Barbecue and Wine

Hello everyone. This is Crowley.

Thank you for reading my article last week as well.

I am very grateful for all the likes, follows, and support I have received from you.

If you are new here and enjoy this article, I would be happy if you could read my past articles as well.

・Introduction

This time, I will introduce three wines I selected for a barbecue.

I will also explain the reasons for my selection.

By reading this article,

you will be able to understand these points, and your wine life will become even richer.

・1st Bottle: Sparkling Wine (France)

For the first bottle, I selected a Crémant de Limoux, a sparkling wine from Southern France. It has an alcohol content of 12% and costs 1,760 yen including tax.

I will explain the details in a separate article, but it is made using the same method as Champagne, which is a French sparkling wine.

I heard that ajillo would be prepared, so I paired it with light snacks to enjoy while waiting for the meat to grill.

If you only consider pairing it with ajillo, a dry white wine would also work.

However, since it is the first glass, I selected a dry sparkling wine that offers both a refreshing carbonated feel and a wide range of pairing possibilities.

The stance I mentioned last time ofnot aiming for a perfect 100 points, but pairing for 70 to 90 pointscomes into play here.

With this one bottle, you can pair it with everything from ajillo and snacks to grilled meat.

・2nd Bottle: Red Wine (Australia)

For the second bottle, I selected an Australian red wine.It has an alcohol content of 14% and costs 1,456 yen including tax.

The Shiraz grape variety used has a spiciness like black pepper, making it an excellent match for meat.

Australia is the region where the characteristics of this grape variety are most prominent.

・3rd bottle: Red wine (Italy)

For the third bottle, I selected a red wine from Southern Italy.It has an alcohol content of 15% and costs 1,518 yen including tax.

This is made using the appassimento method, where wine is produced from dried grapes.

It has a raisin-like concentration from the dried grapes and is the most powerful wine of the three.

Of course, it pairs perfectly with meat. It also went well with the finishing pasta made using the leftover oil from the ajillo.

・Order of wine service, temperature, and strategy

I chilled all three bottles of wine in the refrigerator from the day before the barbecue and brought them to the venue in an insulated bag with ice packs. It was a midsummer day exceeding 33°C.

I took the two red wines out of the insulated bag after arriving at the venue and left them at room temperature.
The guideline is to serve the second bottle 30 minutes after leaving it at room temperature, and the third bottle 45 minutes after.

I took the first bottle, the sparkling wine, out of the insulated bag just before opening it and served it at approximately 8°C.

I chose it as the first bottle to stimulate the appetite even in the intense heat through its broad pairing range and carbonation.

I served it chilled to maximize the refreshing taste of the dry sparkling wine.

The second bottle, the Shiraz, was served at approximately 16°C.

For a red wine with a firm mouthfeel, raising the temperature higher than that of white or sparkling wine makes the tannins mellower.

By maximizing the black pepper aroma characteristic of Shiraz, the pairing with meat is further improved.

The third bottle, the appassimento, was served at approximately 18°C.

It has a power that rivals the second bottle, the Shiraz, and it also has the highest alcohol content.

And since I heard that the finish for the ajillo would be pasta, I selected an appassimento from Southern Italy.

This wine pairs well not only with meat but also with strongly flavored pasta.

As some of you may have noticed, I served the wines in order from lightest to heaviest.

By doing so, you can acclimate your palate and enjoy the wines smoothly.

・How to enjoy wine outdoors

Aroma is an important element in enjoying wine.

However, in conclusion, for outdoors, I recommend selecting wines based on drinkability and flavor profile.

This is because even if a wine has a delicate aroma that can be fully enjoyed indoors, you may not be able to appreciate it as well outdoors due to the open air or the smell of charcoal.

Also, there may be situations where you cannot use wine glasses, which are important for enjoying the aroma of wine.

Therefore,

These three bottles are less susceptible to external factors like open air or charcoal smoke, and you can fully appreciate their aroma and flavor even when drinking from plastic cups.

Therefore, for wine enjoyed outdoors, I recommend selecting based on drinkability and flavor profile.

・In closing

This barbecue was held as a networking event for delivery workers.

There were some people who were meeting for the first time that day.

At first there was some awkwardness, but by the time the event ended, everyone was smiling.

And all the wines selected for this barbecue were under 2,000 yen including tax.

If any of these wines interest you, I hope you will feel free to pick them up.

The thrill of pairing wine with food deepens bonds when you empathize and share it with loved ones, important friends, or people you want to get to know better.

“Wine is not just an alcoholic beverage. It is something that can connect people and create smiles.”

Thank you for reading until the end.

In writing this article, I would like to thank Master Nakahara and everyone at Non-Standard who supported me.