Wine and Barbecue Food Pairings

Be a backyard hero this BBQ season with four expertly paired St. James Winery wine and barbecue food pairings!

It’s time to fire up the BBQ grill, folks! Spring is here to stay. Feel it in the air, in the sweet smells of new plant life, and in the sounds of peepers in the evenings.  Spring in the midwest means warm afternoons, cool evenings, and delicious food off the grill. Whether you’re barbecuing for one, or hosting a neighborhood block party, you’ll need a delightful beverage to accompany all of that mouth-watering barbecued goodness. We’re here to help you stock the cooler with the wines that are sure to make you a backyard hero this season.

Velvet Red + Pork Steak

First up is a classic Midwestern pairing of Velvet Red wine and BBQ Pork Steak. The smooth, sweet, fruity flavors in Velvet Red are the perfect match to the full-flavored, smokey regional favorite pork steak.  Preparing a tender, juicy, fall-off-the-bone pork steak is an art. Likewise, here at St. James Winery, we believe there is art in the way we sustainably grow grapes and craft wine. Velvet Red has been crafted by our family-owned winery for 50 years, and the quality and love shine in each sip. You don’t even have to be a sweet wine lover to appreciate the depth of this pairing, especially when the sauce is on the spicy side. In our circles, no barbecue is complete without a glass or two of chilled Velvet Red wine.

Friendship School White + Burgers and Dogs

Next up on the grill is the all-time favorite of hamburgers and hotdogs. We’re pairing this backyard, crowd-pleasing duo with Friendship School White wine. We love the way the crisp, clean finish of this semi-dry white wine complements the smoky meats and the array of toppings we add to hamburgers and hotdogs that make each unique. Topping your burger or dog with grilled onions and cheese – Friendship School White! Plan on piling up your burger or dog with ketchup, mustard, and pickles – Friendship School White! It’s so delicious and so versatile that it just might be our overall favorite pairing.

Sparkling Mango + Chicken

Now it’s time to come in hot with a savory, flavorful beer-can chicken – except we’re switching it up! Instead of beer, we love our whole chickens on the grill cooked atop a can of Sparkling Mango fruit wine. The chicken, seasoned on the spicy side with cumin, chili powder, garlic, salt, black pepper, and paprika, takes on just the right amount of that all-natural mango flavor from the wine as it cooks. We serve the chicken de-boned, topped with fresh cilantro, and alongside a cold can of Sparkling Mango fruit wine. This is the pairing that’ll surprise you and keep you coming back for more!

Norton + Rib-Eyes

As the last pairing on the list, we thought it appropriate to treat ourselves. For this special dinner, we paired Moondance Farm Rib-Eyes with Winemaker Series Norton 42. This award-winning bold, dry red wine is full of old-world charm and dark fruit aromas. Its subtle oak and integrated tannin structure are the perfect complements to the marbling and rich beefy flavors of the Rib-Eye steak. Seasoned only with sea salt and coarse ground black pepper, the organically grown beef was simply made for this beautiful wine, which is crafted using the highest quality blocks of Norton grapes in our St. James, Missouri vineyard. The way in which the flavors meld together as you savor each juicy bite and each balanced sip is simply magic.

We’d love to hear from you!

Are you a St. James Winery wine and barbecue food pairing expert? Do you have a barbecue and wine pairing that makes you a backyard hero and don’t see it on our list? Share it with us in a comment! We’d love to experience the flavors!