Wines for Grilling
SUMMER 2025
Burgers, chicken, salmon, pork chops, bratwursts, veggies skewers, BBQ – you name it, we've got a bunch of delicious wine pairings lined up for whoever is coming to dinner!
WINES FOR GRILLED BURGERS:
Hamburgers are moist & juicy with mild flavors of beef & umami — on a bun with lettuce, onion, tomatoes, a pickle, mayo, mustard & ketchup (which can be tangy). Whites, rosé & reds all work. Look for wines with medium-body so they won’t clobber the burger but with good acidity for balance. This pairing is a lob! You almost can’t miss:
For whites, try: minerally Pinot Grigio from around the Dolomite Mountains or a Bordeaux Blanc (Sauvignon-Sémillon-Muscadelle). For rosé, minerally Chiaretto Bardolino (Veneto) or Île de Beauté (Corsica), or a little bit more luscious Provence rosé would also be delicious. For reds, try: Rhône blends (always a good choice), lighter-bodied Syrah from Washington State, a Carménère (Chile), and so many more…
WINES FOR GRILLED CHICKEN
It’s probably most common to grill dark meat, so thighs & legs, as they are a little richer and more moist, allowing them to soak up the smoky grill flavors and not go dry. Chicken is mild, savory meat, so go lighter with your wines so as not to overpower the chicken flavor. As always, good acidity for balance is a must.
For whites, Sauvignon Blanc from Touraine (or for a little more fruit, Washington State) or a Verdejo from northcentral Spain. For rosé, fresh, minerally, pleasantly fruity versions all the way! For reds, medium-bodied and smooth (try a Marselan from Uruguay) or with a little more acidity (try a Portuguese red blend from Alentejo).
WINES FOR GRILLED SALMON
Seattle is salmon headquarters! We wait every year for the start of salmon season.
Salmon is a rich, oily, firm, flavorful fish. Rosé wines match in color, body and seashell minerality. Great choice. Whites need a little body to hold up and good acidity to cut the richness of the fish. Reds are just the opposite – choose a red with medium- or lighter-body so that it doesn't overpower the fish, and like the white, good acidity to balance the richness of the finsh. Check out some suggestions below:
For rosé, we suggest an intensely flavored, dry rosé such as Tavel. A fuller-bodied orange wine with a little salinity would taste perfect with salmon. Try Grenache Blanc & Viognier for whites with body and good acidity. Reds? A classic French Pinot Noir would be tasty as would a fuller-bodied Pinot from the Willamette Valley. So many choices…
WINES FOR GRILLED SAUSAGES
Bratwurst and other pork sausages usually have mild pork flavors which are enhanced with herbs, garlic, and the smokiness of the grill. The key is that the flavors are mild, so you want a wine that is complementary in body and flavors and won't overpower the sausage, but it still needs enough *umpfff* to manage the richness of the pork, which tends to have a lot of fat.
If ever in doubt, pair a wine from a country that eats the food you are enjoying, so in this case, choose wines from Germany (Grauburgunder = Pinot Gris, Riesling, Pinot Noir), Austria (Grüner Veltliner, Zweigelt), Alsace (Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Riesling), Alto Adige/Südtirol (Lagrein) & more. Any rosé in the house would taste great with grilled sausages!
WINES FOR GRILLED STEAK
What kind of steak you have matters! Richer cuts of steak (T-bone, rib-eye) need acid & tannins to cut the fat, creating balance on your palate. They also need bolder flavors and can handle higher alcohol and oak-enhanced notes in the wine. Leaner cuts of steak (filet mignon, sirloin) are happy with a more medium-bodied wine (but full is still okay). Important, though, is you still need the acid & tannins for balance. Try some of these suggestions:
Rich, rosé from Bandol would hold up as would many orange wines. For a white, Chardonnay (especially with a little oak) would taste great. Classic red grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tempranillo. Above we’ve suggested a Carignan blend from Languedoc-Roussillon, a Bordeaux blend from Washington State, and a wonderful Pinotage from South Africa.
WINES FOR GRILLED VEGGIES
With grilled vegetables, your flavors are a little deeper, earthier, with a note of smoke from the grill but it’s still light. Whites should have good balancing acidity. Try a little more luscious in style Muscadet (Loire Valley) or a white blend from California (pictured below is a fun one: Chardonnay-Albariño-Viognier-Pinot Gris). For rosé, take your pick! For a red, definitely lighter in body, try: a Gamay from Beaujolais or one of Italy’s many lesser-known, indigenous grapes — Refosco, Schiava, Monica & more!
WINES FOR BBQ
Grilled meats are easy as pie to pair. But BBQ (brisket, ribs & more) with its spicy-sweet sauce can be tricky. Rosé tastes great with almost any food on planet earth including spicy dishes and dishes that have an element of sweetness. So, your bases are coved with BBQ! Red wines are tricky with sweet elements as they can go tart, but some grapes (e.g. Zinfandel) are luscious and jammy and taste great. As well, whites need a touch of sweetness to taste good with BBQ. Riesling all the way, baby!! Bubbly is also a great pairing. We suggested Cava from outside of Barcelona below.
Cheers to a beautiful Seattle summer! So many great wines for grilling… and these wines are the tip of the proverbial iceberg! Stop by, and we’ll get you set up.
Also, many thanks to our niece, Ella, for the amazing artwork!
Julie & Jens, co-owners
Portalis Wine Shop