Beef Shish Kebabs & Wine Pairings

Beef Shish Kebabs pair best with lighter to medium-bodied reds with plenty of acidity, such as Pinot Noir, Beaujolais Cru, Zinfandel and Cabernet Franc.  Heavier red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux will go great with Beef Shish Kebabs, however, don’t expect to taste much of the vegetables, like bell peppers, onions, mushrooms or zucchini.

I’m not exactly sure if I have been eating my Beef Skewers properly all this time as I sorta eat it as I would Corn on the cob, rather than pulling off all the ingredients.  Regardless, I love biting into a Beef Shish Kebab as the juicy sweat off the grilled veggies splashes over the red meat and creates flavour heaven. Since I love my veggies so much, I prefer lighter reds with my beef skewers. However, I recognize the majority of North Americans are carnivores, and may feel that Beef Shish Kebabs are a trick to get them to eat more vegetables.

While a Beaujolais Cru, like a Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent or a Morgon pair better with Beef Skewers (due to higher tannin and earthier flavours), I’m suggesting a Beaujolais Villages in this instance as it is much easier to obtain in North America. Often Beaujolais Cru is snapped up fast at your wine store as it’s a high quality wine that is similar to Pinot Noir, but at a much more reduced price.

Beaujolais Villages is this fruity but earthy red wine that has notes of black pepper and spice that will go amazing with the grilled mushrooms on your skewer. Meanwhile, expect velvety flavours of cherry, raspberry, strawberry and blackberries which will help keep you refreshed against the density of the grilled red meat.

The light body and high acidity of Beaujolais Villages is also going to ensure you taste any other vegetables on your skewer. Furthermore, the wine will pair up nicely with other foods accompanying your skewers such as grilled chicken, baked beans or baked potatoes.

Cabernet Franc is an underappreciated wine due to its notes of green bell pepper, green olives, and herbs. I think people try this red wine and either think it’s a little off or young as they aren’t used to green flavours in their red wine.  Cabernet Franc doesn’t just taste like the vegetable isle of your grocery store as it also has fruity notes of black currant, blackberry, raspberries, red cherry and plum.

High acidity and with medium tannin, Cabernet Franc has enough bite to grip into your grilled Beef Skewers, as well as plenty of acidity to ensure it goes great with your vegetables. You’ll also find interesting notes of cedar, pencil shavings, stone and tobacco which make this a delicious red wine with barbecued foods.

Syrah loves barbecued beef its flavours of black pepper, spice, smoke, olives and herbs make it a delicious accompaniment to the grilled vegetables on your beef skewer. Australian Shiraz, while similar and will go great with beef shish kebabs, is a bit of a different beast as it’s much more fruitier and doesn’t have the earthier, meatier and herbal flavours associated with Syrah.

Rich, smooth and velvety, Syrah also has notes of blackberry, raspberry, blueberry and plum that will serve up plenty of refreshment against the grilled beef. High in alcohol and full-bodied, Syrah is a bit too hefty for the veggies, but there is enough acidity to ensure the grilled vegetable flavours don’t completely disappear in the mix of things.