With all of the planning and preparation that goes into throwing a summer soirée or backyard BBQ, choosing a wine to serve your guests might seem like an insignificant task (it’s vino, after all, how could it be bad?). But in a world where we pair wine with even the most obscure treats, like and , perhaps it’s worth taking a few minutes to see how your summer veggie dishes might be enhanced by a savory white or light red. For guidance, we tapped Andrea Morris, the 27-year-old sommelier at buzzy N.Y.C.-based vegetarian restaurant . “Over all, vegetables tend to be higher in acid, so it’s really important to look for a savory note from the wine to complement your dish,” says Morris, who has previously worked at renowned spots like Eleven Madison Park and Jean-Georges. “Alsatian wines are great for pairing with vegetables—they tend to have a slightly bitter note on the end and that usually goes really well with a variety of green vegetables we see popping up at farmers' markets.

From Pinot Gris to Chasselas, the wine possibilities from this region are endless and you can get super geeky about it, if you want. Vegetable dishes tend to have a spice component as well, and these wines are great for matching that heat.” Below, Morris gives us the scoop on what wines pair best with specific BBQ-friendly veggies dishes. RELATED: How to Set the Scene for Your Fourth of July Party in 3 Easy Steps “Asparagus and artichoke are two veggies that are generally difficult to pair with wine because they contain a compound that can make dry wines taste sweet,” says Morris. “My solution is to choose a wine that is very mineral-y and savory so that it can maintain its refreshing quality despite this. White wines from Portugal—such as Filipa Pato's Bical and Arinto blend from Beiras ($17, )—fit the bill nicely with lots of texture, a slight marine or bitter almond note, and citrusy fruit. As an added bonus, Portugese wines tend to have amazing values across the board, so you can bring a few bottles to share while you munch on that grilled asparagus.”

Veggie Pasta Dishes and Portobello Burgers “It seems like every good backyard barbecue now also has a summer vegetable pasta dish or a great grilled portobello burger. The Pineau d’Aunis from Domaine de Belliviere ($42; ) is a perfect light red that compliments variations on both of those dishes and has enough structure to make people who want to drink red wine in the summer feel satisfied, without fighting the vegetables’ flavors,” explains Morris. “It starts like a Beaujolais, and then the structure and funkiness comes out and works really well with the spice of black pepper and various types of cheeses that might be in pasta and burger options.”red wine gift delivery RELATED: This Strawberry Granita Recipe Is a Delicious Way to Cool Off This Summerred wine gift delivery

“Red wine with potato salad might be an unexpected pairing for some, but I think that the Dolcetto from Idlewild in Mendocino County ($28; ) is a perfect example of how well it can actually work,” says Morris. “The wine has great structure and deals well with all the different flavor profiles the dish can have.”The advent of summer brings so many pleasures, most of which are associated with getting our butts outside to enjoy the warm weather and longer sunshine hours. It’s the time when young men’s fancies turn to love,wine and beer menu young women want to drink their wine outside, and both see their blood pressures eventually reach thewine and beer making store boiling point trying to shove too many glass bottles into the cooler en route to the next outdoor barbecue.one hope wine dog

If you’re wondering how best to indulge your love for wine while cooking amid the great outdoors this summer, we’ve got you covered! But before we start matching up your favorite barbecue foods with killer wine pairings, let’s talk about some killer tips for transporting those wines. Wine’s main delivery vehicle – the glass bottle – might be the single most cooler-unfriendly packaging ever devised. It’s rigid, bulky, and heavy, the exact opposite of what you want when lugging around a cooler to your next barbecue. where can i buy a wine stationYour best bet is to look for alternative packaging, such as wines in Tetra Paktop 5 wine in franceAnother option is bag-in-box wines, which have come a long way in terms of quality. best wine name india

Simply remove the internal bag of wine from the cardboard box, and place the bag in your cooler. While it requires a bit of extra work, your best bet for cooler-readiness is to pick up a handful of inexpensive wine preservation bags, such as the PlatyPreserve. These flexible, light, collapsible bags can be filled with your favorite wine, then capped off after the excess air is squeezed out, taking up less space and putting far less weight in your cooler. There will be no heavy glass to lug around, and nowine and food vacationsAnd don’t forget plastic glassware. Several available options are lightweight and still retain the tulip shape that works best for maximizing wine aromas, such as those offered by Govino Okay, now that you know how to transport your wine, let’s pair you up for that barbecue! Hailing from Puglia, Negroamaro has been thriving in southern Italy for about 1,500 years, so it has a pretty good track record behind it, even

In Puglia’s warm climes, this red grape variety develops all the elements that you’d want to match up with eating grilledThere’s sweet, ripe, dark berry fruitiness that still tastes good chilled, moderate tannins for a smooth mouthfeel, generous spice aromas, and a savory quality that will complement the texture and flavors of the beef. If you can’t find Negroamaro, a good backup plan is to go with an Italian Barbera, which will be a bit lighter and fruitier, but will still deliver some spice notes and savory flavors. Zinfandel feels like the all-American grape, but it’s actually Croatian in origin, and also does well in Southern Italy, where it’s known as Primitivo. You might be skeptical about taking a higher-alcohol red like Zinfandel outside in the warm sun, but the versions of Zin offered from sunny California are an exception. That’s primarily thanks to Zinfandel’s ample sweet fruitiness, which holds up even when the wine warms up.

It’s a particularly excellent match for barbecue ribs, as its sultry smoothness works magic with the sticky sweetness of most rib recipes. Zinfandel’s pepperiness and sweet spice aromas are also great with dry-rubbed barbecue rib preparations. A good backup plan here is Malbec from Argentina. These reds are full of fruit flavors that are dark, ripe, and bold enough to match up to the cooking treatment of most barbecue ribs. Côtes du Rhône, in France, is famous for its kitchen-sink-style red blends (the region permits over 20 grape varieties for use). But a few things underpin almost all Côtes du Rhône reds that make them a great choice for smoked meats and sausages. on Grenache or Syrah, both of which make wines that are robust, fruity, smoky, and savory. They also are complex enough to make you want to drink more, but not so complex that they distract you from your primal urges to engulf that tasty smoked meat. Finally, they are often inexpensive, and an excellent value that tends to please all of the red wine drinkers at a barbecue.

For a backup, Spanish Tempranillo is a good choice, as it offers cherry fruits with enough wood and smoke aromas to give smoked meats a run for their money. Hey, you need some leafy greens to offset the damage of all of that tasty barbecue meat, right? Salads can actually be fairly complex menu items, both in terms of the various flavors involved and the textures of the ingredients (think about how complex goat cheese is all by itself, let alone combined with spinach, toasted nuts, and dressing). New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is a white wine that will deliver in spades here. They often have complex aromas of citrus and tropical fruits, along with fresh vegetables and herbs. is tangy and vibrant, and stays tasty even after the wine warms up. As a backup, look for Portuguese Alvarinho. It’s usually a good bargain, offering intense lemony refreshment with a little kiss of tropical fruit sweetness. France’s Provence is the world’s standard-bearer when it comes to dry rosé wines, and dry rosé is really where you want to be when