Wine with Leslie: Perfect wine and barbeque pairings for the bank holiday
Leslie's selections this week are all European and can be served a little cool if that is your preference
So you have the lumpwood charcoal and the steaks and butterflied lamb all ready for the barbecue and are stressing about the wine — please don’t. Barbecues are meant to be relaxing: and a bit like my annual advice for Christmas dinner the most important advice is to make sure you choose wines you really like yourself.
It was just over five years ago in 2016 when the world’s most famous meat and fire chef, Francis Mallman, was in Ballymaloe for LitFest. The Argentinian chef was up before dawn getting the fire ready and spent whole days slow-cooking lamb and beef. I had southern Italian wine open that weekend for a tasting and it worked just as well with his bbq as a Malbec would have done. I visited Mallman’s Mendoza restaurant once and made the mistake of ordering rare steak when I should have ordered the slow-cooked ribs like my Argentinian hosts. The richly textured meat I stole from them and tasted in Ballymaloe did work well with Malbec as you would hope but also with Argentinian Bonarda which has more red berry fruit flavours as found in many Italian wines. I should mention that Bonarda is actually the same grape as Douce Noir from the Savoie but it often tastes Italian to me.
Every country that cooks barbecue is convinced their wine works best. Just as the Tuscans believe that Chianti or Brunello works best with Biftek Fiorentina so the Burgundians believe a similarly cooked Charolais steak would work perfectly with a ripe Pommard from the Côtes de Beaune. At a Braai in South Africa you might be served chewy dark Syrah or bright cherry pie tinged Pinotage or an old vine Cinsault while in Australia you could be served dark powerful Barossa Shiraz in Adelaide but if you are in Sydney they would probably serve you Hunter Valley Cabernet (or Shiraz). Once, on Bastille day in Carcassonne, I ate lamb grilled over vine cuttings and happily gulped down glasses of Minervois, Fitou, and Faugères.
My selections this week are all European and can be served a little cool if that is your preference — if the weather is any way warm I find a little bit of chill on my red is always welcome when I’m standing over hot coals. In keeping with what I’ve written above about the local I will also have some chilled red ale and rye beers to hand (e.g. Kinnegar Rustbucket and Lineman Idle Rye IPA).
Stockists: JJ O’Driscolls, World Wide Wines worldwidewines.ie, Vanilla Grape Kenmare, Nolans Supermarket, Station to Station sationtostation.ie, The Yard, wineonline.ie
So while the grill heats up you need a glass of something crisp, light and fresh to whet your appetite — this is perfect. Pristine fresh and zingy, packed with citrus, kiwi, and lime with some tropical touches on the mid-palate and an extra bang of zesty lemon on the finish.
Stockist: O’Briens
This was new to O’Briens last year and the second vintage might be even better — plus you need a decent rosé for a bbq for the reasons above and the fact it can match spice, smoke and garlic (essential bbq flavours). Floral strawberry and berry aromas, fruity and textured with some textured nutty notes mixed in with the red fruits and a pleasing tartness on the finish.
Stockist: M&S
Another in the rare grape series from M&S and made by one of the rising stars of Greek wine, Apostolos Thymiopoulos, by blending classic Xinomavro (from Northern Greece) with less well-known Mandilaria sourced from the Aegean Islands. Fragrant, floral and fruity with a lightness of touch on the palate where red fruits dominate until darker fruits kick in on the finish. Could be served lightly chilled.
Stockists: Dick Macs Dingle, JJ O Driscolls, Joyces Athenry, On the Grapevine.
Beaujolais et Barbecue has a certain ring to it en Français and Cru Beaujolais works brilliantly with grilled meats and smoky flavours. This Morgon has four years' age but is still pleasingly youthful with bright black cherry aromas, supple earth-tinged red and black fruits, and some nice weight and complexity. I’d serve this cool at somewhere between 12°C and 14°C.
Stockists: JJ O Driscolls, Blackrock Cellar, Vanilla Grape, Blackrock Cellar, Redmonds, theallotment.ie
From a vineyard at the foot of Monte Vulture (Vull-turay) in the ankle of Italy and made with noble and ancient Aglianico (also found in Taurasi in Campania). Aromas of black pepper and blackberry with a touch of leather, ripe berry fruits on the palate with suppleness and lingering earth meaty complexity. I would also serve this a little cool.
Stockists: Ely Wine Shop elywinebar.ie
Dublin’s long-established (and excellent) Ely Wine Bars (IFSC, Ely Place) also have a wine shop in Maynooth and you can now buy online including some Spanish gems they sourced themselves. I love Mencía for its bright juicy fruits and this is a fine example. Cherry and raspberry fruits — supple, juicy and moreish with a touch of glacé cherry and confit strawberry on the finish.
Stockist: Bradleys, North Main St. Cork. bradleysofflicence.ie
I don’t like definitives but let me put it this way — possibly Ireland’s best brewer and possibly Ireland’s best beer shop have joined forces and created a new beer. Dot Brew specialise in flavoursome and unusual barrel-conditioned beers; and Bradleys stock every beer you could possibly want (since 1850 by the way).
Brewed with flaked and malted oats and a ‘healthy helping of Idaho-7’ hops this pours a cloudy honeyed gold with bright yellow peach and citrus aromas and extra peaches on the palate, creamy and complex with lingering rosemary and pine — delicious! Also, watch for Dot Brew Barrel Aged Farmhouse Ale Limoncello & their Malted Stout.
