The Do's
-
01
Keep acidity high
Use Italian wines with clear acidity before adding body or tannin.
Italian Wine Pairings for Korean Barbecue and Grilled Meats
Soy, sesame, garlic and char make Korean barbecue a natural test for Italian reds with freshness. Barbera d'Asti, Lambrusco di Sorbara and Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo keep the fat in line without making the grill taste bitter.
These dishes need acidity before tannin. Read more
Quick Facts
Grape colour mix
67%
red
33%
white
Rules of Engagement
The Do's
-
01
Keep acidity high
Use Italian wines with clear acidity before adding body or tannin.
The Don'ts
-
01
Do not over-oak it
Avoid oaky whites and dense reds when chilli, soy or kimchi is visible.
Pairings at a Glance
Showing 1–5 of 5 dishes
Korean BBQ
Korean BBQ puts smoke, soy and sesame fat at the centre of the Korean barbecue & grilled meats table. Barbera d'Asti has the acidity and red-fruit snap to handle the char while Lambrusco di Sorbara refreshes the salt and fat. Avoid Barolo, Amarone and Brunello here because dense tannin makes chilli, soy and garlic feel harder.
Appellations to explore
Asolo ProseccoDOCG
Barbera d'AlbaDOC
Barbera d'AstiDOCG
Barbera del MonferratoDOC
Barbera del Monferrato SuperioreDOCG
Bulgogi
Bulgogi puts sweet soy, pear and sesame at the centre of the Korean barbecue & grilled meats table. Barbera d'Asti works because its sour-cherry acidity cuts the sweetness without adding hard tannin. Avoid Barolo, Amarone and Brunello here because dense tannin makes chilli, soy and garlic feel harder.
Perfect grape varieties
Also worth trying
Appellations to explore
Asolo ProseccoDOCG
Barbera d'AlbaDOC
Barbera d'AstiDOCG
Barbera del MonferratoDOC
Barbera del Monferrato SuperioreDOCG
Dak galbi
Dak galbi puts chilli paste, chicken and sweet rice cake at the centre of the Korean barbecue & grilled meats table. Prosecco keeps chilli and rice cake sweetness moving, while Pecorino adds herbal grip. Avoid Barolo, Amarone and Brunello here because dense tannin makes chilli, soy and garlic feel harder.
Appellations to explore
Asolo ProseccoDOCG
Conegliano Valdobbiadene ProseccoDOCG
Lambrusco di SorbaraDOC
Lambrusco Grasparossa di CastelvetroDOC
Lambrusco Salamino di Santa CroceDOC
Galbi
Galbi puts beef rib, soy sweetness and char at the centre of the Korean barbecue & grilled meats table. Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo gives enough fruit and freshness for rib fat without the weight of Amarone. Avoid Barolo, Amarone and Brunello here because dense tannin makes chilli, soy and garlic feel harder.
Perfect grape varieties
Also worth trying
Appellations to explore
Barbera d'AlbaDOC
Barbera d'AstiDOCG
Barbera del MonferratoDOC
Barbera del Monferrato SuperioreDOCG
BasilicataIGT
Samgyeopsal
Samgyeopsal puts pork belly, garlic and fermented soybean paste at the centre of the Korean barbecue & grilled meats table. Lambrusco di Sorbara has the fizz and red-fruit bite to reset the pork fat. Avoid Barolo, Amarone and Brunello here because dense tannin makes chilli, soy and garlic feel harder.
Appellations to explore
Asolo ProseccoDOCG
Barbera d'AlbaDOC
Barbera d'AstiDOCG
Barbera del MonferratoDOC
Barbera del Monferrato SuperioreDOCG
Why These Pairings Work
These dishes need acidity before tannin. Bright reds, rosato and metodo classico handle smoke, sweet marinade and pork fat better than oak-heavy reds.
Explore More Pairings
Food Pairing Questions
Barbecue & Grilled Meats works best with these dishes need acidity before tannin. Prosecco, Soave and Barbera d'Asti cover most dishes in this section.
Choose white or sparkling wine when chilli, vinegar or seafood leads, and fresh red wine when pork, beef or char is stronger. Keep tannin moderate.
Avoid Amarone, Barolo and Brunello when chilli, kimchi or soy-heavy sauces are prominent. Their tannin and alcohol make the seasoning feel sharper.
