You've heard of cooking with wine, but what about grilling with wine? Indeed, wine can do more than pair with your BBQ menu, it can also add great flavor and depth to an array of recipes, from marinades to sauces. Here are some ideas from our team of food and wine experts at The Greene Grape.

Chilean CARMENERE BBQ SAUCE

Classic, easy and delicious this recipe calls for a flavorful, full bodied red wine to push those ribs to the next level. Chono Carmenere 2020 is just the ticket, a classic Chilean Carmenere with juicy plum notes and a spicy finish makes it the perfect red to complement those juicy, smoky ribs.

You’ll need:

1 cup Chono Carmenere 2020
1 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 t ground cumin
1/4 t chile powder
1/4 t cayenne pepper
3/4 cup tomato paste or ketchup 
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 T soy sauce
2 T onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T brown sugar

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until it shimmers.
2. Add chopped garlic and spices, then add the wine. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 3 minutes, until slightly reduced. 
3. Whisk in the tomato sauce or ketchup, cider vinegar, and soy sauce, then simmer for a few more minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Remove the sauce from the heat, then taste and stir in the brown sugar until the sauce is smooth and at the desired level of sweetness.

KANSAS CITY STYLE PINOT NOIR BBQ SAUCE

The delicate flavors of pinot noir and the bold flavors of BBQ collide to make an exceptional sauce for your BBQ that packs heat without overpowering the palate. Kansas City sauces are famous for their savory, fruit forward tasting notes making them excellent bases for softer wines like Chad Willamette Pinot Noir 2021.

You’ll need:

1 cup Chad Willamette Pinot Noir 2021.
1 T olive oil
1 T shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1T chili powder
1 T dry mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 unsulfured molasses (optional)

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the shallots, then saute until just translucent.
3. Add the garlic, saute for 1 minute, and then the dry spices. Stir until toasted.
4. Pour in the wine and simmer for 3 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in the ketchup and simmer until the sauces reaches the desired consistency.
5. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired, or add the molasses for a sweet and tangy touch. 

Mediterranean White Wine Marinade

A savory white wine marinade is easy to make and endlessly versatile. While especially suited for grilling veggies like asparagus, red bell peppers, and zucchini this marinade, made with the bright and refreshing La Pasajera Rueda 2018 from Victoria Ordonez, will work with anything you can think of. (Tip: If working with vegetables with less water content like potatoes, carrots or other hearty veggies you can increase your marinade time to about an hour.) 

You’ll need:

1/2 cup La Pasajera Rueda 2018
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T shallots, minced,
1/2 t fresh thyme
1/2 t rosemary
1/2 t parsley
1/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the garlic herbs, and shallots in a mixing bowl. Add the mixture to white wine, salt, pepper, and olive oil and let sit covered for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Add cut veggies, making sure they are submerged, for at least 30 minutes. Then strain the vegetables, season with salt and pepper and get grillin’!