IntoWine asked a panel of wine experts to suggest a great wine to pair with barbecue chicken:
Barbecue chicken can be prepared in a variety of ways, of course. If a sweet barbecue sauce is used, Zin is a reliable pairing. The ripe fruitiness of the Zin is echoed by the sweet fruitiness of the sauce. A good choice for Zin to pair with this style of barbecued chicken would be one of the delicious old vine Zins currently available—from Bedrock, Bucklin, Limerick Lane, Nalle, Robert Biale, Scott Harvey or Vino Noceto.
I like barbecue chicken best when it is marinated in herbs, helping to preserve its juiciness. A good match for herbed barbecue chicken is a Côtes du Rhone. Thanks to the terroir—the climate, soils and locations where the grapes for these wines are grown—these typically Grenache-dominated blends tend to show the same sort of “garrigue” or Provençal herb characteristics that are prized in the Rhone’s top southern appellations–Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Vacqueyras. These herbal aromas and flavors include lavender, rosemary, bay leaf and licorice. There’s also often a pepper and/or tar component, owing to the Syrah and Mourvèdre in the blend. Some of the best Côtes du Rhône wines are made by producers who make highly regarded wines from the top appellations, names like Auguste Clape, J.L. Chave, and Pierre Usseglio. Others are blended from selected lots by negoçiant merchants, like Chapoutier and Guigal.
Richard Jennings, IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder RJonWine.com.
----------------------------------------------------
There are so many directions to go with this one. For a tangy, citrusy grilled Chicken, perhaps with a mango salsa accompanying it, I’d go with a domestic Sauvignon Blanc like the 2008 Crenshaw. A blend of fruit from St. Helena and Bennett Valley that saw a little time in both oak and stainless steel, I love how this is very citrus-driven with flavors of gooseberry and lime, but its complexity is more tropical, think guava, passionfruit, perhaps a touch of shaved coconut. For chicken done up in a rich, sweet BBQ sauce, I’d lean towards a Syrah or Zin. Perfect excuse to open up a recent vintage of
----------------------------------------------------
A light style of a cabernet Franc from Loire Valley. Bourgueil rather than Chinon. Bourgueil tends to be softer, less tannic, and more floral. Some wonderful, inexpensive examples of Cabernet Franc come from that region. A more predictable choice would be a New World Pinot Noir. Softer tannins, stronger fruit bouquet, and fuller extraction should match nicely with freshly barbecued chicken meat glazed with some sweet marinate and served with seasonal vegetables (some of them maybe grilled) and a side dish of light pasta dish. Visit Central Coast or Sonoma Coast for you choices. From abroad I would go to Northern Italy. In Piedmont you can find a light, flavorful Dolcetto D’Alba. Again, these wines offer a great value and their quality has improved and become more uniform in recent years. For a more unique choice try to search out a red from Valle D’Aosta. Charrère is one of the best known producers. Most of the red wines from this region are based on a local grape Petit Rouge. Biondivino wine shop on Green Street (in San Francisco) offers the best selection of rarer, more eclectic Italian wines in town. - Cezar Kusik, Fine Wine Specialist, Fourcade & Hecht Wine Selections
----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------