The tradition of gathering family and friends for a barbecue is prevalent these days. Many love to cook steaks and vegetables on a grill, but grilled chicken is a win-win option in most cases. You will want to pick a good wine to pair with BBQ chicken to receive the best combination of flavors. Simply put, the marinade and a sauce determine the wine for BBQ chicken. Let’s discover excellent wine options to match your grilled chicken breasts or thighs below. If you want to buy wine online, please see our online wine store with a wide assortment of high-quality alcoholic beverages.
What wine goes with BBQ chicken?
1. Zinfandel
Low-tannin, fruity Zinfandel is all you need when you grill chicken glazed with barbecue sauce. A delicate fruity profile of this wine usually complements the tangy, sweet, and smoky flavor of this sauce well. Grab a bottle of Zinfandel, grill some delicious chicken breasts, cook a BBQ sauce with either ketchup or tomato paste in a base and make a fresh salad – your perfect holiday dinner is ready to enjoy!
2. Riesling
If you love spicy, Thai- or Chinese-styled marinades for poultry, look no further than German Riesling to serve for a barbecue. This off-dry white wine tastes well with chicken marinated with chili, and hot notes will make Riesling taste not as sweet. Meanwhile, it greatly complements the chicken marinades or sauces with mustard. Make sure this alcoholic beverage will be quite easy to drink on warm summer evenings, given its low alcohol content.
3. Chardonnay
Another good BBQ chicken wine pairing is Chardonnay and simply seasoned chicken, which essentially goes well with a diversity of wine options. The subtle smoky notes in the grilled chicken flavor require wines that have aged in new oak barrels, so Chardonnay is the way to go. The refreshing and crisp notes of guava, pear, and vanilla in the taste of this white wine are the perfect match for a BBQ day!
4. Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir remains a great option to serve your guests if you add some herbs to your chicken, like rosemary and thyme. This light- to medium-bodied dry red is something you can’t overpass when your poultry is infused with prominent smoky motives. Believe us, you will definitely enjoy sipping Pinot Noir with bold dark fruit, forest, and mushroom notes during a family barbecue in mid-July.
5. Beaujolais
Sweet chicken marinades, like honey and mustard, are suitable for a glass of fine French Beaujolais. It is a light-bodied, low-tannin red wine with high acidity, raspberry, red currant, and cherry in a tincture. For multiple wine connoisseurs, Beaujolais remains the best wine with BBQ chicken to complement sweet and savory meat flavors. Meanwhile, you might feel free to serve this wine with appetizers and cheese plates, especially with semi-soft and soft Camembert, Feta, and Brie.