Patriotic Pairings for Independence Day Grilling
Happy Birthday, America! Let’s celebrate the 247th anniversary of the founding of the United States with grilled dishes paired with wine made in the greatest state in the union, Texas.
Grilling out is as traditional on Independence Day as fireworks. The key to pairing wine with grilled food is simplicity. Select wines that you know you will enjoy and match the primary flavors of the wine with the dominant flavors of your food. Here are a few pairings that will delight your tastebuds.
Zucchini and Cauliflower Skewers with Feta Paired with 2021 Lyla
Grilled veggies are perfect for a side dish and for a main course. We like hearty vegetables with crisp, chilled white wine. Try this recipe for veggie skewers with our 2021 Lyla.
Ingredients
- 4 large zucchini and summer squash
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 8 skewers, soaked in water for 20 minutes
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 c. crumbled feta
- 8 skewers, soaked in water for 20 minutes
Preparation
- Preheat grill to medium-high.
- Shave zucchini and yellow squash into long, beautiful strips.
- Skewer zucchini and yellow squash in folded curves alternating with cauliflower florets.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill for about 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally, until vegetables are tender and slightly charred.
- Crumble feta cheese over the grilled veggies and serve.
Our 2021 Lyla is a traditional Rhône-style white blend made with Roussanne from the Hill Country Estate at Kuhlman Cellars and Viognier from the Texas High Plains. It’s a medium-bodied wine with stone fruit, ripe pear, apples, and honeydew melon flavors with a touch of flint and minerality. Grilled veggies typically have a stronger flavor than roasted or steamed. The round fruit flavors of the wine balance well with the slight sweetness of the zucchini and the crunch of the cauliflower.
Cheddar Bacon Hamburgers Paired with 2019 Texas Mourvèdre
Burgers are an essential summertime food. An important consideration when pairing wine with hamburgers is to select higher-fat ground beef with the oomph to kick up the fruit flavors in the wine a notch. Hamburgers are delicious with full-bodied red wines with plenty of tannins, like Mourvèdre.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup real bacon bits
- 4 hamburger buns
Preparation
- Preheat the grill to high heat.
- In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, Cheddar cheese, horseradish, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and bacon bits.
- Shape the mixture into 4 hamburger patties.
- Lightly oil the grill grate.
- Place hamburger patties on the grill, and cook for 4 minutes per side, or until your preferred temperature.
- Serve on buns with your favorite fixins.
Our gold medal-winning 2019 Texas Mourvèdre is a blend made predominantly with Mourvèdre with a healthy splash of Petite Sirah, and Syrah grown in vineyards located in the Texas High Planes. It has deep aromas of dark fruits, red currants, earth, cedar, herbs, and wild game. This medium-bodied wine has lovely black cherry pie flavors and a long vanilla finish. The grippy tannin in this rich Mourvèdre is softened by the grilled hamburger's heavy protein and fat content, making it even more flavorful and smooth.
St. Louis Spare Ribs Paired with 2019 Vintner's Reserve
Slow-smoked pork ribs are a delicious dish for Independence Day. Ribs are excellent with a wide variety of wines including fruity white, rosé, and bold red wines. Here is a recipe for fall-off-the-bone tender spare ribs.
Ingredients
- 2 slabs St. Louis spare ribs, trimmed
- ½ cup coarse ground black pepper
- ¼ cup Kosher salt
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
Preparation
- Prepare your smoker for indirect cooking at 275⁰.
- Combine salt and pepper and season ribs liberally on both sides with the mixture.
- Place ribs on the smoker and add pecan wood chunks to the fire for smoke.
- Mix water and apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle to spritz ribs every 45 minutes.
- After 2.5 hours remove ribs from the smoker, spritz with vinegar mixture, and wrap in aluminum foil.
- Return ribs to the smoker and continue to cook for approximately 2 hours. Check ribs for doneness after 1 hour and every 15 minutes after. Once desired tenderness is reached pull off the smoker.
- Let the ribs rest for 15 minutes and serve.
Our 2019 Vintner’s Reserve is a nontraditional red blend made with Texas-grown Tannat, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah, Touriga, and Syrah. It’s an aromatic wine with lots of blackberry bramble, blueberries, plum, and cola with a hint of spice. The flavors match the aromas in this medium-bodied wine with integrated tannins. The 2019 Vintner’s Reserve is delicious with pork ribs. The higher fat content in the ribs matches well with the firm tannins in this wine, and the smoke enhances the fruitiness of the wine.
We hope you enjoy these delicious wines with grilled foods over the long holiday weekend. Stop by the tasting room to pick up a mixed case to make sure you have plenty of wine for your guests. Happy Independence Day!