Last year we explored food pairings like Garlic Shrimp & Rosé, Spicy Tikka Chicken Skewers & Chenin Blanc, Grilled Pork Chops & Valpolicella, BBQ Chicken & South African Chardonnay, and Steak & Malbec. This year, we explore wine pairings for other cook-out favorites.

Bright citrusy flavors call for zippy, high acid white wines. If you're adding fresh herbs into your marinade, we suggest the Menade Verdejo. This organic Spanish white wine is grown in limestone rich soils at high altitudes in Rueda. The results are a bright, mineral driven, fruity wine with herbaceous notes of thyme & fennel. Gerard Boulay Sancerre is a classic pairing for lemony shrimp. This Sauvignon Blanc is also herbaceous & citrus driven, but with fun notes of white pepper and a textural body from 8 months of lees aging.

It wouldn't be a cook-out without hot dogs! There are many delicious wines that go fabulously with this unfussy food. Some of our favorite pairings are low tannin, juicy reds and aromatic white wines. Cruess Gewurztraminer is floral with classic lychee fruit flavors, amplified by the 14 days of skin contact. This juicy white wine is perfect with the sweet and sour flavors of ketchup & mustard. Domaine Chignard Julienas has a beautiful Beaujolais bouquet of potpourri, cinnamon, crushed granite & black raspberries. This light hearted, chillable red wine is perfect for a salty hot dog with all the fixings.

Bratwursts with high acid sauerkraut — a perfect pairing. What wines play into this delicious marriage of flavors? We follow the old adage, "if it grows together, it goes together." Bratwursts have been eaten in Germany since the 1300's, so we suggest pairing them with a German or Alsatian wine. A. Christmann Riesling is made from biodynamically grown grapes. It's dry, fuller bodied, and very herbaceous in a perfect-for-pork fashion. Michel Fonne Pinot Noir is light and earthy with hints of leather & smoke. This Alsatian Pinot is complimented by charred sausages.

Juicy hamburgers are best complimented by juicy wines. Something light to medium bodied, lower in tannins, and fruity will best compliment the traditional toppings of lettuce, tomato and onion. Francois Laurent 'Il Fait Soif' Côtes du Rhône is a biodynamic, thirst-quenching, Grenache based blend perfect for a grilled burger. If you're making lighter veggie burgers, the Regis Bouvier Bourgogne is a beautiful fruit-forward red Burgundy to try. Raspberries & red currant will brighten any hefty Impossible Burger concoction.

Barbeque slathered ribs are the showstopper of any cook-out. Bold in flavor, these morsels can hold up to some powerful wines. For beef ribs, we love Tempranillo for its ability to heigh ten the pepper, tobacco & herbal flavors of the meat. Condado de Haza Crianza is a fruity Tempranillo from Ribera Del Duero which compliments sweet BBQ sauce perfectly. Madson Syrah is especially delicious with pork ribs. This natural Syrah has notes of black raspberry, pepper-rubbed bacon, herbs, licorice and black pepper.