Okay, so you know to pair a dry rosè with skewers or hot dogs, and a pinot noir with chicken. But if you're looking for more essential wine pairing tips to bring your hosting skills to the next level, Andrew Elder, sommelier at the two-Michelin star DC tasting counter Jônt , is here to help. Turns out, the main meat (or vegetarian grilled item ) of the barbecue isn't the only thing you want to keep in mind when picking your wine — your side dishes impact the perfect pairing as well.
Elder says the pairing process relies on recognizing many of the same qualities in the side dish and the wines as you might when pairing a wine with a main dish, such as acidity, creaminess, and body. He gave a few examples, noting that a Sangiovese might pair well with collard greens, a Sancerre Sauvignon blanc with coleslaw, and a Chardonnay with mac and cheese, and shared his reasoning for each. "With collard greens, the slight bitterness and vinegar used in cooking the greens might call for a red wine with higher acidity," he says.
"A tangy, creamy coleslaw might pair well with [a wine that has] good acidity to cut through the creaminess. For mac and cheese, the rich, cheesy flavors might benefit from [a wine] with some body to match the creaminess." Recognizing the qualities that make a good wine pairing Elder's pointers are a good starting place, but what about when you branch out beyond the side dishes he's broken down for us? There are a few simple rules you can follow on your path a.