5 Recipes to Pair with Lake Chelan Wine This Summer

It’s barbecue season! There’s nothing like the extra sunshine and warmth to get excited about summer food and wine.

Here are five recipes to try at your next gathering that are well suited to several of the Lake Chelan Wine Valley’s renowned varietals.

Buttered Radish Toast & Rosé

Photo from The Kitchen Whisperer

Rosé flows freely across the Lake Chelan Wine Valley starting as early as April. This means there is plenty of time to try it paired with a variety of in-season recipes.

One of our favorites is buttered radish toast. This recipe optimizes the late spring/early summer radish crop for a delicious appetizer that will transport you to the French countryside. The butter helps to cut the bitterness of the radishes (use unsalted European butter for ultimate creaminess), and the final product is highly complementary to a variety of rosé wine types.

Where to Find Rosé

Strawberry Arugula Salad & Chardonnay

Photo from The Minimalist Baker

Early June is prime strawberry and arugula time! Take advantage of this delectable pairing by creating your own riff on this strawberry and arugula salad. The salad is highly customizable and can feature everything from walnuts to goat cheese (why not both?)

Pair the salad with a Lake Chelan Chardonnay for the ultimate showcase of this regional all-star. Chardonnay’s full-bodied nature balances the arugula’s spiciness, and the creamier components of an oaked Chardonnay couple beautifully with the sweet freshness of in-season strawberries.

Where to Find Chardonnay

Spicy Shrimp Skewers & Viognier

Photo by Jonathan Melendez from Food.com

The tropical bouquet of a Lake Chelan Viognier makes it a go-to summer sipper. Even better, Viognier pairs wonderfully with shrimp in all shapes and sizes – especially those with spicy or cream-based marinades.

Try a Lake Chelan Viognier with this grilled shrimp skewer recipe. The full-bodied, fruit-forward palette couples perfectly with the spice of the cayenne-forward rub, and the skewers can even make use of a variety of in-season vegetables as the summer progresses.

Where to Find Viognier

Grilled Mushroom Flatbreads & Pinot Noir

Photo from The Food Network

Pinot Noir has a reputation for pairing well with just about everything thanks to its easy sipping and unobtrusive nature.

Grilled flatbreads — the slightly upscale cousin of the delivery pizza — come together easily and pair beautifully with Pinot Noir across a diverse range of toppings. Try it with a classic pepperoni, Margherita, or a grilled mushroom blend. The earthy profile complements the herby and medium-bodied richness of a Lake Chelan Pinot Noir.

Where to Find Pinot Noir

Grilled Lamb & Syrah

Syrah and grilled meats have a long-standing reputation as a slam-dunk food and wine pairing. Lake Chelan Syrah and grilled meats are another animal all their own!

As the largest produced varietal in the Lake Chelan Wine Valley, Syrah is one of the region’s flagship wines and is a perfect showcase of the Lake Chelan AVA’s mineral-dense soils.

Pair one of Lake Chelan’s many Syrah’s with this grilled lamb chop recipe. The delicate flavors of the lamb are perfectly suited to Syrah’s lighter, more tart styles that are typical of cool-climate growing regions such as Lake Chelan. The additions of allspice, clove, or mint help amplify Syrah’s natural flavors.

Where to Find Syrah

Invite Lake Chelan Wine to Your Next BBQ

With hundreds of award-winning wines across 40+ wineries and tasting rooms, there is a Lake Chelan wine to pair perfectly with your next barbecue menu. From small bites to salads to meaty mains, try out a specially paired dinner this summer and discover all the magic in a bottle of glacially-grown wine from Washington’s paradise.