Best wine for a barbecue
Barbecue wine needs to work outdoors, in the heat, alongside smoke and char. The rules are different from a dinner table — you want something robust enough to handle the grill but refreshing enough to drink in summer.
For grilled red meat
Malbec is the barbecue red. Its dark fruit, soft tannins, and slight smokiness are built for grilled beef. A Mendoza Malbec at £15–20 will outperform most other reds twice the price at a barbecue. Shiraz from the Barossa is another strong option — its peppery, meaty character echoes the smoke and char of the grill beautifully. Both handle burger, steak, and lamb chops with equal confidence.
For grilled chicken and pork
Lighter meats need a lighter wine. A chilled, fruity red — a Beaujolais Villages or a light Grenache served slightly cool — works brilliantly with grilled chicken and pork. So does a full, dry rosé from Provence. The slight chill and fresh acidity make rosé one of the most versatile barbecue wines you can open.
For grilled fish and seafood
Grilled fish — mackerel, sea bass, prawns — needs something with acidity and freshness. Albariño from Galicia is excellent, its citrus and stone fruit cutting through the smokiness without overpowering the fish. Picpoul de Pinet is cheaper and nearly as good. Both should be very cold.
What to avoid
Delicate, complex, expensive wines are wasted at a barbecue. The smoke, the heat, and the casual atmosphere will mask any subtlety. Save the aged Burgundy for a dinner table. At a barbecue, buy something good but not precious — and make sure it is cold enough.
At a restaurant and not sure what to order? Pour reads the wine list and tells you exactly what to get.
Use Pour free →