbec food pairings.

    What wine to pair with summer pork recipes

    • slow cooker pulled pork
    • Tertulia Cellars Ryans Reserve Red Blend Wine

    Pulled pork is a great dish to serve at BBQs because you can feed a crowd!

    My pick: serve it with Tertulia Cellars Ryan's Reserve ($45).

    Wine to pair with grilled chicken

    • Peach Bourbon Grilled Chicken recipe on UrbanBlissLife.com
    • Dobbes Viognier white wine

    Just like with burgers, there are many different ways to enjoy grilled chicken. For dishes with sweet marinades, like this Peach Bourbon Grilled Chicken, enjoy a glass of Viognier or Gewürztraminer. My pick: Dobbes 2017 Viognier ($40).

    For grilled chicken with specific spices, like this Chicken Souvlaki, pair it with a Greek Assyrtiko or a Chenin Blanc.

    For grilled chicken with a mild marinade or seasoning, you can't go wrong serving a medium-bodied Chardonnay.

    What wine to pair with summer seafood recipes

    Salmon

    • Grilled Salmon with Lemon & Herbs in Foil, recipe on UrbanBlissLife.com
    • Ensemble Pinot Noir Suzor Wines

    Grilled salmon pairs nicely with Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. Not surprisingly, since both salmon and both varietals flourish in the Pacific Northwest.

    My pick: Ensemble Pinot Noir from Suzor Wines ($25). For every bottle sold, $10 will be donated to donated to Family Meal, a Portland non-profit providing specific COVID-19 relief grants for Oregon's food service, agricultural workers, and their family.

    PAIRING TIP: food and grapes that are found in the same area tend to go well with one another.

    White fish

    • Brown family vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

    Most white fish, such as cod and halibut pair well with a Sauvignon Blanc. With its high acidity, also drinks beautifully with these types of fish, as well as with crab, clams, and scallops.

    My pick: Browne Family Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc ($24).

    Shrimp

    • Altabira Tavern Portland restaurant review on UrbanBlissLife.com
    • Reininger Semillon

    Grilled shrimp - if there's a bit of heat or spice to the dish, enjoy it with a glass of Semillon.

    My pick: Reininger Semillon ($32). This is a refreshing summer wine with crisp citrus, peach, and minerality.

    Oysters

    • Abacela Albarino white wine

    If you're enjoying oysters, mussels, clams, or other shellfish, pour a crisp, acidic Albariño.

    My pick: the Abacela 2019 Albariño ($21). One of my favorite Albariños around, the Abacela Albariño is aromatic, crisp, and sings of gorgeous lively pineapple, pear, and green apple. So fantastic for summer seafood!

    What wine to pair with vegetables & salads

    Summer cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, and beans are at their peak during warmer months. Here's what to pour with those beautiful vegetable-forward dishes.

    Simple Salads

    • fresh summer vegetables tomatoes cucumbers red onions

    Enjoy light vegetable-forward salads, like this simple Tomato Cucumber Salad, with a Grüner Veltliner.

    If you're grilling vegetables, pour a medium-bodied Pinot Noir.

    Sweet Corn

    • Creamy confetti corn side dish recipe
    • Willamette Valley Vineyards Oregon Wine Country on UrbanBlissLife.com

    Sweet corn is one of my favorite summer foods. I could eat corn every day when it's in season and never tire of it.

    Buttery Chardonnay pairs amazingly with corn, especially richer sweet corn dishes, like my Creamy Confetti Corn.

    Creamy picnic salads

    • Yummy, rich, creamy BLT Pasta Salad combines two fave comfort foods in one! Recipe on UrbanBlissLife.com.
    • wine by joe pinot noir

    Creamy salads like tuna salads or this BLT salad, as well as creamy pastas, would go beautifully with Pinot Noir or a Rosé wine.

    My pick: Wine by Joe Pinot Noir ($19). We always have a bottle of this Oregon Pinot Noir at home. It's an amazing value for a high quality Oregon Pinot with juicy acidity and big blackberry compote and raspberry notes. I've found it at our local grocery store for anywhere from $13-17 per bottle!

