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Sturdy, fun-sipping barbecue reds For people in the backyard burning beef

There’s no need to rush summer. It’s not even the middle of August, so just ignore those back-to-school sales. To help stave off the inevitable I suggest a good old-fashioned barbecue, complete with a killer selection of “barbecue” wine.

I have a good friend who describes the barbecue process as “men in the backyard burning beef,” and while I think she is closer to the truth than she knows, there is no need to leave the ’cueing to any one sex. After all, men are not born with any particular barbecue skills so we shouldn’t expect them to turn into Rob Feenie the minute the barbecue is fired up.

Now, what to cook…

While T-bone steaks would be great, chicken, hamburgers or smokies will do just fine. Simply add some fresh corn on the cob and sliced heritage tomatoes, grill some vegetables and, voilà , you have yourself a barbecue that screams summer. All you need now are the wines.

Although wineries seldom characterize their wines as “barbecue reds”, lest we think of them as not serious, the fact is everybody is looking for the great barbecue red, (translation: an inexpensive, sturdy, fun-sipping wine) that will stand up to the smoke and charred food.

Today we look at some classic barbecue candidates, all recently tasted, that should be widely available in government and/or local private wine stores.

California zinfandel was the classic barbecue wine before the arrival of Aussie shiraz, and while the sweet-sipping white zinfandel has grabbed a lot the limelight, it’s the old-fashioned, dry-farmed, old vines, RED, zinfandel that is the classic, ’cue wine.

My current hot picks would include Zig Zag Zin 2004 ($25) a big, warm, friendly zin packed with bright red fruits al la plums cherries and raspberries. That goes ditto for the Z 52 Agnes Vineyard Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel 2003 ($35) , big warm and bold, it’s well-suited to grilled sausages or barbecued back ribs. Softer and a little bit smoother is the spicy, ripe Tamás Estates Zinfandel 2004 ($18) , or finally check out the aptly named Artezin Zinfandel 2005 ($25) — it’s crammed with briary, black fruit. You can serve this crowd pleaser with most grilled meats and roasted poultry.

From California, we head east to France and south to the Rhone Valley region. Grenache syrah and mourvèdre make up the bulk of most southern Rhone reds with their delightful aromas of earth, pepper black fruit and raspberries.

Two solid picks here are the new-to-the-market Chat-en-Oeuf Côtes du Ventoux 2005 ($14) a juicy, sweet fruit affair that revels in the magic of the 2005 harvest and some delicious tasting grenache and syrah, or choose the latest Château Pesquié Côtes-du-Ventoux Les Terrasses 2004 ($17) packed with jammy, berry fruit flavours. This is well-priced and well made Ventoux that will pair well with grilled meats.

Much farther south, and down into the foot of Italy and on to Sicily, we come to the home of primitivo and nero d'Avola. Ten years ago I wouldn’t look twice at this area but today, modern winemaking practices have paid off handsomely for southern Italy. The Scurati Nero d'Avola 2005 ($24) from Sicily has fine plummy fruit with licorice and smoky meat flavours. In Puglia, winemaker Mark Shannon and his wife Elvezia continue to hone their fashionable A Mano Primitivo 2003 ($18) marked by sweet fruit and savoury chocolate flavours and a licorice black fruit finish.

The clever Tormaresca Neprica 2004 ($15) blends NE-groamaro, PRI-mitivo and CA-bernet sauvignon to capture the warm, almost tropical essence of southern Italy. Chocolate, licorice and black fruit with flecks of mineral and anise make this a flank steak friend.

From Europe we travel south and west to Chile to taste a remarkable syrah from Concha y Toro sold under the Casillero del Diablo Shiraz 2005 ($13) . It’s a bit alcoholic but this is a great barbecue red from an excellent vintage. Inexpensive and perfect for spare ribs slathered in your favourite sauce.

The Emiliana Orgánico Adobe Syrah 2005 ($14) from Colchagua is a supple syrah with smoky, peppery, blackberry, mineral, dark chocolate, coffee grind and meaty flavours. Terrific value and 100 per cent organic.

Across the Andes the “new” darling of the barbecue, or asado as it’s called in Argentina, is malbec and there are over 20,000 hectares of the grape growing strong. There, at altitude, the power-packed red grape is winning over consumers with its savoury, earthy black fruit flavours that almost cry out for barbecue.

Viu Manent Malbec 2005 ($13) is one of the best inexpensive malbecs made in South America. I love the fat almost sweet-tasting fruit full of licorice, black fruit and tobacco. It’s difficult to beat all that flavour and oomph for the money. Big smoky leather, clove and dark chocolate mark the nose of the Los Cardos Malbec 2005 ($15) , while the palate is all spicy cherry, tobacco and roasted savoury mushroom flavours. The perfect backyard red.

Organic wine fans can reach for Jean Bousquet Malbec 2005 ($16) from Tupungato, Mendoza. Jean Bousquet’s organic grapes are grown at 1,200 metres and produce a tasty ripe malbec with hints of toast, savoury black fruit and mocha notes. Good value in an everyday New World red style.

It’s not all malbec, but the Trivento Cabernet Malbec Reserve 2005 ($13) from Mendoza delivers a lovely white pepper nose and a mixed blackberry jam and meaty aromas and flavours. Love the intensity and the price. Another great barbecue red.

Before you begin you might need something to greet the guests and keep all the food prep people happy. My choice is the Torres De Casta Rosé 2006 ($13) , a masterful blend of garnacha tinta and cariñena first made in 1941. The nose is clean and fresh, bursting with black raspberry and cherry scents. On the palate it is agreeably round and crisp with the perfect touch of sweetness. Great value too.

Gentlemen — and women — light your barbecues!

Anthony Gismondi is a globetrotting wine writer who makes his home in West Vancouver, British Columbia. For more of his thoughts on wine log onto www.gismondionwine.com