It’s summer, which means that come rain or shine, the BBQ takes centre stage if you plan to entrain at home. Balcony BBQ’s or full on garden parties with family and friends, if you’re the host, then take a look at our suggestions for some amazing local drinks to really make those flavours zing!
Beef burgers
If you’ve got some burgers on the grill, pair it with something summery like a rose.
You could try Bride Valley Vineyard’s Dorset Pinot Noir Rosè or Melbury Vineyard have a variety of rosés, including a fruity option, the Decadence and a dry option, the Virtue.
The Furleigh Estate have their Sea Pink wine, which is a delightful mix of summery flavours including strawberry, pomegranate and blackcurrant and there is also the Sparkling Rosè NV
D’Uberville Vineyard have an English sparkling rosè and Langham Wine Estate have a Dorset Rosè which is even described as being perfect for an al fresco lunch!
If none of those suit, head to Morrish and Banham where you can find a selection of rosès from around the world.
Chicken
BBQ’d is the best way to enjoy chicken – whether you’re mixing up a tasty sauce to marinate it in first or just chucking straight on the grill it is always a winner among BBQ guests.
When it comes to chicken, why not pair it with a vodka cocktail? There are some amazingly fruity and summery flavours you can create at home with local vodka and some fruit juice.
Black Cow Vodka is an amazing local vodka, either grab some of their premium vodka or pick up a bottle of their negroni – their first ready to serve cocktail inspired by summer flavours.
Alternatively, Shanty Spirit’s seaweed botanical vodka is a wonderful addition to cocktails.
Seafood
If you’re grilling shrimp, prawns or a few fillets of fish, match them with a crisp white wine. Luckily, all of Dorset’s wine producers have a white wine range for you to choose from.
Furleigh Estate have their Classic Cuvee or their West Dorset Chardonnay which has a crisp flavour of apples and quince.
Melbury Vale Vineyard have their Elegance wine and Bride Valley’s Brut Reserve also works well with seafood. Alternatively, Langham’s Blanc de Blanc is a good choice.
Vegetables
Whether you’re grilling sweetcorn or asparagus, there is a drink to match. If you’re planning on loading up your plate with BBQ’d veg, make sure to have a nice cider on hand.
Noddy’s Cider has a great range of traditional dry and medium ciders while West Milton Cider have a variety of flavoured ciders, including Purple Haze which has a hint of blackcurrant, Flowery Bottom, an elderflower option and their Lancombe Rising, which has the original cider taste.
Dorset Nectar’s fruit ciders include a ginger, a raspberry, a damson and a honey as well as elderflower and traditional apple varieties for something a bit different.
You can find more cider producers here if you want to mix it up a bit and try both sparkling and still local cider.
Non alcoholic drinks are always welcome at parties and BBQ’s so try Dorset Ginger’s award-winning, non-alcoholic, non-carbonated, hand blended ginger drinks and Sicilian lemonade.
Kombucha is a fab alternative – Curious kombucha make a delicious range of fermented tea drinks full of probiotics and prebiotics that promote gut health. It is mildly effervescent and slightly tart, low in sugar and non alcoholic.
Don’t forget to get the rest of your BBQ goodies locally, find meat producers here, seafood here and the region’s farmshops for everything else here.