    What wines pair well with summer desserts?

    Summer desserts tend to be lighter, but that doesn't mean they all pair with white wine or rosé.

    Here are a few different types of summer desserts to show you how to pair wine with the season's sweet treats.

    Black fruit desserts

    • Blueberry Galette
    • sunny summer soiree red wine blueberry galette

    Summer berries are super fresh, juicy, and absolutely one of the most delicious parts of summer. For a rich black fruit dessert, like a blackberry parfait or Blueberry Galette, pour a Petite Syrah, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon.

    Red fruit desserts

    • Strawberry Rhubarb Mint Popsicles
    • Sokol Blosser Rosé wine 2019

    Strawberry desserts and raspberry desserts pair nicely with most Rosé wines.

    My pick: Sokol Blosser's 2019 Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir ($25). I am in love with this rosé! Bright strawberries and raspberries burst from this gorgeous Oregon rosé.

    Stone fruit desserts

    • Mini Pavlova Cakes with Strawberries, Peaches, and Cream recipe on UrbanBlissLife.com
    • Brooks Winery 2015 Extended Tirage Sparkling Riesling

    Stone fruit desserts, like peach pie or peach meringue pavlovas, pair well with off-dry Rieslings.

    My pick: pretty much any Brooks Winery Riesling. Ranging from $25 - $45, you'll find a variety of styles.

    The best summer wine to stock up on: anything bubbly!

    champagne glasses

    A bit of bubbly is always welcome, but especially during the summer. The effervescent, fizzy wine tastes amazing on a hot summer day. And, it pairs with almost everything.

    But in the heat of summer, I would recommend a Brut Rosé most of all.

    Brut Rosé

    • Gruet Brut Rosé wine
    • Soter wines North Valley Rosé wine 2017
    • Angela Estate Winery in Dundee, Oregon on UrbanBlissLife.com
    • Handley Cellars Brut Rosé

    Sparkling rosé wines are some of my favorite to drink in the summer. Left on Pinot Noir skins just a bit longer to give the bubbly some color, these are fantastic summer sippers on their own. They also pair perfectly with most berry-forward salads, side dishes, entrees, and desserts.

    My picks: we always have a bottle of non-vintage Gruet Brut Rosé ($17) in our wine fridge. We can usually find it at our local grocery store for around $13/bottle.

    Also try:

    • Soter Vineyards Brut Rosé ($65)
    • Graham Beck Brut Rosé ($17)
    • Handley Cellars Brut Rosé ($52)

    More summer recipes & entertaining guides

    • sunny summer soiree The Perfect Summer Party: Food, Drink, and Entertaining Ideas
    • 10 Wines to Serve at your Next BBQ on UrbanBlissLife.com Best Wine for Your Next BBQ

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Christa says

        May 01, 2020 at 9:19 am

        I always heard white wine is a summer wine, too! These listings look so good. This post has me craving summer weather and fresh fruits!

        Reply
      2. Louise says

        April 30, 2020 at 11:04 am

        Wow, your food looks absolutely stunning! I wish mine looked this good when I prepared it. And the wine pairings all sound just perfect :)

        Louise x

        Reply
      3. Erin Lynch says

        April 30, 2020 at 10:53 am

        So many amazing wine pairings to try out this summer! Starting... now!

        Reply
      4. Melanie says

        April 30, 2020 at 10:02 am

        I love all of these recommendations, can’t wait to try some!

        Reply
      5. Harmony, Momma To Go says

        April 30, 2020 at 7:50 am

        this is the perfect day for me to read this. Its FINALLY going to be nice here this weekend and we are going to do an outdoor grilling date night. Not sure what proteins Ill be able to pick up at the store tomorrow - and we need more wine!

        Reply
      6. Anna Elle Liz says

        April 30, 2020 at 12:08 am

        Summer wine is the best! I love it bubbly or frozen! Rose is for sure my go-to but I love a Sauvignon Blanc every once and a while.

        Reply

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      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hi! Thanks for stopping by! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. Here you'll find my fast, easy, and delicious recipes, wine pairings, and travel guides. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

      More about me →

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