SW France Wines for BBQs - The Local Buzz

John Gilchrist looks at SW France Wines for BBQs . He reports:

I love the bold flavours of a “Barbie” with the punchy marinades, tongue-tingling salsas, the charred bits, yoghurt dressings and crispy, fruit-laden salads. What better than the wine on your doorstep at your BBQ? The vineyards where regions 33, 24 and 47 meet are in my neck of the woods, so here are the SW France Wines for BBQs that we enjoy with smoky, marinated, crispy treats from the chargrill.

Emma and John Gilchrist

Château des Eyssards produces Adagio des Eyssards, a clean, gently buttery chardonnay, with a subtle pear nose perfect with seared fish, garlicky prawns and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Château de Fayolle brings a pale straw-coloured champagne-style Blanc de Blancs, with a zingy, pink grapefruit nose and gentle bubbles. Great as an aperitif and delicious with charred peppers and vegetables.

The Naked Vigneron produces organic wines with the philosophy “to keep everything natural, never dressing our vines in anything other than the bare essentials”. Their 2016 Barefoot Merlot couldn’t be more artisanal; the nose is blackberry jam and a hint of smoky cedar, balanced with great acidity and dark chocolatey tannins.

The winner of the Coup de Coeur as the best vineyard for wine tourism in the Bordeaux region was the Talented Mathieu Crosnier, former young winemaker of the year, who crafts modern, bright wines at Domaine du Grand Mayne. The 2018 Sauvignon Semillon brings delicate fruitiness with white nectarine, tamed honeysuckle and lasting minerality, with a silky mouth feel. Equally, the barely salmon pink-coloured 2018 Rosé offers a quenchingly-packed raspberry palate. The superb 2016 Réserve Merlot Cabernet has aromas of petals, ripe purple fig and warm oak and a velvety texture that partners steak, sweet sticky ribs and charred vegetables.

These SW France wines for BBQs are delicious with our BBQ recipes in the Articles, Food and Drink section on this website.

Domaine du Grand Mayne

John Gilchrist is a former UK Sommelier of the Year and winner of the Mondavi award for the best wine list in the world. A seeker of unknown wine gems, he now runs Les Caulins, a gîte and cookery school in SW France, with his wife (and chef) Emma. They have won many awards including the 50 best destination restaurants in the UK and Wine Pub of the Year. www.lescaulins.com

First published in the July/August issue of The Local Buzz

Images: John Gilchrist and Shutterstock