Barbeque season has come at last, and with it comes the tantalizing taste of grilled steak. Many outdoor barbeque connoisseurs would revert to drinking a boring cold beer with their steak, but pairing a lovely wine with the steak is more of a treat. And, Zinfandel is a red wine that will stand up to the smoky flavors of the steak and is robust enough to complement it.
The Zinfandel red grape variety’s origins has been disputed, but DNA fingerprinting revealed that it is genetically equivalent to the Croatian grape, Crljenak Kaštelanski, and also the Primitivo variety traditionally grown in Italy. Today the Zinfandel grape has been planted in over 10% of California wine vineyards.
Zinfandel is typically a red wine, but in the United States a semi-sweet rosé or blush wine is called White Zinfandel. The White Zinfandel wine has recorded six times the sales of the red variety.
The taste of the red Zinfandel depends upon the ripeness of the grapes when it is made, and from where it is made. Red berry fruity flavors, like raspberry, result from wines from cooler areas such as the Napa Valley. Blackberry, anise or peppery notes are more common in wines from warmer areas like Sonoma County and in wines from the Primitivo clone strain of grape.
Zinfandel wines are typically best enjoyed in its youth, within three to five years of vintage. With age, the luscious fruitiness of this wine drops markedly and can display a pronounced ‘hot’ taste of higher alcohol levels. In the younger wines, the voluptuous flavor tends to mask the taste of the higher alcohol levels of this wine.
The lovely smokiness of grilled steak pairs well with this red wine. The heavy robustness and high sugar content of the wine complements the charred steak flavors.
To achieve the maximum wine and steak pairing complement, lightly season your steak with your favorite seasonings and grill to your choice of doneness. Then, top with the Zucchini Steak Sauce below:
Zucchini Steak Sauce
3-4 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 TBSP. butter
¼ tsp. Each, salt & pepper
1 tomato, diced
1 TBSP. soy sauce
1 TBSP. Chicken and Rib barbeque sauce
1 can sliced or whole mushrooms
Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add onions and cook until transparent. Add garlic, zucchini, tomato and salt & pepper. Stir in soy sauce and barbeque sauce. Simmer together until zucchini are soft. Add mushrooms and cook through.
Delicious served over grilled steak.
