The Memorial Day holiday weekend is always the start of cookout season in the A Glass After Work household. This year, while we’re not hosting our own BBQ, we are heading out to several, so Hubby asked me what wines I was planning on bringing. Admittedly, I didn’t have a list put together, but his asking seemed like the perfect opportunity to go through some old posts. Here are 5 crowd pleasers that go nicely with hot dogs and hamburgers without breaking the bank.
Reds
2005 Lolonis Zinfandel
The 2005 Lolonis Zinfandel (winery, snooth) is made with organically grown Zinfandel grapes and the winery uses ladybugs for pest control. If you’re headed to a cookout, you can’t go wrong with a California Zinfandel, as the wines tend to be big, bold, and beautiful with high alcohol content. The Lolonis is no exception. I gave the wine 4.5 corks and, while it was given to me as a gift, I’ve found it for $18.
2008 Big House Red
The 2008 Big House Red 3-liter Octavin Home Wine Bar (winery, snooth) is a blend of 13 different red grapes. The wine is a solid, oaked red, so if you see it in a regular sized bottle, don’t hesitate to grab one. I’ve brought the Octavin Big House Red to several parties, and while people are sometimes hesitant to try a boxed wine, once they have a glass, they always come back for more. I’ve never left a party where the box wasn’t empty. I gave the wine 3 corks, and while I received it for a sample, the suggested retail price is $20 for 3 liters (which works out to be $5/bottle).
Whites
2008 Gnarly Head Pinot Grigio
The 2008 Gnarly Head Pinot Grigio (winery, snooth) is the epitome of a great BBQ wine. It is bright, fruity, and refreshing. It is inexpensive. It is very food friendly. And, it has a winery name and label that could be a fun conversation starter. I gave the wine 4.5 corks and purchased it for $9.
2007 Martin Codax Albariño
The 2007 Martin Codax Albariño (vineyard, snooth) is a very aromatic wine that has a nice blend of limes and flowers, with a hint of honey. The wine is crisp and refreshing without being too acidic, which makes it easy to drink. It would pair particularly well with both regular and pasta salads. I gave this wine 3 corks and purchased it for $13.
Rosé
2009 Montes Cherub Rosé of Syrah
The 2009 Montes Cherub Rosé of Syrah (winery, snooth) was made from 100% Syrah grapes and is a perfect wine for a Memorial Day BBQ. Don’t be fooled into think that because this wine is a Rosé that it’s sweet. This wine is what I expect from a good Rosé—nice flavor, good acidity, and a light-to-medium body that was refreshing and flirty. I gave this wine 3.5 corks and while I received this wine as a sample, the suggested retail price is $17.
***While I know it’s not quite Memorial Day, as we are about to enter into the holiday weekend,
I would like to take a moment to remember the amazing men and women who lost their lives while defending America
and send my thoughts to their families.***
Great post, thank you very much for the recommendations in different price ranges! I will be adding some of these to my shopping list.
I love the Gnarly Head wine. I’ve tried both the Pinot Grigio and the Zinfandel and loved them both. I was surprised as to how tasty they were considering they were so inexpensive. I thought the Pinot Grigio was really light and crisp and it went perfectly with the pasta and ham dish I made!
Courtney–I was trying to keep the wines inexpensive, since they are BBQ wines, but also recognize that people may be bringing them as a host gift. Thanks for the comment!
Lisa–I actually just bought the Gnarly Head Zin, although I haven’t had a chance to open it yet. I’m hoping we’ll get to do some grilling this week, which will be a perfect chance to taste the wine. I’ll let you know how it goes, but now you have me particularly excited!