Carmenere and BBQ

I dream in BBQ. With the summer cookout season in full swing, I wanted to share one of my top wines I like to drink with BBQ. If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that I seek out red wine from Spain and Argentina. Theses wines are often unknowns and I like trying new flavors. Argentinians eat a lot meat and make bold wines to stand up the these dishes.

The other item to keep on hand for the BBQ is your sauce. Make it right and it will be talked about for decades, standing on its own or supporting the wine being served.

Now, because I'm a BBQ master I create my own blend from scratch since I know how I want it to taste and I tend to think outside the bottle. Making your own is very easy with a basic blend and then you can add you own touches to make it unique. The basic ingredients are listed here; however, there are a few touches I customize and don't care to divulge just yet. I'm sorry.

Ingredients:

2T Olive oil
2 cloves garlic
onions
1.5 C ketchep
1/2 C cider vinegar
1/4 C Worcestershire
1/3 C sugar
1 T chili powder
1/2 t cayenne pepper

Trust me, this in itself is much better when you make it fresh and cook on the stove for 20 minutes to thicken. Oh, yes you too can be a BBQ king or queen armed with this sauce and this wine. It's a great alternative to the more popular albeit pricier California Zins. The Carmenere was $6.99 from The Fresh Market.

Side items I like to accompany my spicy BBQ are tabouli and corn-on-the-cob. Enjoy!