Wine with a barbecue: how to choose the best bottle for the grill
By OnlyWines editorial team
At a barbecue, fruity, medium-bodied wines with little tannin work best: Zinfandel, Malbec, Grenache or Syrah with red meat, a chilled light red or rosé with sausage and chicken, and Sauvignon Blanc or Vermentino with fish and vegetables. Smoke and spices ask for fruit, not heavy oak.
In this article
On the barbecue it is not only about the meat. Smoke, the charred edge and the sauce decide what you pour. That differs from the classic pairing with a steak, which we cover in the article on wine with steak.
Choose by what is on the grill
Beef and spare ribs
Zinfandel, Malbec
Ripe fruit suits a sweet, smoky sauce.
Lamb with herbs
Syrah, Grenache
Spicy wine mirrors the marinade.
Sausage and burgers
Barbera, Tempranillo, chilled Gamay
Smooth, fruity, little tannin.
Chicken
Rosé, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Versatile with lightly smoked meat.
Fish and shellfish
Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, Albariño
Fresh acidity and a saline touch.
Grilled vegetables
Grüner Veltliner, Verdejo, rosé
Fresh, spicy wine with char.
Grilling creates smoke and bitter notes. A wine with a lot of oak reinforces that. Fruit works as a counterweight. A young, fruity Zinfandel therefore tastes better with grilled meat than a heavily aged Bordeaux.
With a strong marinade, choose the wine for the sauce, not for the piece of meat.
Outdoors, in the sun
Use a cooler or a bucket of cold water. A wet cloth around the bottle cools it further.
Serve red wine lightly chilled. A Gamay or Pinot Noir can spend 20 minutes in the fridge.
A dry cava or prosecco opens the drinks.
Pour small glasses. In the heat, wine soon becomes lukewarm.
Remember rosé. It is the all-rounder of the barbecue.
Which bubble to choose is explained at champagne, prosecco and cava.
More about that all-rounder is in the article on rosé wine.
For the grill
Wine for the barbecue
For chicken and sausageBarbera d'Asti Superiore DOCG Sansì Antologia - Scagliola
Barbera · Piemonte
Light red wine, fruity and with little tannin.
RoséWals Rosé
Regent · Gendringen
The all-rounder with chicken, fish and vegetables.
For fish and vegetablesVilla Cordevigo Bianco del Veronese - Villabella
Garganega, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc · Veneto
Sauvignon Blanc or Vermentino, fresh and saline.
Frequently asked questions
Which wine pairs with a barbecue?
Choose fruity, medium-bodied wines with little tannin, such as Zinfandel, Malbec or a light red wine. Rosé and Sauvignon Blanc pair with chicken, fish and vegetables.
Can you drink rosé with a barbecue?
Yes. Rosé is one of the most versatile choices for a barbecue and pairs with chicken, sausage, fish and grilled vegetables.
How do you keep wine cool at a barbecue?
Use a cooler or a bucket of cold water, wrap a wet cloth around the bottle and pour small amounts at a time.
Keep exploring the winewise guide
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