Red, White and Barbecued

I have a friend who loves to describe barbecue season as "men in the backyard burning beef."

It's certainly food for thought as we head into the "meat" of the grilling season. Now, I know people who brush the snow off the barbecue and fire up the grill all winter long, and still others who cook under an umbrella, but it's the fair weather of spring that beckons the vast majority of us to fire up the 'cue.

Barbecuing is still the easiest way to create complex-tasting food with a minimum amount of preparation time, but the challenge is finding a wine that stands up to the smoke and sauces. Before we get to some wines to try, keep in mind that the classic barbecue wine should be fresh, possess ample acidity and contain only moderate amounts of tannin. Grilled fatty foods will stand up to slightly stronger tannins, but the idea is to play the fruit against the tannins and smoke to lighten up the meal.

Enjoy the wine for what it is instead of what it isn't and remember, like grilling, wine is no longer a special-occasion treat.

A good way to look at barbecue wine is to think of it as a spice and use it to enhance the flavour of your food. Below, we explore four classic barbecue categories and pair each with a wine you should be able to buy in most Canadian cities. If you can't locate the label in question, simply let the wine's grape variety and style be your guide

Beef

Grilling is one of the best techniques for beef. Use plenty of crushed pepper, dry mustard and chili powder and mix with your choice of malbec, syrah, zinfandel or cabernet franc. Our pick is...

Fat Bastard Shiraz, Languedoc, France ($14 - $17)

The classic barbecue  red, with earthy, roasted, meaty black fruit notes and a touch of acidity poking through the back end. Serve with hearty dishes.

Pork

The delicate flavour of pork makes it an ideal candidate for citrus-based marinades, and you can chose red or white wine for the match. The blancs-sauvignon or chenin-are no-brainers, as are most rosés. We recommend the...

Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva, Valle de Casablanca, Chile ($13 - $15)

Fresh, juicy grapefruit  and gooseberry, with  bits of green peach  and kiwi fruit. Elegant styling and a perfect seafood wine.

Chicken

Chicken is the chardonnay of food because you can style it with so many spices and flavours. Think French or Spanish wine here, using any combination of syrah, grenache, mourvè- dre and cinsault. Sangiovese is another crowd-pleaser with grilled chicken, but stick with light and fruity versions-no Super Tuscans! We like the...

Réserve Perrin 2006 Côtes du Rhône Rouge, Rhône Valley, France ($15 - $18)

Dry, moderately rich, peppery, smoky, earthy, with dark chocolate and black cherry flavours.

Fish

The three pinots-blanc, gris and noir- should cover the bases with salmon or halibut. If the menu is grilled tuna, think viognier and add a fruit salsa. Our pick is...

Frescobaldi 2006 Danzante Pinot Grigio delle Venezie, Veneto, Italy ($14 - $17)

Round, dry and soft palate, with nutty, buttery and baked pear flavours. Perfect for light seafood dishes.