Cline Zinfandel 2016 ($14.99)

Spend your money on the fine cut of beef and pair it with an amazing bargain wine: Cline Family Cellars Ancient Vines Zinfandel from Contra Costa County, California.

This zin will please your palette with plump, ripe red and blue fruit and a full-body. There’s also strawberry pie and cherry cola flavors. It’s an amazing collection of tastes.

Consider serving it with an appetizer of aged Gouda or cheddar before your enjoying this wine with grilled or smoked meats. It will definitely stand-up to and balance strong flavors.

As your brisket, ribs or chicken slowly smoke on Labor Day, consider whipping up a batch of quick pickles to pair with the smoked brisket or other BBQ'd delicacies.

In less than an hour the pictured items were pickled: crisp and fresh. It’s a simple recipe of boiled vinegar with sugar, salt, black peppercorns, mustard and coriander seeds. Add loads of garlic and dill to the brine, pour over the veggies in a jar, and then let it sit. In the time it takes to smoke a brisket, you’ve got the perfect tasty garnish for your BBQ.

Every season is grilling season at our house and Cline’s Zin is also, always in season.