Grilling? Serve a zin.(South Florida Sun-Sentinel)

If there's a gas or charcoal grill in your menu plans for Independence Day, the only wine you need is zinfandel. It's perfect with any grilled meat from hamburgers to steaks. It also goes with pork and beef, especially ribs, cooked with barbecue sauce.

Many think of this all-American wine as a pink blush. However, the best zins are red (the color depends on the time the pressed juice is in contact with the grape skins).

Sold at a variety of prices, there's a zinfandel for everyone. Some that you should consider include:

Fetzer Vineyards California Home Ranch Zinfandel and Chateau Julien Barrel Aged Zinfandel are two of the best budget-priced choices, showing good flavor and varietal character. They are ideally priced to serve your holiday crowd.

Of the red zinfandels priced in the teens, I like Beringer Vineyards Clear Lake Zinfandel, made from grapes grown in California's Lake County; Chateau Souverain Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, produced with a bit of petite syrah in the blend; Rancho Zabaco Heritage Vines Zinfandel, from Sonoma County, California's most successful zinfandel wine-growing region; Rosenblum Rust Ridge Vineyard Zinfandel, a luscious red filled with black cherry and ripe plum flavors; and Rabbit Ridge Sonoma County Zinfandel, complex and smooth with nuances of wild berries.

More expensive options include the Lambert Bridge Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, a red filled with ...